Helpline Advisor

BACKGROUND

Tower Hamlets Connect is a new flagship service, which provides people living in Tower Hamlets with free, independent and high-quality information, advice and advocacy on matters relating to health, social welfare, and social care.

Age UK East London is working in partnership with Tower Hamlets council to lead consortium of local voluntary sector organisations to provide:

• The Tower Hamlets Connect Portal – a public-facing, web-based resource with up to date information about local services, events, citizen rights and benefits;
• The Tower Hamlets Connect Helpline providing telephone and email support Monday to Friday, 9 -5; and
• Outreach advice and advocacy support in community hubs and GP surgeries.

In order to ensure maximum accessibility for residents, we also co-ordinate digital inclusion support, stakeholder involvement in service co-production and customer satisfaction reviews.

The Helpline Advisor is a new post which sits within a team of 5 other professionals including the First Response Officers who have a specific focus on advising around adult social care. The post has been created following a review of the Helpline to strengthen integration between health, social care and community-based services, ensuring residents are provided with the right help as quickly as possible

JOB PURPOSE

• Contribute to the delivery of an effective, efficient and safe helpline for the residents of Tower Hamlets.
• To provide information and advice to customers on wider support and services available in the borough, enabling them to remain as independent as possible for as long as possible.
• To ensure accurate and timely data capture and case records to support ongoing service improvement.

MAIN TASKS

• To act as first point of contact for Tower Hamlets residents and professionals via telephone and email.
• To gather the information required to efficiently and proportionately assess customers’ needs and strengths.
• Provide information and advice to residents enabling access to local services to support prevention and promote independence.
• Refer customers on to Tower Hamlets Connect advice and advocacy providers where appropriate by effectively assessing and triaging clients and making appropriate referrals into the service.
• Identify and escalate eligible and urgent cases to the FRO’s to ensure appropriate, safe and timely referral into LBTH Adult Social Care Initial Assessment, Adult Safeguarding triage teams and other Statutory Services.
• Actively promote use of the digital portal and signpost to digital support services where appropriate.
• Maintain excellent records of all contacts and enquiries on all relevant case recording and data systems ensuring accuracy, quality and timeliness while complying with statutory requirements and maintaining confidentiality.
• Attend training and regular team meetings as required
• To undertake any other duties within the competence of the post holder as may be required from time to time for the smooth running of Age UK East London.
• To undertake all duties in line with Age UK East London policies and procedures (e.g. Health & Safety, Complaints, Confidentiality, Equal Opportunities).

FUNCTIONAL LINKS

The role reports to the Helpline Team Leader.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Experience

• Demonstrable experience of working in community-based information, advice and advocacy services and/or helpline services.
• Demonstrable understanding of the full range of local services available to meet people’s health and care needs outside of statutory services.
• Experience of delivering services that meet defined outcomes and outputs
• Experience of using IT systems to record and share service outputs and client case records.
• Experience of working across multidisciplinary teams preferably in community and/or health settings.
• Experience of promoting and supporting well-being and independence to vulnerable adults and working within Enablement and prevention Frameworks.

Knowledge and Understanding

• Knowledge of services available to residents of Tower Hamlets and their carers (e.g. through health service, social services, voluntary sector) and the issues affecting them.
• Knowledge of person-centred practices.
• Understanding of confidentiality policy and practice.
• Understanding of equality and diversity in practice.
• Understanding and commitment to empowering service users.
• Good understanding of policy, legislation e.g. Care Act, Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity act.
• Good understanding of safeguarding vulnerable children and adults including relevant legislation.

Qualifications

Minimum NVQ Level 2 IAGA or equivalent experience

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION PACK TO CHECK THE BENEFITS OFFERED.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/eastlondon/about-us/work-for-us/helpline-advisor/

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months

Salary: £28,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Additional leave
• Cycle to work scheme
• Gym membership
• Sick pay
• Work from home

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• London, E2 9LU: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)

Education:

• A-Level or equivalent (preferred)

Experience:

• customer service: 1 year (preferred)

Application deadline: 17/06/2022