Dental Call Handler

Welcome to FCMS! Post:
Dental Call Handler Pay: £13.00 per hour Weekend & Bank Holiday Enhancements.

Hours:

2 Part-time positions up to 16 hours each. Accountable to:
Dental Operations Manager

Reports to:

Dental Operational Specialist Base:
Newfield House, Vicarage Lane, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4EW

* Please note that our roles are not being considered for sponsorship at this time
* FCMS is commissioned by the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) to provide an NHS dental telephone triage and signposting service. Handling approximately 120,000 calls each year, our dedicated team supports patients across Lancashire and South Cumbria by assessing urgent dental needs, booking appointments, providing advice and arranging onward referrals where appropriate. The service operates 365 days a year, covering both in-hours and out-of-hours dental care.

Operating hours Monday to Friday 8am to 9pm, Weekends & Bank holidays 10am to 5pm. About the Service:
The dental helpline aims to direct patients following a telephone triage to the most appropriate service whether that be advice or an appointment, or an onward referral. Patients may need urgent and emergency dental care for symptoms such as:
Pain, Swellings, Bleeding and Injuries/Traumas. Main duties of the job We are seeking compassionate, resilient and professional individuals to join our Dental Call Handling Team. As the first point of contact for patients seeking urgent dental support, you will play a vital role in delivering safe, effective and patient-centred care. Using approved dental triage algorithms, you will assess patient needs, book appointments, provide information and direct patients to the most appropriate service, escalating concerns to the Dental Nurse Supervisor if additional support is required.

Part Time positions:
These are not standard office-hour positions. Successful candidates must be able to commit to the shift patterns outlined below, which includes evening and weekend shift. Due to the nature of the service, flexibility to cover additional shifts, annual leave and short-notice absences is highly desirable.
* Please do not apply if you are looking for full time hours

* About you:

A caring and compassionate personality is extremely important, confident in speaking to patients, and able to work in a busy and sometimes challenging environment, remain calm under pressure. Fully supported by our experience Dental Nurse Supervisors. Able to have fun and develop good relationships with the team.

About us The ethos of FCMS as a social enterprise, health and wellbeing services provider is to be passionate in its drive to ensure that patients and callers remain the central focus of all that it does. Coupled with excellent and well-established clinical governance systems and extremely effective operational expertise, it has meant that the company has the ability to strategically visualise, develop, and implement award winning services.

Over many years we have invested in our staff so that we have a core team of highly trained individuals who can manage the needs of our patients and callers. Our staff are able to significantly improve the service delivery and user experience due to their considerable experience and commitment to what they do. Come and be a part of our amazing team!

We offer NHS Pension Cycle to Work Scheme Career Development Opportunities Attendance Bonus Staff Benefit Scheme Free Tea & Coffee Eye Care Contributions Job description The duties listed below are representative of the role and are not intended to be exhaustive:
Undertake telephone triage and assessments within a busy call-handling environment, providing patients with dental appointments, advice, self-care guidance and information to help them access the most appropriate level of care. Accurately collect, record and update patient information using clinical system Adastra, ensuring all records are completed promptly and maintained in accordance with confidentiality and data protection requirements. Use effective listening, questioning and communication skills to gather relevant information and support patients who may be distressed, anxious, frustrated or experiencing challenging circumstances.

Assess patients' needs using approved dental algorithms, and guidance from the Dental Nurse Supervisor to determine the most appropriate outcome. Book appointments, make onward referrals and provide signposting to relevant services where appropriate. Communicate professionally and compassionately with patients, colleagues and external healthcare providers at all times. Support patients whose circumstances may make it difficult for them to engage with or follow recommended advice and treatment pathways.

Contribute to service quality and continuous improvement activities, including audits, feedback processes and identifying opportunities to enhance patient experience and service delivery. Promote equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring all patients are treated…