Hems Dispatcher Jobs

Job Overview

Are you looking for a career where you can make a real difference?

Would you like to work as a part of a dynamic and high performing critical care team? The UHS Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) Dispatcher role forms an integral part of providing pre-hospital critical care to the people of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

This is fast paced and rewarding role, working in an ambulance emergency operations centre alongside a HEMS Paramedic to dispatch advanced care teams to patients in need across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. You will identifying incoming jobs, dispatching both the Critical Care Team and Critical Care Paramedics as required, and working with the HEMS crew on scene with logistics including opening landing sites and liaising with other agencies.

The service operates from 07:00 - 02:00, 365 days of the year. Standard shift times for a HEMS Dispatchers are 07:00 - 16:30 and 16:30 - 02:00.

Main duties of the job

YOUR MAIN DUTIES

Emergency Dispatch Assistants work as part of a dispatch team using the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system to send our aircraft and critical care team vehicles to patients in need in emergency situations.

Though you will be employed by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS), the role is based at Southern House- an ambulance emergency operations centre in Otterbourne, a South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) location. The HEMS Care Group is commissioned by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Charity and you will work closely with the charity too.

This is an exciting, challenging and extremely rewarding role with no two shifts being the same!

UHS, HIOWAA live by their values and it is important that you can demonstrate the behaviours that meet these values:

The UHS Values: Patients First, Always Improving, Working Together

The HIOWAA Values: Openness, Dedication, Professionalism, Teamwork

You can read an overview of the main duties of the role in the section below: and Main Responsibilities.

To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents attached.

Working for our organisation

What We Can Offer You

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care.

At UHS we are committed to providing a flexible working environment. We believe that it benefits everyone if we achieve a positive work-life balance. Whether you are balancing family, study or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients.

We’re proud to have been voted in the Top Five acute Trusts for our commitment to supporting our staff to achieve work-life balance.

UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme and life insurance.

Your Responsibilities

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

What You’ll Do

The Dispatch Assistant Role is multi-faceted but primarily responsible for:

• To promptly communicate with operational critical care team staff via radio, telephone and MDT, as applicable, to pre-position them in accordance with deployment plans and current workload.
• To support and assist the dispatch of all HEMS assets including aircraft and response cars in accordance with Trust procedures and the Command Control System.
• To assign and mobilise crews to incidents and response posts, maintaining the most appropriate and quickest level of response to any incident.
• To utilise Computer Aided Dispatch, radio, telephone systems and other communications equipment in accordance with Trust protocols and procedures.

What We’re Looking For

Previous experience is advantageous but full training will be provided. Our ideal candidate is resilient, eager to learn, understands the importance of teamwork, and has good attention to detail. You must have access to your own transport and be willing to work late evenings, bank holidays & weekends, as our service operates 7 days a week 365 days a year from 07:00 – 02:00. Please see the accompanying job description and person specification for further details.

Additional Information

Interviews will be held on Friday, 11 August 2023

Should you have any queries, please use the contact details below to get in touch.

[email protected]

Person specification

Trust Values

Essential Criteria

• Working Together
• Always Improving
• Patients First

Qualifications/training Required

Essential criteria

• Customer care training or equivalent
• Willing to participate in competency based learning framework.
• Educated to GCSE level, with 4 Grades level 4 or equivalent demonstrable ability.

Essential Criteria

Previous or relevant experience necessary

• Emergency Medical Dispatcher Qualified / Basic Life Support Trained / AED Operator / Community Responder
• Experience within a customer orientated organisation
• Call handler or customer care experience

Desirable criteria

• Experience of using a telephone/radio system as a regular means of communication in a work environment
• Experience of working in the NHS or Voluntary Sector (i.e. St. John’s; Red Cross)

Essential Criteria

Aptitudes and skills required

• Demonstrates commitment to, and enthusiasm for, personal development
• Able to work effectively as part of a team
• Good Keyboard skills for input of data and IT competent (Excel, Email, etc)
• Proven organisational skills and situational awareness

Desirable criteria

• Geographical knowledge of the HIOW area