Sally's Journey - CallEEAST Assistant Contact Centre Manager

Sally Bennett is an assistant contact centre manager within our CallEEAST team who has been with the Trust for 30 years.

Whilst at a baby group with my son, I happened to speak to one of the managers who worked for the Trust at the time. This led to me starting on a bank contract and through various secondments and roles, I’m still here!

When I started back in 1995, I worked as a bank staff call taker within what was then called Medicom, moving from bank to part-time and then trainer to supervisor. After 10 years I moved over to the patient transport service (PTS), assisting on the control desk, taking bookings, and allocating vehicles, for around a year before becoming the operational resource coordinator (ORC). This involved keeping the ambulances on the road, organising things such as MOTs, services and completing crew rotas, as well as supporting the operations manager.

Whilst in this department, I trained on the road so I could cover operational shifts for PTS. During this time, I was seconded to set up an events team to help frontline crews get back into the work environment whilst on alternative working duties. The team would attend private events to supply medical cover, such as football games and I covered as an ambulance radio operator there for 10 years. The radio operator was the link between the stewards on the ground to the medics. If we got an alert in the control room, it would be my job to activate the nearest first aider, or upgrade to a paramedic if needed.

I also completed a six-month secondment in clinical audit, where I was a manager facilitator, which involved receiving data and producing reports on various subjects. Following 10 years in PTS, we lost the PTS Norfolk contract, and I had to move to the private ambulance sector. However, I returned after six months to the role of Medicom supervisor.

That was eleven years ago now and in that time, I have moved from supervisor to Cambridge and Peterborough team leader, where I had my own successful team.

In 2023, I was supporting the CallEEAST contact centre manager in my role as contact centre team leader, which involved helping with ongoing projects and CQC work - I really enjoyed having a new challenge again.

I temporarily took on the role of assistant contact centre manager in March 2024 and then became permanent in the role when it was advertised, and I was successful at interview.

This new role involves supporting the senior business manager and administrator in the daily running of the call centre, such as making sure we have adequate staffing, as well as completing appraisals and one to ones and help onboard new contracts, along with supporting supervisors and team leaders in their roles.

The only challenge I faced along the way was not having confidence in myself, but I have always been lucky and had supportive managers that have encouraged me to develop. I work as part of a great team, where managers listen to everyone's ideas, and we work together to make the department the success it is.

If I was going to give advice to someone wanting to start a career with EEAST, I would say come to work with a positive mindset, don't take work issues home and take every opportunity you are offered, keep your role exciting and face each day with a positive attitude and an “I can do this” attitude.

I have completed 30 years here as part of the EEAST team and still enjoy coming to work every day, seeing the team go on to achieve their goals and progress both in the department and in their personal lives and stretching careers is both satisfying but also makes me realise I’m getting older, during my career with EEAST, I became a mum and now a grandmother!