I am a customer service adviser for Careline, Liverpool city council’s 24/7 social care contact service and I’ve worked here since November 2012. I wouldn’t say I have a typical working day. I work shifts so my days can be very different. The earliest shift means I start at 9am and the latest one means I finish at 10pm – this includes weekdays, weekends and bank holidays.
The main part of my role sees me taking inbound telephone calls about both vulnerable adults and children and the types of inquires that I deal with vary greatly. One moment I could be dealing with a children’s safeguarding issue, and the next arranging an appropriate adult for a vulnerable person.
To ensure all inquiries are dealt with in the correct manner I gather all the relevant information, then speak to a social worker to get further advice on how they’d like me to proceed.
As well as dealing with social care inquires, we also take phone calls for other council departments such as finance, regarding care homes and care packages, and the social work teams which are based in the wider community. Other social care departments rely on Careline to prioritise so that the most urgent calls can be dealt with in a timely manner, meaning that vulnerable people aren’t left without support.
My role also means I liaise with a wide range of different professionals from sectors such as health, education, the probation service and the police.
The way in which I’m given my work can vary too. As well as taking inbound calls, team leaders allocate work to me when I start my shift or throughout the day. Sometimes I work in our offline team, a specialised team of advisers dealing with incoming faxes, letters and online inquiries from various agencies and service users. I really enjoy the variety as it means I am always challenged. I could spend the morning generating referrals to the occupational therapy team and in the afternoon I might be dealing with an adult safeguarding query. The diversity allows me to approach every situation with a fresh head.
Working after 5pm also means I am classed as an out of hours (OOH) adviser. During this shift there is a small number of advisers, a team leader and an OOH social worker and a co-ordinator who will assist with any inquires or emergencies. The type of emergencies can vary, from a request for an urgent mental health assessment to someone fleeing domestic violence needing emergency accommodation.
When people contact us they may be in a situation which is very stressful, where they feel vulnerable and need a caring and empathetic adviser at the end of the phone. Our role is to make sure that these people are listened to and supported and get exactly what they need as quickly as possible.
Recently, I dealt with an inquiry from a lady named Jane* who had contacted Careline through our online form. The request was short; it simply stated she needed help and requested for someone to call her back giving me no indication of what support she might need.
When I contacted her, she became upset and told me she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. The cancer along with her other health issues meant that she was struggling to look after herself. She explained that she also had a 12-year-old son and a husband who worked full-time so he wasn’t coping and couldn’t continue with the situation any more.
After discussing what her needs might be, I suggested that Jane would benefit from a community care assessment from a social worker. I also felt she would benefit from an occupational therapy referral for a bathing and stairs assessment as she had stated she was struggling with tasks but wanted to remain as independent as possible.
Because of being able to support people like Jane, working at Careline has to be one of the most rewarding and satisfying jobs I have ever had; I always feel a great sense of pride. Although our calls can be about so many things, the one thing that’s the same is the difference our service makes to the people who call and the positive effect we can have on their lives. I am proud to say that I help to make a difference to the people of Liverpool, even if it is from the other end of the phone.
*name has been changed.
Content on this page is produced and controlled by Liverpool city council, sponsor of the adult social care hub
