Updates to existing telephone system at SWB

March 18, 2024

We are currently engaged in a project to modernise the existing telephony system across the Trust, tied in with our preparations for our move to MMUH.

Upcoming changes:

A new IP/Network based phone system:  We are transitioning from outdated analog lines that have been present at our sites for many years, to a modern IP-based telephone system which will provide a more reliable and resilient service. For the majority of the trust, the equipment and processes you use will not be affected. Areas that will be seeing changes to their telephony are being contacted directly via department leads.

Softphones are to be replaced:  The current 8×8 platform is to be phased out over the coming month in line with the introduction of Mitel MiCollab, a more modern softphone solution that will provide all the current functionality of 8×8, with greater reliability and ease-of-use. The Telephony project team have already begun reaching out to users of this platform to make staff aware of the upcoming changes and how this may affect them.

Liberty contact centre tool to be updated: The current Liberty platform is to be upgraded to its most recent iteration, now known as Liberty Converse. This upgrade comes with all the expected functionality that you may have seen with Liberty in the past but introduces new features such as the ability to manage email queues, Rota scheduling, Generation of reports and Staff performance management. The project team has reached out to contact centre leads to advise of these coming changes, as well as offering training support to aid a smooth transition period.

The project team has opened a shared mailbox for any Trust colleagues who may have concerns or questions about any of the above changes. If you wish to contact them, please email swbh.telephony.modernisation@nhs.net.