Call Handlers and Emergency Medical Dispatchers answer emergency calls via the 999 service and ensure that the correct help reaches people as quickly as possible.
Call Handlers and Emergency Medical Dispatchers work as part of the wider Ambulance Service team and are usually based in a central control room. In most ambulance trusts, call handlers and dispatchers are separate roles, but some ambulance service trusts do combine the two.
Working life
Your Call Handler and Emergency Medical Dispatcher role will mean that you are based away from the service users you interact with but you will have to have excellent customer service skills as yours will be the first voice callers hear in an emergency situation.
You will need to work quickly and calmly to take essential details about the situation including details of the patient’s condition and location, what has happened and who is with them. You will need to log this information onto a computer system.
The information you input is then passed to an emergency medical dispatcher who will use a triage system to decide which staff and vehicles the situation requires and these will be dispatched to the scene based on the severity of the situation and the resources available.
While the clinicians are on their way, you can pass them further essential details from your call so they can go into action when they reach the scene. You may need to dispatch 15 vehicles an hour as well as dealing with queries from crews so the environment a Call Handler and Emergency Medical Dispatcher work can be intense.
Call handlers and emergency medical dispatchers often work under great pressure. They might deal with life-or-death emergencies such as a major incident, a heart attack or a drug overdose, or be faced with a situation such as a child with a suspected broken leg.
In extreme situations, you may have to talk a member of the public through an emergency procedure, such as clearing an obstruction from someone’s airway. Or you might need to persuade someone they should visit their GP or emergency department rather than sending an emergency vehicle to them.
Requirements
Becoming a Call Handler and Emergency Medical Dispatcher team member has no set entry requirements, but NHS and Social Care employers will expect good literacy, numeracy as these are an important part of working as part of the Ambulance Service. Depending on the role, some employers may ask for GCSEs or equivalent qualifications. When applying for a role as a Call Handler and Emergency Medical Dispatcher, there may be other skills or qualifications required but this will depend on the role and the team in which the role sits.
To work as a Call Handler and Emergency Medical Dispatcher, you will need to know the NHS Constitution values and how these apply in your work.
Employers may also require you to have some relevant work experience or knowledge of having worked in a similar role previously. If you are considering a role as a Call Handler and Emergency Medical Dispatcher, it is a good idea if you can demonstrate where you have previously worked or volunteered in a role within a customer service environment.
Working as a Call Handler and Emergency Medical Dispatcher will provide further opportunities to develop your career through apprenticeships and internal training and there are sometimes other ways to access employment as a Call Handler and Emergency Medical Dispatcher such as traineeships or internships depending on the Trust you work for.
You could also work as a call handler for the NHS 111 service where you would take calls from members of the public about non-emergency health issues. For this role, you would use specialist computer software to provide the caller with an appropriate response to their healthcare needs within a set timeframe.
Personal characteristics
To work successfully within the Ambulance Service team, you need to consider your own personal characteristics. You would need to have the following attributes or similar:
- Be accurate and methodical and have good attention to detail
- Be able to work as part of a team but also able to use your own initiative
- Be willing to follow procedures and take instruction from senior team members
- Be able to work with all people from various backgrounds with different experiences
- Be able to stay calm under pressure
- Have good conflict management skills as some of those who call you will be distressed, angry or scared
- Have strong communication skills
- Have strong IT and digital skills
Skills required
To work successfully with the Ambulance Service, you need to consider the skills that you have. You would need to demonstrate the following:
- Be well organised and able to plan your time
- Be able to communicate with a variety of people using different methods
- Have positive customer service skills
- Be patient, caring and kind
- Be able to reassure those who may be anxious, scared, angry or distressed
- Be able to manage challenging behaviour
- Be confident answering the telephone and speaking to people
- Be able to verbalise complicated information and ensure this is understood
Training and development opportunities
When you begin to work as a Call Handler and Emergency Medical Dispatcher, you will receive the training you require to be able to undertake the role successfully. You will receive an induction which will introduce you to the department you will be working in, will support you in accessing the IT systems and will ensure you are aware of the policies and procedures you will be required to follow in the undertaking of your role. You will also have to complete any statutory and mandatory training that your employer requires such as fire training, data security training and customer service.
As part of your initial training, you will be required to take training in first aid, equipment and software used, and how to provide advice over the telephone. Some of these training programmes will require practical assessments and written exams.
Career development opportunities
Once you have experience of working as a Call Handler and Emergency Medical Dispatcher, there are many other roles you could progress into. You could lead a team, become a supervisor or develop your career into management. You could also transfer into other specialist healthcare roles such as becoming an emergency care assistant or paramedic.
Pay and benefits
Call Handlers and Emergency Medical Dispatchers usually work around 37.5 hours per week and you will be required to work shifts, nights, evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
Call Handlers and Emergency Medical Dispatchers in the NHS are paid using the Agenda for Change (AfC) system and Call Handlers and Emergency Medical Dispatchers will typically start their career on AfC band 3 or 4 but with experience, further training and additional qualifications, can progress further up the pay scale.
Other benefits of working within the Ambulance Service include access to a pension scheme, health service discounts such as a Blue Light Card and 27 days of annual leave in addition to bank holidays.