Discharge Coordinator

Overview

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual to work closely with our Matrons, Clinical Nurse Manager and Charge nurses to facilitate the timely, effective and appropriate discharge of patients from the OPPSU/acute setting to the community, liaising with hospital, community, social and health service colleagues in order to promote a recovery focused discharge/transfer. The post holder will also play a key role in the development of an innovative service providing excellent discharge practices within the ward environment.

The post holder will ensure best practice in planning safe and timely patient discharges to achieve the best outcomes for patients, optimise hospital bed utilisation and reduce length of stay.

• Promote a smooth discharge process by concentrating on tasks which directly support and assist the multidisciplinary team with regards to safe and timely discharge of patients. This includes completing discharge planning documentation, communicating with external agencies such as Social Services, patients’ families and carers, arranging appropriate transport and liaising with all members of the multidisciplinary team including occupational therapy, physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapist, Dietitian, Clinical Psychologist and Doctor.
• Monitor and chase multidisciplinary team members and external agencies to promote timely and safe discharge, optimise bed usage and reduce length of stay; manage more complex discharge issues.
• Arrange family meetings and, where appropriate, participate in and minute discharge planning.
• Liaise with agencies such as Housing, Borders & Immigration Agency and Social Services, ensuring confidentiality is maintained and information is shared in a sensitive, empathic and responsible manner.
• Deal with enquiries from Trust staff, patients, relatives and the general public concerning discharge and transfer of patients.
• Identify priorities and raise any areas of concern to appropriate staff or agency.
• Support the discharge process and implement effective safe discharge plans with multi-disciplinary teams and outside agencies. Ensure multidisciplinary teams and outside agencies work collaboratively to provide safe and effective discharge planning.
• Understand and ensure effective bed utilisation to reduce delayed transfers of care.

• Excellent communication skills and strong organisational abilities.
• Ability to work under pressure.

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH) cares for the people of Brent, Ealing, Harrow and beyond. Our team of more than 8,200 clinical and support staff serve a diverse population of almost one million people.

• Northwick Park Hospital: home to one of the busiest emergency departments (A&E) in the country. The hospital provides a full range of services including the country’s top-rated hyper-acute stroke unit and one of only three hyper-acute rehabilitation units in the UK.
• St Marks Hospital: an internationally renowned specialist centre for bowel disease.
• Ealing Hospital: a busy district general hospital providing a range of clinical services, as well as 24/7 emergency department and urgent care centre, and Meadow House Hospice.
• Central Middlesex Hospital: our planned care site, hosting a range of surgical and outpatient services and collocated with an urgent care centre.

We are a university teaching NHS trust, in recognition of the important role we play in training clinicians of the future and bringing the benefits of research to the public. Liaise with agencies such as Housing, Borders & Immigration Agency and Social Services ensuring confidentiality is maintained and information is shared in a sensitive, empathic and responsible manner. Deal with enquiries from Trust staff, patients, relatives and the general public concerning discharge and transfer of patients.

Identify priorities and raise any areas of concern to appropriate staff or agency. To be responsible for supporting with the discharge process and implementing effective safe discharge plans with multi-disciplinary teams and outside agencies. Ensure multidisciplinary team and outside agencies work collaboratively to provide safe and effective discharge planning. Understand and ensure effective bed utilization to reduce delayed transfers of care.