Breast Cancer Care

In March 2007 the Breast Cancer Care Helpline was highly commended by the Telephone Helplines Association for its use of call monitoring as part of its training processes. Call monitoring enables the team that supports the helpline to record calls and discuss them with individuals to help to improve quality.

Process

In terms of the process, the helpline team are recorded on an annual basis. Team members always receive feedback the same day that their calls are recorded, to ensure their memories of the call and the way they handled it are clear in their mind. The calls are then played back through a secure playback system in a private space, where the Head of Services and one of the expert Nursing team evaluate the call using the standards set out in the helpline guidelines. The team member has a unique opportunity to actually listen to their own calls and reflect on how they handled them. Feedback is discussed together between the support staff and the team member, while further training, support or monitoring is decided as an outcome to this meeting. All of the recorded calls are carefully managed and high levels of security and confidentiality are employed at all times.

Team input

The team supporting the helpline have gone to great lengths to ensure that both users and team members have been closely involved in the process. The call monitoring process has recently been reviewed with direct input from the helpline team and the consequent changes have been well received by everyone involved who fully appreciate the relevance and usefulness of call monitoring.

The changes brought in as a result included incorporating call monitoring into the induction process for new starters and enabling the team to record their own calls when they would like so they can talk them through with a supervisor.

Success

The process has been effective in maintaining an excellent level of service on the helpline as it has enabled the team to experience a real insight into how they may be perceived by the caller. Overall, individuals' progress has improved further to the monitoring and feedback from callers from the most recent survey in January 2007. This survey showed that 98% of our callers felt the prospect of having their calls recorded for quality purposes was helpful. It also showed that 92% of callers felt satisfied with their experience of calling the helpline, and 94% would call the helpline again.

While the helpline team are monitored at least once a year they may choose to be monitored more often if they would like further support. The management team have found it crucial to involve all members of the helpline team who receive call monitoring in the review process and have found that the changes have helped them to feel more comfortable and empowered by the call monitoring process as a whole.

How to find out more

Contact name: Cat Madge

Website address: www.breastcancercare.org.uk
Email: catm@breastcancercare.org.uk
Telephone: 020 7384 8393