Job summary
- Main area
- Call Handler
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Compressed hours
- Job ref
- 380-CED018
- Employer
- Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Maidstone TV Studios
- Town
- Maidstone
- Salary
- £28,392 - £31,157 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 25/06/2026 23:59
Employer heading
NHS 111 Call Handler
Band 4
We are the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We offer a range of ongoing benefits to our valued workforce. From an active health and wellbeing programme to regular recognition events, we work hard to provide varied benefits that make a difference to your work-life balance.
Here are some clips of our Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust staff, speaking about their role and why they enjoy working for us
Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you.
Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.
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Job overview
The NHS 111 line is a national requirement to provide a three-digit emergency number for mental health. The post holder will be required to effectively engage and manage complex calls from young people, parents/carers and other professionals. The post holder will be a valued team member and be supported by clinicians in the management of challenging calls. As the service is exclusively telephone based, due to the nature of calls, there is no remote working.
Calls are received from the geographical locations of Kent & Medway only.
Main duties of the job
To be primarily responsible for handling incoming NHS 111 mental health calls.
Determine identity of the caller and open referrals to the service.
Demonstrate active listening to accurately record information and provide appropriate advice and signposting.
De-escalate anxiety, tensions and provide solutions to current concerns over seen and supported by trained clinicians.
Clinical Skills
Active listening skills in order to document current concerns.
Demonstrate empathy and understanding.
Be able to de-escalate concerned callers.
Have insight and ability to be able to engage effectively with Children and Young People who may be in acute distress.
Administration
To be computer literate and encourage implementation of the Trust’s IM&T Strategy.
To ensure accurate recording of actions, and updating patient’s records, always maintaining confidentiality.
The post holder will input and maintain, appropriate computer and manual clinical records and statistical data and provide this to the Service Manager/Head of Service when necessary.
The post-holder will engage in relevant computer and IT training as required.
To assist, under the direct supervision of a qualified professionals in the development, design and implementation of relevant projects.
To assist in processing and auditing various types of data concerning service users for the whole team. This may involve maintaining audits files under the guidance of the line manager.
Working for our organisation
We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway and are rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.
Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.
Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It’s why we’re passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.
Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that’s working well together.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post-holder will engage in relevant computer and IT training as required.
To assist, under the direct supervision of a qualified professionals in the development, design and implementation of relevant projects.
To assist in processing and auditing various types of data concerning service users for the whole team. This may involve maintaining audits files under the guidance of the line manager.
Communication
To have a wide range of knowledge in approaches to communicating and managing patient care.
To be able to effectively communicate with colleagues, peers, senior managers, and clinical leads within the Trust.
To be able to communicate complex patient related information facilitating positive outcomes and ensuring collaborative working.
Person specification
Training, Qualifications and Registration
Essential criteria
- NVQ level 2 or equivalent standard of literacy and numeracy An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology or equivalent mental; health experience
Desirable criteria
- Further postgraduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential criteria
- An awareness of NHS priorities High level Communication skills (written and verbal). Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers, and colleagues An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems or other disabilities An ability to apply De-escalation skills An understanding of Crisis Care applied to health care. Competent IT proficiencies An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines. An ability to interact with people with mental health problems and disabilities. Ability to work reliably and consistently with work agreed and supervised at regular intervals An interest in working with people with mental health problems or other disabilities Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively
Desirable criteria
- Experience using RIO For databases or data- analysis, especially Windows. An awareness of NHS Long Term Plan for children services To be able to travel to office location
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Ian Markin
- Job title
- Operational Team Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07548 161268
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