Management ruin any prospects of long term employment with this company and do not recognise employees skills, values and credibility, unless a family member or friend. Absolutely no opportunities to develop. Work life balance is incredibly daunting and shifts are long with half an hour break (for example - 10 hour shifts with a half hour break), during night shift. Incentives are good, if you can bear another shift and being there on your time off. Came to dread going in, like entering a dark tunnel, due to Team Leaders being so unrealistic in their roles, have no idea how to treat people with respect and even distinctively time you on the loo. Job itself is rewarding, if you can accept that your only taking a call and reading from a script, as opposed to going all out to actually help someone.

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Challenging but worth it.

Health Advisor (Former Employee) - Stafford - 6 January 2023

It's a difficult job to do and some of the job can affect how you're feeling especially after a difficult assessment. There are internal support schemes in place to help you if needed. If you do struggle with high levels of stress, a demanding role, abusive patients and sometimes long shifts then please consider if you can put up with that as I've seen too many people start thinking they can cope only to quit within weeks. Yes, it can be a difficult role at times but the majority is quite rewarding when you know you've helped people, some at their most dire need.

Pros

Internal support, good colleagues, advancement opportunities.

Cons

Stressful, wages need to be better for what we deal with

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Insights into Vocare Ltd

Based on 16 survey responses

Areas for improvement

Energising work tasks
Sense of belonging
Support from manager

Don’t care about their employees

Call handler (Former Employee) - Newcastle City Centre, Tyne and Wear - 14 October 2022

Wouldn’t advise working at this job , all the care about is you passing your audits every month . If you don’t you get pulled into the office in front of everyone with no positive feedback. “Comfort breaks” aren’t comfort as they chase you up , even after a difficult call . They threaten you with HR if you’re off as it is based on a scoring system , not based on the reason or how many days . They say they are all for mental health , but have no proper help. Some of the team leaders were amazing . Others were unapproachable , attitude if you asked them for help even though that’s what they are there for . Big click surrounding the call handlers and team leaders . Mangament side of things is appalling , they don’t acknowledge you , they make you feel like your dirt on their shoe . No hellos or anything . Even though someone of them started off as call handlers . You’re made to feel like a number and not a person. They just care about not having a que of people on the phone and not the quality of care . Which also puts a lot of pressure on our amazing nurses who have to take the calls .

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Stressful work

NHS 111 Call Handler (Former Employee) - Stockton-on-Tees, Durham - 11 August 2022

Stressful work. Unsupportive management unless you're friends. Offer you flexibility to your needs and then rescind this. Don't recognise protected status eg carers

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Hard work and stressful but very rewarding

Call Advisor (Current Employee) - Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear - 11 February 2022

Hard and very fast paced environment to work in, you must have a thick skin and patients are not always the kindest and calls can be quite hard. Lots of mental health support on site, other staff members are just lovely and supportive. Always overtime as sometimes you get paid 5 or 10 (if not more)quid an hour extra to take over times shifts which gives you a massive pay boost!

Pros

Lots of overtime and supportive colleagues

Cons

Long hours, weekend and evening work Rude patients

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Fast paced and can be stressful

Call Centre Advisor (Former Employee) - Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear - 6 February 2022

²It's a stressful job by nature. If you can't accept the fast paced calls and the stress it becomes quite difficult. Shifts of 10 hours are very demanding and breaks very short. You only get half an hour. I eventually got a supportive team leader which helped and the teams are nice people who will help you.

Pros

Helping people and getting the results you need. Satisfying giving outstanding patient care

Cons

Long and demanding shifts, hardly any break. Very long call queues but it's the nature of the job. Night shifts, late shifts and early starts with minimum wage

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An excellent place to work

NHS 111 Call Handler (Current Employee) - Stafford, Staffordshire - 1 February 2022

The role of NHS111 Health Advisor is a difficult one, but management are supportive and approachable. No two shifts are ever the same; and the feeling of being able to help people is amazing. It can be a stressful job, but it’s also extremely rewarding. People complain about the break allowance, but you’re also able to take comfort breaks in addition. Furthermore, management encourage comfort breaks, particularly when you’ve had a difficult call. Overall, the environment is warm, supportive and friendly, and I look forward to going to work each day.

Pros

Amazing atmosphere Supportive management Fair pay and excellent bonus incentives for overtime

Cons

None

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Terrible place to work

Call Centre Advisor (Former Employee) - Stockton-on-Tees, Durham - 31 January 2022

High turn over, employees nice, team leaders and management meh. Did not hear about termination of contract while on sick until i contacted them myself.

Pros

None

Cons

30 min breaks for 9+ hours Intense No help Clique culture

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Please keep your mental health and don't work here

111 Health Advisor (Former Employee) - Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear - 26 January 2022

The management which are called team leaders have little to no experience in management at all they have progressed from call handlers into team leaders and basically just wing it with HR's help. They preach to you about mental health yet they put you down all the time and criticise you for every little thing. If you miss something some one said or do something wrong no one comes over to you on that day you have to wait 3-4 days/weeks before they come up to you even when you don't remember the call because the calls are back to back day In day out

Pros

Colleagues around you that you can have some good banter

Cons

Long hours

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Fast paced, stressful but financially rewarding

Call Handler (Former Employee) - Tyne and Wear - 22 December 2021

The calls are never ending but they have a lot of financial incentives for extra time and shifts so can make good money if you put the time in, just do a part time contact and pick up incentive shifts.

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Over worked under paid , nothings straight forward

NHS 111 Call Handler (Current Employee) - Stockton-on-Tees - 17 December 2021

Job is constant , stressful, always under staffed , definitely don’t get paid enough , always have to battle with rota , not much support from management. Face fits environment , only 30 min break after working 6 hrs and nothing extra , constantly monitored with “comfort breaks” training is great very helpful but assessment at end and live audits are intense and as soon as you have passed you are left too it so very overwhelming very unorganised , high turn over of staff

Pros

Frequently offered overtime incentives

Cons

Long shifts, not enough breaks, constant pressure, unappreciated by managers and “patients”

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Terrible management, stressful environment

Call Handler (Current Employee) - Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear - 10 November 2021

Management give you no support when you deal with extremely difficult calls, they sit there and chat to each other while you’re crying at your desk. You get 10 seconds between calls, barely enough time to take a drink. 30 minute breaks no matter how long your shift is. The only positive about the job are the other call handlers and clinicians. Extremely high turnover of staff - it’s not hard to see why

Pros

Other call handlers are lovely

Cons

Management

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Avoid at all cost

Clinic Manager (Former Employee) - Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear - 3 November 2021

Most of the management are related to each other. Poor leadership and substance misuse is rife. Training is poor and HR make it up as they go along. I am surprised the place is still running

Pros

Free hot water

Cons

You work every weekend

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Positive environment who place the emphasis on patient safety

Dispatcher (Current Employee) - Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear - 23 September 2021

I started with the company in Feb 2021 and having read the reviews I was hesitant but intrigued. Training is to an excellent Standard, the work is varied and no two days are ever the same.It can be stressful at times but the positive impact within the team leads to a very supportive working environment. It is an out of hours tri role as a Dispatcher and your hard work is recognised with feedback from Team Leaders and Management. So do what I did , apply and come and join a welcoming team....

Pros

Relaxed Professional environment

Cons

None

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Avoid!

NHS 111 Call Handler (Current Employee) - Newcastle upon Tyne - 2 July 2021

As an individual who has experience in healthcare do not work here, colleagues are great, management and team leaders do not have any level of expertise in anything and are far from competent within their role. They treat their employees with very little respect and their attitude stinks, you get told when to take holidays, you’re tied in for 2yr with the training and NO ONE ever manages to stay that long. They discriminate against the disabled.If you’re in with their click, remain quiet and put up with the bad work conditions, you’ll do just fine. I’ve never worked in an environment as bad in my life.

Pros

Zero

Cons

Everything

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Don’t do it

Call Handler (Former Employee) - Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear - 8 June 2021

I was warned about this job before taking it and looked past it, giving it a chance. Worst mistake ever. Myself and almost every other colleague I trained alongside experienced a massive decline in our mental state due to the draining nature of the role alongside the low morale and non-existent management. Calls can be emotionally damaging for a non-clinical member of staff. You are not told who to report to, leaving it difficult to ask for help when needed. You are constantly watched and monitored, with your every move being criticised. Calls are intense and literally back to back. On one occasion I had an unconscious patient on the line and we were understaffed so I was told to end the call and say a nurse would call back. Reviews and feedback on your performance are not given unless you keep at the managers and even then they criticise but offer no help to better your ability leaving you to doubt yourself and have little to no confidence. I wish I had listened to an ex-call handler when they advised me not to take the job. It was detrimental to my health.

Pros

Pay is ok but not worth it

Cons

Very short breaks, no performance reviews, calls way too intense for someone not a medical professional

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Stressful, damaging to your mental health, clueless management

Clinical Advisor (Current Employee) - Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear - 31 May 2021

Working for this company really caused a decline in my mental health, a high volume of calls taken were emotive and distressing. I remember an email being sent out to staff to encourage them to take the time to process the difficult calls when needed however, this email had a footnote at the bottom in bold advising staff to not abuse this time/facility. This does not make staff feel comfortable to take this time. There was a very low level of morale on the floor, management had a phrase that the door was always open, it most certainly was not. Junior management were pretty clueless and very unapproachable. There is a lot of pressure to pass audits at 95% plus. There is a high level of pressure on staff with high acuity calls coming through in very high volumes

Pros

Pay isn’t awful

Cons

Some Management need training on how to manage people, very little down time between calls it was relentless

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Fast Paced

Health Advisor (Current Employee) - Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire - 13 May 2021

Vocare NHS 111 is ever growing and changing to support the patients accessing the service and is very much a patient focused. Service is provided to a very high standard in the ever growing world which we live in. I have never worked with such a good team, with strong working relationships. The job isn't for everyone, it's fast paced and sometimes high call volumes (which is what I expected working for a health call centre) I was apprehensive about applying due to negative reviews about not having time to 'chat' however, the patients come first which is the job we apply for.

Pros

Fast paced, no call is ever the same challenging calls career progression

Cons

None

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Positive Environment

Health Advisor (Current Employee) - Stafford - 13 May 2021

Health advisors, clinical advisors and the management team all work together as one team supporting eachother to provide the best possible service for the patients for all Vocare 111 Contracts. Training is intensive 3 weeks but you learn so much to support you into the Job. Coaching and support is provided with regular performance reviews with line managers. Good positive and fast paced environment.

Pros

Team culture - Coach Support - Management - Making a difference - patient facing

Cons

Long hours

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Supportive and Encouraging

Health Advisor (Current Employee) - Staffordshire - 13 May 2021

As a former Health advisor for this company I felt well supported and was always encouraged by management to improve my skills and achieve more. You always have a highly trained clinician in the room with you to help and support you. I would most definitely recommend working for this wonderful company.

Pros

Great career progression, well paid for unsociable hours, supportive management, supportive clinicians.

Cons

Fast paced enviroment which is to be expected.

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Productive and Supportive

Health Advisor (Former Employee) - Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire - 10 May 2021

The environment and all job roles within the service are both rewarding and challenging. The management team are fully supportive with coaching and implementing additional support where required. Overall this is a great team to work for at both sites in Stoke-On-Trent and Stafford with a genuine focus on support. You will deal with some challenging calls which is in the nature of the job role however, it is rewarding and you have a real sense of helping the local community for all of the contracts for NHS 111 which are held by Vocare.