Growing with the organisation
“The NHS like all other organisations, has undergone a lot of changes, and as a partner we are there to support them and their patients. More and more patients now want real-time help and advice and turn to us as opposed to waiting for a GP appointment.”
Jodie remembers back to that time, “I think as HUC grew, so did we as employees. It sounds like a cliché, but if you’re a call handler there really is never a dull moment.”
“You never know who your next caller is going to be – it could be older person who has just had a fall, or a new parent who’s panicking about a sick baby and isn’t sure what to do.”
“It can be fast, furious and it can feel like a lot of responsibility at times, but it’s certainly exciting and rewarding in many, many ways. You are never alone, and though there’s always a lot to learn, I’ve benefitted from really great training.”
“Yes, you do often have to think on your feet, but during my time here I’ve been lucky to work with some fantastic people, many of whom are great role models and mentors. In fact, I’ve learned a lot just by modeling the behaviour of colleagues.”
After a couple of years, Jodie and some of her co-workers, became the first Pathways Trainers at HUC and before long were leading sessions for new starters themselves. “It was extremely satisfying to learn some new skills, but I think we all loved being given an opportunity to support our new colleagues and nurture them with the same encouragement as we had been given.”
So, what’s Jodie up to these days?
“Twelve years, two more daughters later, and stacks of projects under my belt, I am now the NHS 111 Quality & Improvement Lead for Herts and West Essex.”
“As you can imagine, there is always new information coming through about how care for patients can be improved. Because we are trusted to deliver around-the-clock assistance as well as advice and signposting services for the NHS, we are closely monitored to make sure that the patient receives excellent care. I can spend a lot of time auditing the services our patients receive, which could mean to listening to calls and looking at how standards can be improved across the patient journey.”
Sounds a bit like troubleshooting? “There’s a culture around here of continual improvement and I genuinely feel that there’s an appetite to deliver great patient care,” explains Jodie. “That’s why so many of us come and end up in healthcare! Yes, feedback is an essential part of that process, but not just when there’s ‘trouble’ or things go wrong.”
“For me, there’s something really satisfying about listening to a call and suddenly I hear something that makes me think, wow, that was really well handled. If I can I’ll try to find a way to let the advisor know and hopefully, they’ll grow in confidence and do more of the same and inspire others too.”
“As I said, I think I’ve learnt a lot from those who lead by example.”
