Job summary
Are you looking for a challenging, rewarding opportunity? The First Response Service has expanded and NSFT are now seeking a team of call handlers to support their helpline, from their Norwich base.
The First Response Service is a helpline for people of all ages in Norfolk and Suffolk who need urgent mental health support. Our dedicated helpline is available all day, every day, so we need caring, compassionate individuals to join the team as call handlers.
The ideal candidate will be an excellent communicator, able to remain calm under pressure and have strong administrative skills. You'll be provided with extensive training and we will ensure you're confident using all of the systems we use. We're committed to ensuring all of the team is supported properly, with senior clinical leadership on hand during each shift.
We're flexible and understand everyone has a variety of commitments - our shifts are typically 8-8, but we're able to offer a range of different patterns to suit you e.g. nights only, twilight shift, part time etc.
***Note*** The Job Description is currently going through job matching and may be subject to change
Main duties of the job
This is an integral role within our crisis pathway, you'll be providing a frontline service in answering mental health related calls.
You will be the first point of contact, so it is vital you're able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people. Some of the people you'll be talking to will be in a distressed state, so you'll need to use your core skills to de-escalate and manage the situation.
After a brief clinical risk and mental state assessment, calls are transferred for formulation and brief psychological interventions. You'll use different computerised systems to enter details accurately, to ensure calls are prioritised and transferred effectively.
If you're looking for a role where you will truly be making a difference to people's lives, we would love to hear from you!
About us
We are proud of our culture of honesty, team involvement and ownership of quality patient care with job satisfaction. There will be opportunities to be involved with training, strategy and service development.
Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.
Why work for us? We are an improving Trust, with ambitious aspirations and pushing ahead with exciting transformation work. We have strong, established nursing networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.
Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Answering calls from Service Users and on occasion professionals
- Triaging and assessing over the phone
- Safety Planning
- Documentation of above including referrals, Notes, referrals to other teams
- Liaison with other professionals and teams
- On occasion, creating formulations and plans for our regular callers
- Taking lead/champion subjects such as: Learning Disability,
- Youth, Drug & Alcohol, perinatal, etc. Within that is opportunity for training, sharing knowledge with the team, attending conferences or meetings
- Face to face assessments where appropriate
- Shadowing other teams where appropriate/possible
- Brief intervention over the phone where appropriate
- Quality Improvement
Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE level education or equivalent
Desirable
- Administrative Experience
Experience
Essential
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages, e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher and Outlook
Desirable
- Experience of working in a call centre or similar.
Other
Essential
- Ability to work flexibly to cover an extended hours 7 days a week service.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website .
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants .
Employer details
Employer name
Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
Address
FRS Norfolk, Hellesdon
Drayton High Road
Norwich
NR6 5BE