Being a 111 Health Advisor

A path to continuous learning and career progression

See current vacancies

Farah shared her journey of becoming a Health Advisor and growing in her career, taking on more and more responsibilities.

I joined Practice Plus Group in April 2020 for a temporary role as a Covid Helpline Advisor. Towards the end of my one-month contract, I was offered a permanent role as a Health Advisor, subject to passing the training course. I joined the next course, passed and became a Health Advisor. Since then, the company and my team manager have always supported me in my role and encouraged me to get involved in additional tasks.

The training

The journey to becoming a licensed Health Advisor involved intense training that included assessments and call audits. We were given a large training pack to learn from and were assessed on how we were using the NHS Pathways system. Initially, we were coached as a group and fully supported throughout the sessions. Later, we were trained on the phones by various coaches until we were fully equipped to work independently. All this compulsory training happens over a four-to-six weeks’ period, depending on your availability to opt for either full-time or part-time. Even after completion, you are invited to regular workshops to boost your learning.

Continuous development

The continuous learning and support have made me more confident, resilient, and empathetic in asking questions skilfully and ensuring the correct and safe outcome for the patients. During my six-hour morning shifts, I take a variety of calls from people with cough and cold symptoms to pains, injuries, prescription requests, medication enquires and dental issues to life threatening emergencies. FI have gone from taking basic calls related to Covid, to handling a wide variety of complex calls.

In the last four years with Practice Plus Group, I have progressed to becoming a Adastra Trainer, where I equip them to use the clinical patient management software. I also coach new Health Advisors coming into the role, and am also a Staff Representative, participating in regular meetings to address staff concerns and gather feedback to look into what we can improve.

It is a great role; very diverse and rewarding. No two calls are the same. You get to work in a hugely diverse team, with really nice and friendly individuals. There will always be opportunities to get involved in extra tasks, for example, as First Aider, Fire Marshal, Mental Health Aiders or Staff Rep, which all offer great experience. There is also flexibility on the hours you can work and the schedule. Therefore, the role suits different lifestyles.

Flexibility

The hours for my work as a Health Advisor align perfectly with my personal commitments. Balancing a young family, charity work, freelance interpreting, and various other engagements outside of work can be challenging, but the flexibility offered by my role makes it significantly easier to manage. The company has consistently shown understanding and flexibility, which enables me to pursue both my professional responsibilities and personal interests seamlessly.

Ready to take the next step in your career as and join a company that values its employees and their career development? Join our 111 team as a Health Advisor and unlock your best work life!

Current vacancies