Switchboard Operator

Working Part time : 20 - 30 hours per week (this include shifts during nights and weekends). We are looking for highly motivated individuals to provide comprehensive switchboard service to The Countess of Chester Hospital, as directed by the Team Leaders. The successful candidate must be able to work using their own initiative, and also as part of a busy team. You will be required to cover a shift pattern over 7 days a week with evenings, weekends and nights as part of a 24-hour service. Candidates must be flexible to help us achieve a safe, kind and effective service. Previous unsuccessful applicants need not apply 1. Making and receiving a large number of telephone calls from Staff, Patients, Relatives and other members of the public and connecting them quickly in the most appropriate manner to the person or department they require, using personal knowledge and an electronic telephone directory (equivalent to searching a database). 2. Act calmly, quickly and accurately to any emergency call (on average 20 per week) to alert the correct team and take immediate and precise action according to written procedures and knowledge gained over time. This involves being conversant with all emergency procedures for Switchboard, including: Cardiac Arrest and Medical Emergency calls Missing child or abducted baby Fire and medical gas alarms Panic alarms or Security requests Major Incidents Evacuation of Switchboard or moving to back up systems Bomb threats This also involves fast and accurate use of the operator console and hospital bleep system (including using voice over messages) and calls to the emergency services The Trust’s services are provided from three locations: • The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 473 general and acute beds. • Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility. • Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population. The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust employs 5,964 staff (headcount) to provide care and treatment to a population of over 400,000 people living in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. Due to its location on the border with North Wales, the Trust also works closely with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust treats patients from England and some parts of Wales. During 2024/2025, there were approximately 643,000 patient attendances (inpatient, A&E, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery See Job Description for further details. Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page. If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the ‘essential’ criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer ‘YES’ to the question: ‘Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?’ Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes. The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post. If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service. Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.​ New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above. Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa. The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date. Good luck with your application.