Vocare Ltd Employee Reviews
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Toxic management
111 Call Handler (Former Employee) - Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear - 29 March 2021
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The most useful review selected by IndeedNot sure how this company is still running. Worst example of management anywhere. The majority of managers sit at the back of the room laughing and gossiping whilst expecting their staff to answer call after call without any support. Despite preaching about mental health, this company does not care whatsoever about their staff and seem determined for you to fail by putting up so many obstacles in the way of your progression. This is proven by the ridiculously high turn over of staff. Despite all of this, working as a 111 call handler is a rewarding job. Every call can be totally different. You will meet some of the nicest fellow call handlers and clinicians who are very supportive and help you get through each shift. It is a massive shame that this company constantly promotes the wrong people or it could be a great place to work.
Pros
Rewarding job, friendly call handlers and clinicians that are supportive and get you through each shift.
Cons
Terrible management, lack of support, long shifts with short break.
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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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Jobs at Vocare Ltd
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.
Pros
Good Team Ethics, Supportive, Coaching Support, Training
Cons
Out of hours working (Which comes with the job)
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Apply if you like being messed around
Call Centre Agent (Former Employee) - Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire - 2 May 2021
AVOID! Worst management I’ve come across. No communication between departments, constantly have to chase to get things done. Don’t get the shifts you want
Pros
No pros to working here
Cons
Long hours, low pay, badly organised management, can’t get annual leave, depressing atmosphere, moaning, constantly timed, bad company, no support
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Work
Clinical advisor (Former Employee) - Exeter - 12 February 2021
Happy office with delightful people- it’s where I discovered team work . The support from colleagues was amazing. Pity management unable to accommodate flexible hours/ start times
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Stressful environment
NHS 111 Call Handler (Former Employee) - Newcastle upon Tyne - 29 January 2021
A very stressful environment with no support during calls. It’s expected to be back to back calls with no time to complete work to a high standard, impossible targets to meet and no support of you suffer with a mental health condition. Occupational health reports take too long to be organised and management make it clear if they don’t like you. Noticeable revolving door of staff throughout, very draining job mentally and causes high levels of stress and anxiety.
Pros
Incentivised shifts
Cons
Toxic workplace.
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Stressful
Health Advisor (Current Employee) - Stoke-on-Trent - 9 January 2021
Awful company Stressful Management don’t care at all Rubbish pay Punch bag The worst company ever Not enough breaks, 10 hour shift gives you a 30 minute break that is monitored
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mediocre to bad experience
Call Handler (Former Employee) - Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire - 13 November 2020
A typical shift is 8-10 hours, 10 hour you get a 30 minute break which is timed, everything you do is timed on a code. Busy periods you have 4-5 seconds between calls so not even time to catch your breath before the next caller comes in, this is stressful and demanding as although you are somewhat dictated by a script you are also dealing with peoples health and care which requires good listening skills and sometimes deduction, if something goes amiss or you do something wrong there is a risk of compromise to patient safety. As a call handler we are always told to seek clinical help if we are unsure but sometimes its impossible to ring through to a clinician as they have a massive list of people to ring back so sometimes this is impossible. It is absolutely horrible when youre on a really stressful call and you know if you place it in the queue they will be waiting hours to hear back from someone. Some of the callers too are extremely challenging and you get little in the sense of debriefing or help from management.The only thing i loved about the job was some of the other staff, we were all in the same boat. Although you are not really allowed to talk to them as per usual as its less time answering calls. They sit you a desk apart so you have no body next to you while working. Team leaders dont offer much support, they sit at the front of the desk every shift and it just feels like you are constantly being watched, more than three minutes for a toilet break i think another review mentioned this but you will be called out for it. There is almost no time to have even a small -
Pros
The satisfaction when you have made a difference to the caller/patient
Cons
Bad management, long hours sitting down at a computer, short break
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supportive well organised enviroment
Call Advisor (Former Employee) - fox talbot house - 3 September 2020
i was only a part time time employee but the team at Fox Talbot house are very well organised. Their training programme is excellent and the team are very supportive.It is a very poorly paid job for the amount of mental stress involved.
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Not nice
111 Call Handler (Former Employee) - Stafford - 2 September 2020
You will be pushed out team leaders and management don’t care. Horrible place to work very stressful if you have time of your punished for it and made to feel bad your phone will be going off constantly
Pros
Nothing
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Not all it’s cracked up to be
NHS 111 Call Handler (Former Employee) - Stoke-on-Trent - 26 August 2020
Pay is rubbish. Staff are underpaid and overworked.
Only 30 mins break in a 10 hour shift with 5 seconds between calls. You cannot interact with staff members, as soon as you finish a call you have 5 seconds to make notes. Only 3 minutes for a loo break or you are met with a team leader. Constant monitoring of ‘codes’ for not being on the phone. Make out they care about staff mental health but they don’t.
Pros
None
Cons
If your face doesn’t fit you don’t get anywhere
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If your face doesn't fit you're done for
Project Manager (Former Employee) - Longbenton - 20 May 2020
One of the worst places I've worked. Senior staff are very petty and exec managers were either all part if the same family or kissed their ar5es.
Unrealistic demands and a lot of managers just messed around doing absolutely nothing and wouldnt give you an answer or guidance. If you have even the slightest mental health issue do not join. You will end up a wreck.
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Protect your pin - don’t apply!
Nurse (Former Employee) - Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear - 6 May 2020
The calls are constant. Monthly call audits designed to pressure you into taking more calls/faster dispositions/reduction of ambulance requests etc. Management style archaic and out of touch. As a nurse ask yourself how safe a loud, pressured environment with no direct patient contact - no access to observation equipment or objective clinical assessment is. It’s not. Protect your pin and look elsewhere.
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