Staff Stories - George, Emergency Resolution Operator

George has been working with us for over six months in the Emergency Resolution Team. He believes he is making a genuine and meaningful difference by being part of TakingCare.

We asked George to share what it is like to work at TakingCare.

What's a typical day for you at TakingCare? 

It's challenging to describe day-to-day responsibilities because every day, every minute, is really different. My day-to-day activities include monitoring the alarms of thousands of clients all over the country and helping the most vulnerable in society whenever needed.

Every night brings unique experiences in my role at Taking Care. Working night shifts, the calls hold even greater importance. While we may receive fewer calls during the night, the urgency is higher when responding to button activations.

George
Emergency Resolution Operator

Can you tell us about a particularly memorable alarm call?

Everything is reasonably memorable, but I will never forget this one guy; his Mum lived alone in Canterbury, and she had fallen in her home. She was uninjured but unable to get up. Unfortunately, the ambulances were delayed that night as they were very busy, as they tend to be.

So, we started looking at what help we can provide; our clients have a list of contacts we can go through, including neighbours who live close by. On this occasion, we phoned her son, who has been out to work in Southampton. He was with his colleagues when he answered our phone; understandably, he was very concerned about his mother, as he was quite far from his mum.

We called the lady and the ambulance for welfare checks so that she knew help was on the way. However, we received another alarm activation a few hours later, before we might have expected the ambulance to arrive, and the son picked up the call. He had taken a taxi from Southampton to Canterbury to go and pick up his Mum, so he called and informed us that he had arrived, and his Mum was safe in bed. I couldn't ask for a better result than that.

How is a personal alarm different from a mobile phone?

Having a personal alarm would be better for a loved one than having a mobile phone, simply because we are here 24/7 and as much as you love someone, you can't be there for them 24/7, but we are.

It's non-invasive; they simply push the alarm pendant button if any help is needed. I was impressed by the promise of the service. When I first joined the company during my training, I was excited to see the technology in action. And now, being part of it, getting to see everything first hand, how hard we work, and to get everything right is totally invaluable.

What special training do you receive as part of your role?

When I first joined the company, we spent weeks in specialised training. After 4-5 weeks, we got a grip on the database and the phone system we use. We were trained in interacting with emergency services efficiently and were taught communication skills; obviously, there's a huge amount of empathy you need to provide for your clients. 

How would you describe the Emergency Resolution Team?

I believe this is much more than just a call centre - to call it a call centre would undermine what we do. Our work is really important. That's not to say work in call centres is not essential but rarely would you hear someone who works in a call centre say their job is a matter of life and death. Ours certainly is, and I am very proud to be part of that.

How different is TakingCare from other telecare providers?

I am impressed by TakingCare compared to other telecare providers. Although I have only been working here for six months, I have witnessed incredible hard work. I come from a hardworking industry and have always put in a lot of effort, but the dedication shown by the staff and management at TakingCare is beyond words. Every team member handles calls with impressive commitment and efficiency, and it's an honour to be part of such a fantastic team.