Question: What could you inform me about appointment scheduling? Are there any positives and negatives about working as an appointment scheduling coordinator?

Sarah Chalmers-Page answered on 3 Apr 2023:

Like all NHS administrative jobs, there are lots of positives, and a few harder aspects to the role.

I think the first thing is that compared to the private sector, you are doing a job that helps people. It might not be as obvious how as if you are a nurse, but you are a vital part of the system that gets people into hospital and gets them the help you need. Personally, I find it easier to deal with the rough patches that any job has if I know I am doing some good! NHS jobs tend to be reasonably good packages – decent pay, and also better paid leave, maternity pay, sick pay and holiday pay than many private employers. The NHS is also a big organisation, and that means there is usually scope for promotion into other roles. As it is an administrative role, you don’t work the very long hours that you hear about nurses or doctors working; it’s a more regular sort of a working pattern.

The potential negative is that people are often upset when they talk to you, and not everyone remembers to be as polite to the waiting list and appointment teams as they should be if they are in pain or frightened. But you should have a supportive team and team leader to help you deal with any difficult conversations.