Spotlight on the Switchboard team | News

Twenty-three colleagues answering around 50,000 calls a month across a 24 hour, seven-day service: meet the team working to ensure every call is answered and every message reaches the right place.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust’s (MTW) Switchboard team, based at Maidstone Hospital, is the trust’s first point of contact for all incoming calls. Taking an average of 50,000 calls each month, including around 250 emergency calls, the team works to connect patients, staff and services quickly and carefully.

From responding to life threatening emergencies to ensuring staff can access the information and support they need, the team plays a vital role in patient safety, patient experience and the smooth running of services.

Handling emergency calls with care

The team - led by Switchboard Manager Karen Finn, alongside supervisors Jade Abery and Kim Wright - are responsible for managing all emergency calls across the trust’s hospitals. Each call must be handled quickly, calmly and precisely, with no room for error.

When an emergency call comes in, telephonists gather essential information and immediately alert the correct bleep team at the right hospital. Whether it is a cardiac arrest, trauma call, stroke alert or major haemorrhage, every second counts and accuracy is critical.

The team also supports around 20 specialist emergency bleep teams, including stroke alerts which were developed in recent years to improve response times. By activating the alert, the team allows Accident and Emergency colleagues to prepare in advance, ensuring patients receive rapid, time critical care as soon as they arrive.

Carol Hannaford, who has worked as a telephonist of 22 years, said: “You never know what the next call will bring, but that’s what makes the role so rewarding. You know that what you do can make a real difference.”

More than telephone calls

Alongside handling calls, the Switchboard team carries out a range of essential functions that help keep the Trust running smoothly every day.

The team manages the bleep system, sending out alerts to staff across the organisation and ensuring urgent messages are delivered without delay. 

They also monitor alarm panels, keeping a close eye on systems such as fire alarms, boilers and medical gas supplies, escalating issues when needed.

Switchboard is also the point of contact for the Trust for major incident notifications across the Southeast. When an alert is issued, all switchboards receive the same message. At MTW, the team plays a key role in passing on that information quickly and escalating it appropriately.

A 24-hour service

The team of 23 provides continuous cover, with at least two colleagues on duty at all times. There is a dedicated night team working from 10pm to 6am, supported by colleagues to cover early mornings and evenings.

Every day, the team produces on-call sheets covering around 60 staff groups. These are critical for ensuring key teams can be reached outside of hours.

Out of hours, the team also supports a variety of practical needs for staff and patients, including booking couriers and taxis, ensuring services can continue without disruption.

Working together to deliver outstanding care

Collaboration is a key part of the Switchboard role. The team communicates with almost every team in the trust’s hospitals.

John Weeks, Director of Emergency Planning and Response, said: “The Switchboard team play a key role in our emergency response, and are often the first point of contact in an emergency. The team are crucial in keeping everything connected, especially when things are busy or under pressure. It’s not always visible work, but it’s essential, and they handle it with consistency and professionalism. They’re a brilliant team to work with.”