Duty Officer Instructions
CARE in Weybridge
GUIDANCE FOR DUTY OFFICERS (DOs)
THE CASE
“The Case” travels from one DO to another. The DO on duty is responsible for delivering it to the next DO. Check in good time when it’s convenient to drop off the case. The DO rota is in the DO folder and also in the Resources section of the website.
PREPARATION
1 Check in the DO Notebook to see if there are any messages for you.
2 Look in the Day Book to see what’s happened in the last few days
3 Check the diary to see what’s happening today/this week
4 Turn on the phone and check that it’s charged
5 Call Voicemail to check for any messages. Once messages have been actioned, please make sure you delete them (by pressing 3 twice) before passing on the case.
TAKING CALLS
The CARE phone should be on and attended between 9am and 12 noon Monday to Friday. The number is 07881 698381. The CARE phone should only be used for incoming calls between 9 and 12, so that it is available for clients to call. It can be used for outgoing calls after 12.
When a call comes in, answer “Hello, this is Ethel from CARE in Weybridge”, using first name only.
Make notes of the requested job in the Day Book, with time of request; Name, Address and Phone number; Details of the job – appointment date and time, pick up time, location; any important details, such as need for wheelchair, have a Blue Badge, blind/deaf/limited mobility etc
Try to find out the purpose of the appointment and how long it is likely to last.
If the client asks about cost, there is a list of popular destinations with suggested donations in the DO folder. Donations are entirely voluntary.
For any exceptional requests apart from the normal hospital, doctor, shopping appointments or a very long distance, make a note in the Day Book and refer them to the Chair or a Committee member. Not every request can be satisfied.
If you receive a call for help from someone outside our area (KT13), there is a list of adjacent CARE organisations in the DO Folder.
At 12pm, you can either turn off the CARE phone or use it to call potential drivers, text job details etc. If you use your own phone to make calls, you can claim the cost of calls from the Treasurer.
FINDING A DRIVER
It’s generally better to wait until the end of the session, when you have a few jobs, before starting to call round drivers. This avoids having to call the same people back.
There is a list of active drivers at the front of the DO folder. Using this and the volunteer cards in the black file, call drivers who are likely to be available. Check any notes on the volunteer cards that indicate their availability. Check the diary to exclude anyone who is already doing a job on that day or within a day or two.
It's a good idea to make notes of the volunteers you have rung and any voicemail responses from landline/mobile, so that you can potentially call back later.
Once you find a volunteer, give them the name, address and phone number of the client, plus details of the job.
Then call the client and confirm the first name only of the volunteer who will take them. Don’t give the client the volunteer’s phone number.
KEEPING RECORDS
There are now four columns in the Day Book that you need to tick, once you have completed the relevant tasks:
1 Client informed – tick once you have called the client
2 Client card – Enter date of request, Day Book page, details of the job, date of the job, volunteer name
3 Volunteer card – enter details of the job, Day Book number, date of the job
4 Diary – enter time of pick up, who is taking whom to where. Space the entry so that others can add more entries in time order.
WINDING UP
1 Check again that there are no outstanding voice mails to be deleted. Then turn off the phone and make sure it’s fully charged for the next DO.
2 Make a note of any messages for the next DO in the Duty Officer Notebook
3 Look at the Duty Officer Rota and please book your next sessions well ahead, filling in any gaps where possible
4 Pack up the case and call the next DO to arrange delivery
5 Congratulate yourself on a good morning’s work!
OTHER STUFF
New clients
If a new client calls, please only register them when they have a request for a journey.
To register them, fill in a new client card and also email or text their details to the Chair.
New volunteers
If someone calls to volunteer (either as a driver or Duty Officer), make a note of their name, address and phone number in the Duty Officer Notebook and pass their details to the Chair or relevant committee member (currently Jo Collinson-Jones)
Blue Badges
Many clients have Blue Badges. CARE in Weybridge has a Blue Badge for use by volunteers. This is in the case and can be borrowed for specific jobs by volunteers.
