Support Worker - Discharge Support and Admission Prevention

Job description

Job responsibilities

*Please note: a full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle is essential for this post*

Professionals from teams in health/social care contact the office to arrange assistance for people being discharged from hospital or who are at home and at risk of readmission. Most of the requests are for short-term practical help and include but are not limited to

Collecting a patient from hospital and transporting them home safely.

Basic shopping.

Fitting temporary key safes.

Delivering and fitting small pieces of equipment e.g., bed levers, commodes, pressure relieving cushions, chair raisers etc.

Collecting clothes and other personal items from home and taking to the ward.

Short-term feeding of pets left at home.

Picking up the patients key to provide access for a contractor e.g., for repairs, adaptations, environmental health.

Assistance with moving items of furniture to facilitate a hospital bed delivery, or to enable greater mobility and thus avoid admission to hospital.

Referrer led home assessments.

Escorting to hospital appointments.

Welcome the Individual home

Support the Individual to follow-up any problems associated with the discharge from hospital process. For example: Contact as required District nurses, doctors etc.

Signpost to appropriate community activities and services

Low level support in essential areas such as food preparation, shopping, prescription and pension collection, light household cleaning, washing etc.

Undertake level 1 falls assessment

Advice and guidance on healthy lifestyle, safety around the home etc.

Signpost to appropriate benefit advice service if required

Longer term referrals to GNS come from health and social care professionals as well as self, family and friends. The services we offer through volunteer and staff teams include face-to-face friendly visits (befriending in a clients home), telephone support and the pen pal scheme/happy post (regular mail/cards/letters).

Duties and Responsibilities (dependent on the scheme)

Work closely with other team members to take referrals from a range of referrers, including health and social care staff, friends and family members and the individual themselves, and carry out those referrals or allocate volunteers where appropriate.

Complete referrals taken by the team

Work proactively to plan discharges from hospital in a safe and supported way

Prevent the deterioration in the health condition and aid the reduction of inappropriate readmission/ avoidance to hospital through the provision of low-level practical interventions

Aid the reduction of premature admission to hospital and/or residential care

Provide support to those discharged from hospital or those likely to be re-admitted, to regain their confidence to be able to continue to live independently

Ensure Individuals reintegrate back into their community and feel supported both emotionally and socially through social interaction

Deliver a flexible Individual-centred service

Provide support to informal carers

Be available for enquiries from service users and their families and respond to any requests for information in a timely and professional manner.

Follow up, check, and review all referrals with volunteers, service users and service providers in a systematic way.

Complete a check list to ensure all identified needs have been actioned.

When appropriate for the particular scheme, ensure that each service user receives a home visit prior to allocation of a volunteer in order to confirm personal details, undertake a risk assessment and better understand them and their needs.

As appropriate, ensure that those service users with complex needs and who are not suitable for a volunteer receive a monthly visit from a relevant staff member.

As appropriate, provide telephone support to service users.

As directed provide ongoing support and supervision to volunteers within SCCCC and ensure that the service is responsive to the needs of its volunteers.

Ensure that all duties and functions are carried out in accordance with SCCCCs regulations, policies, and procedures.

Maintain appropriate records of work undertaken and produce written reports as required.

Attend the meetings of the organisation and any other meetings as required.

Attend appropriate training courses to enhance and develop her/his own skills.

Liaise with the fundraiser in order to maximise donations to the organisation.

Publicise the scheme through all appropriate channels.

Carry out other duties and relevant tasks consistent with the responsibilities of the post, which from time to time may be required as agreed between the post holder and the Senior Manager.

This is not a complete description of duties and may be amended in light of changing needs of the organisation after consultation with the post holder

Person Specification

Further Training

Essential

• Evidence of recent relevant continuing professional development

Desirable

• Qualification in Community Work and/or Health and Social Care

Special Skills/Aptitudes

Essential

• Understanding of the needs and challenges that face older people and their families
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse range of individuals and organisations
• Ability to communicate effectively both internally and externally to a wide variety of audiences
• Good telephone manner and the ability to deal sensitively with service users, family members and carers
• Ability to relate well to volunteers
• Proven organisational skills and administrative ability, capable of meeting deadlines
• Methodical and accurate record keeping
• Computer literacy in dealing with standard MS office packages, including spreadsheets
• Committed and highly self-motivated
• The ability to work in a self-directed manner, and as part of a team, with a commitment to mutual support
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to problem solve competently
• Ability to adhere to an organisations policies, procedures, and instructions
• Able to act with integrity and take action if ethics, values, or standards are compromised

Other Factors

Essential

• Car driver/owner with daily access to a vehicle
• Willing to work outside office hours (both evenings and weekends) when necessary
• Able to evidence outstanding timekeeping and attendance
• Able to display a flexible and adaptable approach to the range of duties required
• Shares SCCCCs values and ethos and committed to SCCCCs vision
• Level-headed, non-judgmental, with a calm approach and a commitment to Equal Opportunities and Diversity
• A willingness to learn and a commitment to training and development
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Clear Enhanced DBS disclosure check
• Proactive engagement in supervision

Desirable

• Understanding of the role of the Voluntary and Community Sector in the field of Health and Social Care
• Knowledge of health and safety issues

Qualifications

Essential

• 5 good GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and Maths

Desirable

• Degree level qualification

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 2 years' experience in a relevant post or organisation
• Experience of contributing to a team environment

Desirable

• Experience working within community engagement and a volunteering environment
• Experience of working with older people
• Experience/awareness of risk assessments

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care

Address

Unit 19 President Buildings

Savile Street East

Sheffield

South Yorkshire

S4 7UQ

Employer's website

https://scccc.co.uk/about-us/work-for-us (Opens in a new tab)