Switchboard Operator

Job Overview

Join Our Switchboard Team at the RUH

Are you calm under pressure, a great communicator, and passionate about helping people? Our Switchboard Team plays a vital role in keeping the Royal United Hospitals Bath connected 24/7 — and we’re looking for someone who can be the friendly, professional voice of the Trust.

About The Role

As a Switchboard Operator, you’ll be part of a close‑knit team providing an essential communication service for patients, staff, external partners and the public. Every day is different, and you’ll handle a wide range of calls — from routine queries to highly sensitive or urgent situations.

You Will

• Provide a responsive, accurate and efficient switchboard service to internal and external callers.
• Offer clear information and advice in line with Trust procedures and policies.
• Use empathy, discretion and initiative when dealing with anxious callers, individuals with communication barriers, mental health concerns, media enquiries and complaints.
• Ensure every caller receives a professional, compassionate and supportive response.
  
  

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys helping others, thrives in a busy environment and wants to play an important role in supporting high‑quality patient care.

Main duties of the job

• Provide a courteous, respectful and professional service to all callers contacting the Trust via the Switchboard.
• Accurately route all incoming and outgoing calls to ensure an efficient and responsive communication service.
• Give timely, clear and accurate information to callers making general enquiries, following Trust procedures at all times.
• Transfer messages using the site bleep/paging system and other communication tools accurately and without delay.
• Follow all emergency procedures precisely, ensuring the correct actions are taken in urgent or critical situations.
  
  

Working for our organisation

At the RUH we put people at the heart of what we do, working together as one team to make a difference for our patients, each other, and our community. No matter what your role is, we value everyone’s contribution in supporting the exceptional, person-centred care we pride ourselves on.

We are proud to be in the top 20 best hospitals to work for in the country.

We are committed to creating a compassionate and inclusive environment. This can be seen in our growing community of staff networks – celebrating successes and creating opportunities to listen and learn. We value our differences, champion kindness and civility, and truly believe that diversity makes us stronger.

A culture of learning, developing and innovating is the thread that runs throughout our whole organisation. We want to support you to thrive, taking your career to its full potential.

We value staff wellbeing, with a well-established programme of support. We believe in a holistic approach spanning all aspects of living a healthy life, including physical, emotional, spiritual and financial wellbeing. We’ve even got a pool!

We are committed to supporting you and hope you want to join our team. In the meantime, find out more about living and working the beautiful historic city of Bath, learn about our extensive package of staff benefits, and read about how we’re providing healthcare fit for the future with the landmark Dyson Cancer Centre and our passion for research.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To ensure that members of the public and other persons contacting the Trust via the
  
  

Switchboard are treated with courtesy, dignity and respect.

• To ensure accurate routing of incoming and outgoing telephone traffic.
• To ensure those clients making general enquiries regarding services provided on the Trust's
  
  

site are given appropriate, timely and accurate information in accordance with operating

procedures.

• To ensure the accurate transfer of messages over the site Bleep/paging system or other
  
  

communication systems as required.

• To ensure prescribed emergency procedures are followed in the event of:-a) fire,
  
  

b) cardiac arrest

c) Paed Arrest

d) Neonatal Emergency

e) Major incident

f) Trauma

g) Helicopter

h) Paed Trauma

i)

Bomb Threat

j)

Cat 1 C-section

k) Security

l)

Chemical incident

m) Lift rescue

n) Pharmacy

o) Obstetric

p) Anaesthetic

q) Major Haemorrhage

r)

Fast positive stroke alert

• To ensure prescribed procedures and contingencies are followed in response to the
  
  

activation of alarms or other events reported via telephone or in person.

• Boiler Alarms
• Medical Gas Alarms
• Fire
• Panic Alarms
• Pharmacy Fridge Alarms
• Intruder Alarms
• To ensure that events logs are maintained in accordance with operating procedures.
• To ensure daily testing and recording of team-call procedures and alarms to confirm
  
  

operational viability.

• To ensure that on-call and contact details are maintained accurately using the information
  
  

supplied.

• To ensure that the operator directory is up-dated as new information is provided.
• To ensure that on-call contact details and up-dated operator directory information is
  
  

disseminated for the use of other Switchboard Operators.

• To ensure that only bona fide persons are admitted to the Trust's buildings through the
  
  

monitoring and remote operation of entrance doors (access control) out of hours.

• To ensure that only bona fide persons are issued with keys or other items deposited with the
  
  

Switchboard for collection.

• To ensure that only bona fide persons are permitted access to international telephone
  
  

connections and other controlled services

• To ensure the controlled issue and exchange of site pagers and other communication
  
  

equipment.

• To ensure that malfunctioning site Bleeps are documented and dispatched for repair and any
  
  

other equipment is escalated in accordance with operational procedures. To replace

Bleep/pagers, batteries, re-programme any faulty Bleep ensuring grouping details such as

crash details are still suitable for response to emergency situations. Provide appropriate

instruction and demonstration to users.

• Documentation of events and incidents as needed.
• Completion of communication and control/allocation based tasks as required.
• Operation of emergency communications centre during Critical or Emergency Incident
  
  

situations

• Any other reasonable requests made by line management in accordance with needs of the
  
  

organisation.

• To participate in the Doctors changeover on a continuous basis involving issuing of bleeps,
  
  

ensuring adequate bleeps available, collecting telephone numbers etc. for on call doctors

and recording all data on switchboard databases and the Multitone Computer.

• To monitor and give out emergency swipe access following security protocol out of hours.
• Operate 2-way radio communication systems in use within the Trust for Security.
• To assume the appropriate level of responsibility in the absence of a manager or supervisor,
  
  

to deal professionally with consultants, Managers and trust colleagues who visit the

switchboard for a variety of reasons. physically

• Provide an out of hours, weekend and bank holiday response service as required by users
  
  

including Estates, Patient Locate, and Pharmacy etc.

• Be responsible for implementation of switchboard/telecommunication agreed operational
  
  

procedure for continuity of service when a telecommunication line/network failure has been

identified using initiative for various faults and organising contingency plans.

• To undertake training/coaching of new staff providing appropriate guidance, support and
  
  

mentoring to colleagues until signed off as competent.

Person specification

Interpersonal Skills

Essential criteria

• Good Interpersonal Skills
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Switchboard Experience
  
  

Communication

Essential criteria

• Communication - written and verbal
• Motivated to be kind and caring
  
  

Please note - Due to recent changes in UK immigration and visa rules applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK may not be considered unless an alternative right to work solution can be provided. Candidates requiring sponsorship (or will need sponsorship at the end of a current visa e.g. those with graduate visa's) should review the eligibility criteria on the gov.uk website before applying: Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK

Applicant requirements

This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if we receive a high number of applications. We strongly encourage you to complete and submit your application in good time to ensure it can be considered.

Documents to download

• Switchboard Operator (PDF, 248.4KB)
• Join the RUH (PDF, 1.1MB)
  
  

Further details / informal visits contact

Name Rebecca Price Job title Facilities General Manager Email address [email protected] Telephone number 01225 428331