Communications Switchboard Operator

Position: Switchboard Operator

Seniority level: Entry level

Employment type: Contract

Job function: Administrative

Industry: Public Relations and Communications Services

• Serve as the first point of contact with the public, internal and external medical staff, and other critical hospital calls.
• Answer all incoming calls promptly, within a target time limit, and connect the caller with the correct recipient or department.
• Fully understand and utilize all extensions and switchboard features for efficient call handling.
• Communicate with staff via the bleep system, radio pagers, and other communication tools.
• Ensure that staff and authorities are contacted for fire, security & critical alarms, major incidents, and remote site support.
• Alert emergency teams for cardiac arrest and medical emergencies such as Head/Full/ED Only Traumas, Red CVA/Stroke.
• Operate VDU consoles, maintain the internal and external directory, and generate basic reports from bleep management systems out of hours.
• Monitor and maintain emergency mobile phones at optimum power levels.
• Update and implement on‑call departmental rota changes, ensuring appropriate staff are called for out‑of‑hours duties.
• Operate patients records software for locating patients out of hours.
• Coordinate with General Practitioners regarding patient admissions.
• Arrange and maintain audit records for all taxi journeys for patients, samples, and on‑call staff.
• Attend Trust mandatory and other specific training courses as identified.
• Assist the Telecommunications Manager with any other duties as requested.
• Facilitate improved communication between departments and service users.
• Report potential problems such as systems faults to the I.T Helpdesk.
• Communicate professionally and effectively to service users, using various communication systems.
• Operate radio paging equipment, handle fire/bomb threat calls, and arrange emergency journeys out of hours.
• Log Estates helpdesk jobs via the TABS system.
• Book non‑emergency patient transport journeys for NWAS.

Required:

Strong verbal communication skills and the ability to operate various communication systems within the Switchboard Department.