Bernadette Jones

The main duties of my role are to accurately process referrals from ambulance crews, NHS 111, clinical hub advisors, EOC advisors, YAS safeguarding team and social workers for the following:

Falls, social care, safeguarding vulnerable adults, safeguarding children and also SUDIC ( sudden unexpected deaths ), epilepsy, hypoglycaemia, alcohol, drugs and substance misuse.

There is a direct crew line to the health desk for operational staff whilst on the road. The line is opened through the EOC Clinical Hub and is given options to select which is relevant for their requirements. We also take overflow calls for the Clinical Duty Manager and Clinical advisors. Since qualifying as an Urgent Call Taker I am now able to access the C3 system and log any overflow call that come in for the crew call backs, GP bookings Embrace bookings, hospital transfers and other professionals , plus following up queries regarding previously booked jobs.

I also assist the clinical navigator by passing jobs that come into the emergency room that could be relevant for other professional services to deal with such as district nurses, GP's advanced medical practitioners, urgent care response teams, local care direct and falls teams.

I deal with very sensitive and complex cases of safeguarding referrals, liaising on a day to day basis with other social care professionals for the needs and requirements of vulnerable adults and children. In this role, I also have to log and report to the right authorities when a child's death is called in. It is highly important that as a team for any referral we must ensure all parts of the document are filled in correctly, accurately, and with detailed information as this is a legal document and will be used in coronary court.

Working in this role and EOC can be highly pressured at time and requires the ability to be patient and flexible, especially as the nature of the calls we take is often regarding distressing situations. As such this role shows that I am comfortable with busy phones, balancing a varied and constantly changing workload, and having to speak with different colleagues from different parts of the wider YAS team constantly.

I have experienced in my dispatcher role having to deal with capacity issues and have had to analyse demand in a live situation to be able to maximise the resources that are available to me, ensuring I am prioritising the correct details and continually reassessing the current work load, reprioritising the accidents continuously as new work comes in which at times can be conflicting demands on the time and resources.

• Show care, compassion and consideration to colleagues dealing with highly distressing and emotional circumstances.

• Must be able to work individually or part of a team.

• To be fully conversant with the Computer Aided Dispatch system and use that system effectively and efficiently to dispatch the most appropriate resource to an incident. These incidents are often highly complex, with sensitive or contentious information being received regarding the patient's condition.

• To analyse the information received, using accurate decision making and judgment skills for efficient patient service, whilst showing care, compassion and understanding.

• To use initiative, experience to make independent decisions on incidents that occur. • Ensure the health and safety requirements of staff and patients and co-ordinate and appropriate response to the situation in line with the Trust's policies and procedures i.e. lone worker. • The freedom to inform callers of alternate methods of accessing primary health-care i.e. NHS Direct when appropriate.

• The freedom to inform fellow health care professionals of the variety of skill sets to deal with non-emergency calls i.e. Intermediate Tier, PTS when appropriate.

• The freedom to inform ambulance crews of procedures and guidelines to manage incidents when appropriate

• Must be fully knowledgeable of the procedures to follow if a system failure occurs. • To provide a point of contact with fellow health care professionals to facilitate the correct method of transport for non-emergency patients.

• To provide a consistently high standard of telephony skills and to answer general queries from all our user groups.

• Have an operational understanding of systems to enable greater productivity and maintenance to a high level.

• Take responsibility for ensuring all documentation is precise, accurate and completed in line with the Trust's policies and procedures i.e. Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR)forms.

• Monitoring patient incidents to ensure that all information is gathered and that the patients' condition has not deteriorated further.

• Processing of GP Out of Hours calls - assigning priorities to calls, dealing with general enquiries and call backs from patients, Out of Hours staff and other medical professionals.

• Ability to negotiate with medical/clinical staff to ensure that resources are scheduled in the most effective manner.

• A comprehensive understanding of medical terminology is required as some information can be highly sensitive and complex.

• Working quickly and efficiently to input data sending extra information to crews, regarding change of address details or rendezvous points.

Brief description of your duties & responsibilities

• To respond, treat and transport all categories of patient in line with the agreed scope of practice for the role.

• To work alongside Paramedics, Emergency Care Assistants and other Emergency Medical Technicians Level 1 & 2 in their assessment, treatment and transportation of all A&E patients.

• To undertake emergency driving duties on all types of vehicles operated by the Trust, in a safe and appropriate manner.

• To comply with all road safety regulations exercising the safe use of road traffic exemptions in emergency driving.

• To attend/assist in major incidents as required. • To observe safe practices as laid down within the Trust's policies, procedures and instructions.

• Complete all documentation as required by the Trust, e.g. Patient Report Forms, Incident Reports, Datix, Accident Books and/or any other information relating to Quality Monitoring.

• To deliver safe care to the patient within their recognised skill set.

• To ensure daily that the vehicle provided is clean, serviceable and roadworthy including fuel, water and oil. Reporting any defects in line with Trust policy.

• To maintain the workplace to a high standard of tidiness and cleanliness at all times, also to ensure Station and Vehicle security.

• Maintain a highly professional image at all times.

• To maintain confidentiality of YAS and patient information and records notwithstanding the requirements of the Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults legislation. Co-operate and/or recommend any measures designed to improve patient care.

• To ensure that all property, whether belonging to the Trust or patient, is transported safely and securely at all times.

• To work shifts including weekends and public holidays.

• In unforeseen circumstances, to ensure that patient journeys are completed even where shift finishing times may be exceeded.

• Assist in maintaining own and others health, safety and security.

• Reassure and give confidence to patient's relatives and escorts

• To provide continual and ongoing assessment of patients thereafter planning and implementing the appropriate care and treatment when and where required, continually evaluating and giving advice to patients and others to include the following:

o Basic Airway management o Suction

o Oro-pharyngeal airway and nasal airway

o Basic Life Support skills

o Blood Pressure monitoring where required

o Blood Glucose Monitoring where required o Advance life support using an Advisory Defibrillator and monitor (12-lead ECG)

o Oxygen therapy o Recognising the need to call for further assistance. o Respond to emergency Category A calls as and when required.

o If appropriately qualified drive a range of vehicles under emergency conditions safely, reinforcing both patient and vehicle sympathy.

• To communicate report and document the patients' history, condition and treatment to a full range of medical staff including colleagues, nurses, doctors and consultants either on route to or arrival at definitive care

Brief description of your duties & responsibilities

• To assist Paramedics and EMTs/Advanced EMTs in their assessment/treatment of all A/E patients.

• To undertake emergency driving duties on all types of vehicles operated by the Trust, in a safe and appropriate manner.

• To comply with all road safety regulations exercising the safe use of road traffic exemptions in emergency driving.

• To attend/assist in major incidents as required.

• To observe safe practices as laid down within the Trust's Policies, Procedures and instructions.

• Complete all documentation as required by the Trust, e.g. Patient Report Forms, Incident Reports, Prism, Accident Books and/or any other information relating to Quality Monitoring.

• To deliver care to the patient within their recognised skill set.

• To ensure daily that the vehicle provided is clean serviceable and roadworthy including fuel, water and oil. Reporting any defects in line with Trust policy.

• To maintain the workplace to a high standard of tidiness and cleanliness at all times, also to ensure Station and Vehicle security.

• Maintain a high professional image at all times To maintain confidentiality of YAS and any patient information and records not withstanding the Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults legislation. Co-operate and/or recommend any measures designed to improve patient care.

• To ensure that all property, whether belonging to the Trust or patient, is transported safely and securely at all times.

• To work shifts including weekends and public holidays.

• In unforeseen circumstances, to ensure that patient journeys are completed even where shift finishing times may be exceeded.

• Assist in maintaining own and others health, safety and security.

• Individuals should indicate an acceptance of and commitment to the principles underlying the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy.

• Reassure and give confidence to patient's relatives and escorts

• To provide continual and ongoing assessment of patients thereafter planning and implementing the appropriate care and treatment when and where required, continually evaluating and giving advice to patients and others to include the following:

o Basic airway management

o Suction o Oro-pharyngeal and nasal airway

o Basic life support skills

o Blood pressure monitoring where required

o Blood glucose monitoring where required

o Advance life support using a manual defibrillator and monitor (3 lead ECG)

o Oxygen therapy and administration of entonox

o Recognising the need to call for further assistance.

o Patient extrication and stabilisation

• To communicate report and document the patients' history, condition and treatment to a full range of medical staff including colleagues, nurses, doctors and consultants either en route to or arrival at definitive care.

• To take responsibility for the security of patients property during transportation as well as the safe handling of patients' possessions including hand over to the appropriate agency.

• To support and assist qualified staff as required

• Correctly complete all documentation associated with an episode of patient care to include transport (i.e. Journey record sheets, defects, patient report forms, and any other reports the Trust deems necessary. Gaps in employment If you have any gaps within your employment history, please state the reasons for the gaps below