Switchboard Shift Operator | University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust

As the first point of contact for the telecommunication service of the Bristol Hospitals of the Trust, operators are responsible for providing an efficient switchboard/information service 24/7 to all staff and customers of the Trust.

Carry out all aspects of the responsibilities of an operator in a pleasant, courteous and professional manner at all times. Operators will be required to use their own initiative when dealing with situations outside the parameters of procedures.

· Responsible for being the first point of contact for 9 of the trusts Hospitals, for receiving and distributing calls from the public, GP’s, internal callers, other Hospitals and agencies etc. Calls can be connected to either extension, exchange lines or to mobile staff via bleeps, mobile phones & Radio pagers.

· To use initiative and sensitivity when dealing with unpredictable situations including enquiries from anxious patients, patients with mental health problems, language and /or disability barriers, the media, complaints etc. Ensuring an appropriate and empathetic response to all.

· To operate the switchboard consoles and Bleep System to provide an efficient telephone service across the Trust.

To respond in accordance with the designated written procedures when dealing with emergency and non- emergency requests

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as ‘Good’ overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward- thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

You will be responsible for taking calls from patients, relatives, Doctors, other colleagues, Stake Holders, Chief Executives of this and other Trusts, Callers from NHS England and Clinical Commissioning Groups, Contractors and other Emergency and non emergency services.

You will be dealing with medical emergencies, Fire and intruder alarms and will need to co-ordinate these ensuring the right people are informed and directed tot he emergency.

We deal with approx. 400 rotas on a daily basis and co-ordinate these for hospital staff.

This advert closes on Sunday 14 Jun 2026

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Disability Confident

About Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .