We’d like to introduce you to Jack Taylor, a perfect example of how you can make a career out of joining our DHU111 service.
Jack only joined us in September 2022 and didn’t take his first call as a Health Advisor until November, but a little over six months later he is now a Deputy Operational Shift Lead at our West Midlands Advice Centre in Oldbury.
We caught up with him to find out a bit more about his time with us…
“Before joining DHU I’d done a lot of agency work within healthcare, taking on Healthcare Assistant type roles at nursing homes, care homes and in hospitals. I knew what it took to look after patients and at the time, working without a contract suited me and allowed me to live a little outside of work. What I realised I enjoyed was the assessment side and considered 111 as an option which was when I decided to apply.
“I joined just as DHU was taking over the West Midlands 111 contract. I had the opportunity to be dual trained on 111 and 999, which was how the Health Advisors at West Midlands Ambulance Service worked. I decided to apply direct to DHU and concentrate on the 111 side and I’m delighted I did as the training I received was superb.
“I was in the very first cohort of people trained up by DHU in the West Midlands. We had to do it in a hotel because the building we were going to work out of was being remodelled for when we were due to start in November, but the trainers were so good. They made the best of a difficult situation and we were able to travel up to Derby, the Orbis building, to get a feel for the types of calls we’d receive and learn about what a Health Advisor does which was an education.
“I took my first call on the 1st November, the very first day DHU started taking calls at Birchfield House. It was a difficult call and I’d never worked in a call centre before, so it was a completely new experience. I didn’t feel that I did very well but every new experience is a chance to learn and I know now that I would have handled it differently which is okay, I’m much more confident and it’s all part of developing and pushing yourself.
“In February I started doing some work on the coaching pathways and applied for the role of Non-Clinical Performance Manager (NCPM). I didn’t get it but was offered the opportunity to work towards the Deputy Operational Shift Lead role. That’s what works very well at DHU, they saw something in me that would work for that role, talked to me about it, why it would fit and how it could be part of my development to put me in a better position to be successful and ready for the Operational Shift Lead role when it next becomes available.
“I need to reiterate that I’d never worked in a call centre before but the support from Mo and Kynaat who are NCPMs, has been brilliant for me. They’ve given me the confidence to see a pathway for progression and recognise my ambitions, helping me to realise them which is a boost; positive reinforcement.
“This new role will involve me managing the overall service and support the Operational Shift Leads in running a smooth service for our patients. Things like ensuring people log in on time, assign breaks at the right times, check sickness and absence to make sure we’re always appropriately staffed. For me, now, it feels like a big jump and I’ll be gaining experience of a different side of 111. I’ll need to learn the systems again, they’re the same systems but from a different perspective, I’ll have different permissions which I’m really looking forward to.
“It’s also that element of providing emotional support, being someone my colleagues can talk to and come to if they have a problem or a question. I remember how nervous I was when I took that first call and how supportive everyone was around me, how in training they talk about and instil DHU’s values. I know that and what it feels like to be supported, I want to bring that to this role and be there for others to help them develop and feel supported.”
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