Emergency Call Handler; Relief; East ACC

We are now recruiting for full-time and part-time permanent relief Emergency Call Handlers to work within our East of Scotland Ambulance Control Centre in South Queensferry.

If you’ve been in an emergency, you’ll know that the 999 call is answered promptly and professionally. But have you ever thought about what actually happens at the other end of the emergency line?

Our Emergency Call Handlers play a critical role in providing life‑saving advice and assistance to callers. They are the first point of contact for the public, prioritising emergency calls and providing life‑support, first‑aid and medical advice where necessary. They also liaise with ambulance crews en route to emergencies, Police Scotland and other emergency services.

Applicants who do not currently work in the ACCs will be required to take a typing assessment and must be able to type at a minimum of 30 words per minute with 90% accuracy. They must also demonstrate the ability to work effectively under pressure and with minimal supervision.

You will also need excellent communication skills, the ability to prioritise and make decisions quickly, often under great pressure.

Ideally, you will have experience of working with the public either already in the ACC, a healthcare setting, a contact centre environment or on a face‑to‑face basis.

You can find more details in the job description, so please ensure you read the criteria and make sure you tell us about how you match.

If you have what it takes to make a difference then we’ll give you all the training you need to succeed.

You will attend our in‑house training programme, which may require travel for two weeks of training, after which you will need to be available full‑time for up to 10 weeks to enable you to become a certified Emergency Medical Dispatcher.

The working hours for these posts will be full‑time relief and part‑time rostered including; bank holidays, weekends and unsocial hours (that attract additional unsocial hours pay rates).

Examples of part‑time and full‑time shift patterns are below, please note these patterns are not confirmed and are subject to change, but are representative of the requirement. Shift patterns will be confirmed at the following recruitment events:

Please Note:

• This advert will close at midday on Friday 13th November.
• Selection events will take place on Wednesday 25th November and consist of the following:
  • Typing Assessment - that must meet 30 words per minute with 90% accuracy. Candidates must meet the agreed standard before progressing to the next assessment stage.
  • Listening Assessment - Candidates who pass the typing assessment progress to a listening assessment. This is designed to assess attention to detail and listening accuracy and can reflect the busy, pressured environment of an Ambulance Control Centre.
  • Resilience Assessment – Candidates must display a minimum level of personal resilience for the role. The role can be both demanding and challenging and personal resilience is key to succeeding in the role.
  • Realistic Role Overview - Applicants who successfully complete the assessments have an opportunity to speak with an experienced call handler. This provides a realistic overview of the Emergency Call Handler role, including the working environment and demands of the post, while giving candidates an opportunity to ask questions before progressing further.
  • Competency-Based Interview - Candidates who meet the required assessment standards are invited to a competency-based interview. The interview provides a structured opportunity to assess candidates consistently against the competencies and…