Job descriptionMain area: 999, Call Handler, NHS, Ambulance, Contact Centre, Call Centre, Customer Service Grade: Band 3 Contract: Permanent Hours: * Full time * Part time 37.5 hours per week (minimum 23 hours per week) Job ref: 278-999CHC-2507-JG Site: Crawley Emergency Operations Centre Town: Crawley Salary: £25,760 - £27,476 per annum NHS Agenda for Change Section 2 + NHS Unsocial Hours Salary period: Yearly Closing: 09/08/2026 23:59 South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) has a vision to ‘support our staff to provide a caring, high quality and efficient urgent and emergency care service to our communities’. We are rated ‘Good’ for care by the Care Quality Commission and while the other areas under their most recent report require improvement, our aim is to continually improve and to reach outstanding across all areas of the Trust. Our 4,000+ workforce provide services to 4.9m people across Kent, Surrey, Sussex and North East Hampshire. We handle over 1 million calls to 999 and 1 million calls to NHS 111 every year. More information regarding our services and locations can be found on our website. Job overview Your NHS needs YOU! Why apply for this role? Our 999 Emergency Call Handlers (Emergency Medical Advisors) are people just like you: people who have come to us from all walks of life, from different backgrounds and age groups, people who all have the same things in common. You are the first person our patients speak to when they call 999 in an emergency. What makes a great 999 Emergency Call Handler (Emergency Medical Advisor)? * Our 999 Emergency Call Handlers are all caring and empathetic * They all have great communication skills * Theyre all happy and able to work flexibly Main duties of the job We will provide full training in a warm, friendly environment in our Emergency Call Centres. Our comprehensive training programme: * 9 weeks full time training * Is full time, even for part time applicants * Has a ‘must’ attend policy due to you obtaining your Pathways licence * Comprises of 3 weeks of Monday to Friday classroom training, then observing and mentoring periods within the working environment for a further 6 weeks before you go “live”. * This is a fully office-based role at our NHS 111/999 contact centres in Medway, Kent or Crawley, West Sussex. Due to 24/7 shift patterns, including nights, applicants must live within approximately 45-60 minutes’ commuting distance. Applications outside this distance will not be progressed. If you are planning to relocate, please include details and timescales in your supporting statement. Working for our organisation As we are a 24/7 service, this role will involve working a varied shift pattern including earlies, lates, nights and weekends on a rota pattern. These rotas are fixed to ensure a safe provision to our patients. If you have a requirement to work nights ONLY, this can also be catered for. What we can offer you: * Competitive salary of £25.760- £27,476 (13.17 per hour) with the extra earning potential with unsocial hours allowance * Unsocial hours enhancements - For all hours that you work between 8pm and 6am Monday - Friday and all-day Saturday you will earn a shift bonus which means you will earn approximately £17.78 per hour. For Sundays and Public Holidays, you will earn approximately £22.26 per hour. * 35 days’ annual leave inclusive of Bank Holidays (pro rata) * Flexible working hours on a rota pattern * Free parking * Blue Light discount card Blue Light Card * Generous NHS Pension Scheme * Award winning Wellbeing hub * Staff networks * Training and development * Salary Sacrifice schemes for cars or push bikes * Access to occupational health * Enhanced DBS check * Bonus scheme Other than in exceptional circumstances, the starting salary for staff new to the NHS will be the bottom point of the band to which they have been appointed. Detailed job description and main responsibilities The role of an Emergency 999 Call Handler (Emergency Medical Advisor) When you dial 999, your call goes through to a call handler based in one of our 2 Emergency Operation Call Centres. These staff are trained to use the NHS Pathways system to provide assistance in a variety of situations, from minor illness to life threatening situations. The assistance you will provide will range from offering lifesaving advice whilst an ambulance is on route, to directing callers to other more suitable services. This role can be demanding, challenging, and ultimately very rewarding however, its not for everyone. Applicants will need to have a range of skills to be able to deal with often stressful and emotional situations, whilst also demonstrating compassion and empathy to all callers, no matter what the situation. * Successful applicants demonstrate high levels of personal commitment to facilitate the delivery of a patient-focused service * We need individuals who have the drive and passion to make a difference to people’s lives, but also the personal resilience to work in a high-pressured environment * You will need to be able to work well within a team and independently, have fast/accurate typing skills and a good standard of education or equivalent experience * This role is suited to people who remain calm under pressure, good at problem solving and have excellent interpersonal skills, with an empathetic nature Further Information The interview process will consist of 6 Multi Mini Interviews (MMIs) and a tour of the Emergency Operations Centre. Prior to the assessment day you will be asked to complete an online Psychometric test. All successful applicants will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check for adults and children. Person specification Qualifications Essential criteria * of Maths, English and ICT skills OR Evidence within previous employment that they have used Maths and English to GCSE level or higher Desirable criteria * Level 2 in Customer Service or Health and Social Care Experience Essential criteria * Previous experience working and communicating with the public * Ability to communicate with a variety of different people and build rapport Desirable criteria * Experience of working in a computer based role - strong IT skills * Previous experience working in a team or with stakeholders across a range of settings Please note that the salary range noted on the vacancy is in line with agenda for change (AFC) pay scales. All successful applicants would be placed automatically at the bottom of the banding, unless proven, relevant NHS or equivalent experience can be demonstrated. Following the revision of current national legislation (Vaccine as a Condition of Deployment), the Trust has reviewed our requirements relating to staff uptake of the SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) vaccination. Going forward, for patient facing positions, we strongly recommend that new starters will be appropriately vaccinated unless medically exempt in order to offer greater protection against exposure to the virus for front line staff. In line with this recommendation, if you are successful in your application for a front line post, we will seek information from you in relation to your vaccine status, including exemption status, as applicable. Please note, all positions come with a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check relevant to the post. This will either be a basic, standard, or enhanced check depending on the role. The level of check will be outlined in the conditional offer letter sent to successful applicants. As part of the application process, you will be asked to declare any unspent/unfiltered convictions. If you are shortlisted you will then be sent a self declaration form, which must be completed prior to attending interview. for any queries relating to declarations, please contact the Recruitment Advisor listed on the vacancy. The Trust is passionately committed to being an inclusive employer - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed. As an employer we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement networks, facilities and services to support staff from different backgrounds. We actively support equality of opportunity for all our staff and welcome applications from individuals regardless of age, any disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief. The Trust is making progress towards its aim of becoming more reflective of the diversity of our community in our workforce and guarantees an interview to candidates J-18808-Ljbffr
