Call Assessor

Do you want to make a difference? Why not become a call assessor with us at a time when the NHS needs you the most.

We have two Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) in the West Midlands; Brierley Hill in Dudley and a second control room in Stafford. When you call 999 in the West Midlands, it’s our call assessors who are the voice on the other end of the phone.

As a WMAS call assessor, when you receive a call, you are responsible for recording the right information, sometimes under difficult circumstances and offering advice or reassurance to the caller/patient. You will enter details onto a computer system about the patient and their condition which categorises the seriousness of the illness or injury, to ensure that the patient receives the most appropriate care from us; whether that’s an emergency ambulance response, a telephone assessment by a clinician, a referral to an alternative care pathway or self care advice.

Call Assessors Karen and Neve talk about what it’s like being a Call Assessor, whey they applied, the qualities you need and the calls that they’re most proud of.

Call Assessor Entry Requirements

The entry requirements for those interested in applying to become a call assessor are:

5 GCSE’s grade C or above (4 – 9) which must include English (or equivalent)
Call taking or customer service experience

Recruitment Process:

Once you submit your application via NHS Jobs, the dedicated shortlisting panel will shortlist based on whether you meet the criteria. This is done anonymously.

Should your application be shortlisted, you will be invited to attend a Typing, Dictation and Critical Thinking test where you will listen to a recording and you will be required to record the information contained within it as accurately as possible both using a PC and then via hand written note. Following successful completion of this initial stage you will then be invited to attend for a formal interview.

If you are successful and appointed, you will complete a three-month trainee contract where you will work towards and successfully achieve the standards required for:

Pathways training
Appointed persons first aid
Emergency call training module with written and practical assessments
Constantly achieve the Pathways standard for processing emergency calls
Undertake study to gain an understanding of different areas of medicine, basic anatomy & physiology and recognition of life threatening conditions.

The Training Process

Our Call Assessors go through a rigorous training programme before they are able to take live 999 calls. Emergency Operations Centre Tutor Suzanne Holland explains the process and gives some advice to those who have applied to be a call assessor.