What do you need to be a 999 call handler?

There are no set entry requirements to become an emergency call handler or medical dispatcher, but employers expect good standards of literacy, numeracy and IT skills. Some may ask for qualifications such as GCSEs, NVQs or equivalent. Employers often ask for relevant work experience.

What do emergency call handlers do?

Emergency call handlers are the first point of contact for the public in providing lifesaving advice and assistance. They are responsible for prioritising calls and giving first aid and medical advice over the telephone, in emergency 999 and non-emergency situations. Most jobs are with the NHS.

What shifts do 999 call handlers do?

Working as an emergency call handler is often a starting point to a career in the ambulance service. Some ambulance trusts offer apprenticeships. Pay and benefits. Your standard working week will be around 37.5 hours with shift work including evenings, nights, early starts, weekends and bank holidays.

What is an ambulance controller?

Controller – Patient Transport Operations You will be controlling the ambulances and crews and ensuring patients get in to appointments on time.

How much do NHS 111 call handlers earn?

How much does a 111 Call Handler make? The national average salary for a 111 Call Handler is £26,296 in United Kingdom. Filter by location to see 111 Call Handler salaries in your area. Salary estimates are based on 65 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by 111 Call Handler employees.

What is a 999 operator?

Emergency call takers are sometimes referred to as emergency medical dispatchers or emergency call handlers. They handle calls from the public and GPs requesting an ambulance.

Are NHS 111 staff medically trained?

The people who take your calls at 111 have no medical training. The NHS says we always have access to a clinically-trained person we can ask for help – but in my experience that is just not the case. Frequently we had no nurse at all to help us with the life or death decisions we had to make.

How do call handlers handle accidental calls?

Here call handlers use specialist computer software to provide the caller with an appropriate response to their non-emergency health issues. If you are in danger but it is not safe to speak and you must contact the emergency services, you need to use the ‘silent solution’ the emergency services use to filter out accidental calls.

What does an emergency medical call handler do?

Working quickly and calmly, call handlers take essential details about the patient’s condition and location, logging the information onto a computer system. The information is then passed to an emergency medical dispatcher who makes decisions about how best to handle the situation. Thinking fast, multi-tasking…

What qualifications do you need to be an emergency call handler?

There are no set entry requirements to become an emergency call handler or medical dispatcher, but employers expect good standards of literacy, numeracy and IT skills. Some may ask for qualifications such as GCSEs, NVQs or equivalent. Employers often ask for relevant work experience.

Do you use the ‘Silent solution’ for emergency calls?

If you are in danger but it is not safe to speak and you must contact the emergency services, you need to use the ‘silent solution’ the emergency services use to filter out accidental calls. Although this has been in existence for the last 15 years, many people remain unaware of its existence.