Job Description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Switchboard Team Leader to join our Estates and Facilitates Team!
A Southport Hospital switchboard team leader manages the hospital's primary telecommunications and communication services, overseeing the telephonists who are the first point of contact for calls, ensuring efficient handling of emergency procedures like cardiac arrests, coordinating paging and radio systems, and training staff to maintain continuous, high-quality service.
The role involves leadership to inspire the team, assisting callers with queries, maintaining professional communication with staff and the public, and ensuring all emergency policies are followed correctly.
Main duties of the job

• To organise, develop and improve Telecommunications Services throughout the Trust
• Promote within and on behalf of the Telecommunications Department, excellent public relations with patients, visitors and staff as well as members of the public.
• Provide advice to service users to ensure that they obtain the maximum support from the service.
• Co-ordinate and maintain all activity records and fulfil routine administrative duties.
• Ensure efficient, cost-effective management of all Telecommunication services.
• Ensure compliance with the Trust Quality Strategy

About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.
Our Services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation, freeing up space for more unwell patients. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:

• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

Details
Date posted
06 October 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 4
Salary
27,485 to 30,162 a year Per Annum
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
409-7409942
Job locations
Southport Hospital
Town Lane
Southport
PR8 6PN
Job description
Job responsibilities
Operational Management

• Organise and plan own work routine.
• Liaison with relevant suppliers of communication equipment for maintenance purposes.
• Assist with the testing of fall-back equipment and associated procedures. Provide advice and guidance on the specialised procedures, Major Incident, Cardiac Arrest, Fire alarms, General Alarms, Bomb Scares.
• Maintain and monitor all on-site Ascoms, long range pagers and mobile telephony and keep an up-to-date register of all holders.
• Input information into the computer systems as required Involvement in the review of departmental work instructions and procedures.
• Enforce compliance with the Waste Management Policy to meet changing requirements as segregation requirements increase.
• Work with the Accommodation department to enable a smooth changeover of tenants within the residential accommodation and assist with day-to-day problems.
• To cover switchboard duties in times of need (24hr service).
• Lead, implement and deliver into Facilities operational procedures and services the Trust agreed Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Strategy

Staff/ Training

• Dissemination of information to staff e.g. team brief, new work procedures.
• To attend training courses as required and participate in annual refresher sessions in accordance with own Personal Development Review.
• Conduct personal development reviews within own team.
• Conduct informal counselling when required.
• Take staff through the disciplinary procedure when appropriate.
• Manage the sickness absence process in line with Trust policy
• Annually train and update staff on departmental operational and H&S procedures liaising with the Monitoring and Training Manger.
• Ensure compliance with all targets in relation to Mandatory Training and PDRs for the Communication service team.
• Carry out competency/ capability reviews with new and existing staff

Leadership

• Provide effective and motivational leadership to the team.
• Provide guidance and a knowledge base for new and existing staff.
• Involvement in the recruitment, selection and interview process

Quality

• Ensure compliance with Facilities Management standards Ensure compliance with the Trust Quality Strategy 2012/15 and operational policies as appropriate
• Ensure effective delivery of services to service users and customers.

Risk

• Ensure all staff observe legal requirements
• Responsible for the safe use of all equipment
• Carry out Risk assessments, Manual Handling Assessments and COSHH assessments.
• Ensure compliance and operational observance of safe working practices as detailed in all aspects of risk management

Finance/ Planning and Organisation

• To ensure economical use of all the Trust resources
• Maintain and monitor stock levels to meet the demands of the service
• Arrange cover when staff shortages occur within the constraints of the budget as required
• Completion of Staff variation lists as appropriate ensuring timely submission
• Monitor staff attendance and requirements for additional hours.

Job description
Job responsibilities
Operational Management

• Organise and plan own work routine.
• Liaison with relevant suppliers of communication equipment for maintenance purposes.
• Assist with the testing of fall-back equipment and associated procedures. Provide advice and guidance on the specialised procedures, Major Incident, Cardiac Arrest, Fire alarms, General Alarms, Bomb Scares.
• Maintain and monitor all on-site Ascoms, long range pagers and mobile telephony and keep an up-to-date register of all holders.
• Input information into the computer systems as required Involvement in the review of departmental work instructions and procedures.
• Enforce compliance with the Waste Management Policy to meet changing requirements as segregation requirements increase.
• Work with the Accommodation department to enable a smooth changeover of tenants within the residential accommodation and assist with day-to-day problems.
• To cover switchboard duties in times of need (24hr service).
• Lead, implement and deliver into Facilities operational procedures and services the Trust agreed Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Strategy

Staff/ Training

• Dissemination of information to staff e.g. team brief, new work procedures.
• To attend training courses as required and participate in annual refresher sessions in accordance with own Personal Development Review.
• Conduct personal development reviews within own team.
• Conduct informal counselling when required.
• Take staff through the disciplinary procedure when appropriate.
• Manage the sickness absence process in line with Trust policy
• Annually train and update staff on departmental operational and H&S procedures liaising with the Monitoring and Training Manger.
• Ensure compliance with all targets in relation to Mandatory Training and PDRs for the Communication service team.
• Carry out competency/ capability reviews with new and existing staff

Leadership

• Provide effective and motivational leadership to the team.
• Provide guidance and a knowledge base for new and existing staff.
• Involvement in the recruitment, selection and interview process

Quality

• Ensure compliance with Facilities Management standards Ensure compliance with the Trust Quality Strategy 2012/15 and operational policies as appropriate
• Ensure effective delivery of services to service users and customers.

Risk

• Ensure all staff observe legal requirements
• Responsible for the safe use of all equipment
• Carry out Risk assessments, Manual Handling Assessments and COSHH assessments.
• Ensure compliance and operational observance of safe working practices as detailed in all aspects of risk management

Finance/ Planning and Organisation

• To ensure economical use of all the Trust resources
• Maintain and monitor stock levels to meet the demands of the service
• Arrange cover when staff shortages occur within the constraints of the budget as required
• Completion of Staff variation lists as appropriate ensuring timely submission
• Monitor staff attendance and requirements for additional hours.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• NVQ Level 2 Supervisory Management or equivalent experience
• NVQ Level 2 Customer Service or equivalent experience

Desirable

• ECOL or equivalent
• Foundation in Health and Safety

Knowledge & Experience
Essential

• Large scale organisation switchboard / call centre experience
• Basic Computer Skills
• Principles of Risk Management

Desirable

• Understanding of the Care Quality Commission role

Skills
Essential

• Excellent Communication Skills
• Provision of a Customer Focused service
• Ability to motivate a Team
• Ability to instruct less qualified staff/ promote life Iong learning in the workplace
• Understanding of other services and our impact on them
• Ability to lead change

Other
Essential

• Office based across sites
• Varied deadlines and adhoc pressures
• Ability to work under pressure
• 24/7 rota in operation
• Weekend and Bank Holiday Working
• Cross site cover

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• NVQ Level 2 Supervisory Management or equivalent experience
• NVQ Level 2 Customer Service or equivalent experience

Desirable

• ECOL or equivalent
• Foundation in Health and Safety

Knowledge & Experience
Essential

• Large scale organisation switchboard / call centre experience
• Basic Computer Skills
• Principles of Risk Management

Desirable

• Understanding of the Care Quality Commission role

Skills
Essential

• Excellent Communication Skills
• Provision of a Customer Focused service
• Ability to motivate a Team
• Ability to instruct less qualified staff/ promote life Iong learning in the workplace
• Understanding of other services and our impact on them
• Ability to lead change

Other
Essential

• Office based across sites
• Varied deadlines and adhoc pressures
• Ability to work under pressure
• 24/7 rota in operation
• Weekend and Bank Holiday Working
• Cross site cover

Skills Required