Dispatcher
Career outlook for dispatcher
UK Salary Ranges
Entry-level
£18,546
£18,546
Experienced
£21,777
£21,777
Currently employed in Scotland
5,300
Salary information is provided by the "National Careers Service". "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.
What's it like?
You would arrange transport for people who have no other way of getting to health appointments safely and on time.
Patient transport services (PTS) are part of the scheduled care ambulance control team. The service is usually for people who are elderly, have disabilities, or are frail and vulnerable.
You would:
- Deal with requests for transport from patients, relatives and healthcare professionals
- Take accurate records of patients’ details
- Make decisions on the best use of vehicles and drivers
- Book transport slots for the same day, the following day or up to eight weeks ahead
When deciding on the best form of transport, you would ask about the patient and the level of support needed on their journey. You would think about whether the patient can walk, whether they need a wheelchair and whether they will need a stretcher.
Most jobs are in the National Health Service (NHS), working for the Scottish Ambulance Service. The NHS salary for this role is covered by the Agenda for Change pay rates. You can check the salary for this role on the NHS Careers website.
Working conditions
Hours
Environment
UK employment status
Full-time
70%
Part-time
27%
Self employed
3%
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- Cooperating
- Verbal communication
- Written communication
- Observation
- Attention to detail
- Sorting
- Developing a plan
- Time management
- Reliable
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Foundation Apprenticeships
Choosing a Foundation Apprenticeship as one of your subjects in S5 and S6 can help you get a head start with this type of job.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification (the same level as a Higher) plus valuable work placement experience and skills you can't learn in a classroom.
Interested? Find out what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
Qualifications
There are no formal qualifications required to enter this role but most employers value a good general education.
Useful subjects
- English
- Maths
- Administration
- ICT
- Care
Helpful to have
Qualifications that show:
- Understanding of the sector such as Skills for Work Health Sector (SCQF level 6)
- Customer care skills such as a Scottish Vocational Qualification in Customer Services (SVQ level 2/3)