Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen within the South East London (SEL) Integrated Care System (ICS) for a Band 5 Long COVID Care Coordinator to join a dynamic team committed to supporting the provision of high-quality health care to people living in South East London. This new role will be responsible for working across the ICS and will benefit from being hosted at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, giving the post holder both autonomy and the opportunity to be part of a highly experienced team specialising in the treatment of Long COVID.
The number of people with Long COVID is significant: as of 05 March 2023, an estimated 1.9 million people living in private households in the UK (2.9% of the population) were experiencing self-reported Long COVID (symptoms continuing for more than four weeks after the first confirmed or suspected coronavirus (COVID-19) infection that were not explained by something else).
The SEL ICS serves a population of around 2 million across six boroughs: Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. Our community is among the most ethnically, socially and economically diverse in the UK, and includes some of the greatest areas of deprivation and highest incidence of mental illness. Our community is therefore not only vulnerable to health issues such as Long COVID, but also offers a unique opportunity to develop solutions that will work for a diverse range of people beyond our local area.
Main duties of the job
Two charity funded projects, the Joint Programme for Patient, Carer and Public Involvement in COVID Recovery and the King's Health Partners South East London (SEL) Long COVID Programme have identified the need for dedicated Long COVID Care Coordinators. It is expected that this role will be key in facilitating Long COVID prevention and management, identifying patients' requirements and providing them with the tools to manage their needs. There are Care Navigators currently working in South East London Long COVID Services who the post holder will need to forge key relationships with. As this is a new role, responsible for working across the ICS, the post holder will have an opportunity to help shape the role for the future.
The SEL Long COVID Care Coordinator will work alongside health and social care professionals. The Care Coordinator will be pivotal in understanding the patients' support needs and then directing and supporting them to access the right support. The Care Coordinator will also sign post to third sector services of benefit and provide information and encouragement to support patients to be empowered to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.
About us
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK's best known hospitals - Guy's, St Thomas', Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield - as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.
We are among the UK's busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark.
We have a long tradition of clinical and scientific achievement and - as part of King's Health Partners - we are one of England's eight academic health sciences centres, bringing together world-class clinical services, teaching and research, as well as dedicated clinical research facilities.
We have around 23,500 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, and neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.
We strive to recruit and retain the best staff as the dedication and skills of our employees lie at the heart of our organisation and ensure that our services are of the highest quality, safe and focused on our patients.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will have responsibility for understanding the support needs and then directing patients to the right support. They will work with colleagues from across a number of services in supporting a multi-disciplinary approach to patient care, ensuring a holistic approach is taken.
The post holder, as a member and representative of the organisation, will work with colleagues from across a number of services supporting a personalised and efficient approach to patient care. Fundamental to this approach will be ensuring that services work together to provide a seamless service which adds both financial and patient value, reduces unnecessary duplication and builds relationships between services. The post holder will have excellent literacy and IT skills, being confident in the use of risk stratification tools to identify at risk client groups; conducting audits and producing reports at a strategic level that will guide developments within the organisation.
The post holder will have excellent communication skills in a multi-professional environment, being an advocate for clients, and able to negotiate with both clients and providers, to achieve best outcomes. They will have a good understanding of risk in physical and mental illness to prioritise need, making and receiving referrals as required. They will provide both emotional support for vulnerable clients, and motivational skills to support change management and create a supportive working environment for both the organisation and service users. They will understand the impact of their own actions on those they seek to help and on colleagues, and have resilience to cope in challenging situations. They will have a sound knowledge of health and social care policy, together with local services and health promotion initiatives, that will enable the safe transfer of clients between different provider services, and the integration of services from different providers where indicated.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will have responsibility for understanding the support needs and then directing patients to the right support. They will work with colleagues from across a number of services in supporting a multi-disciplinary approach to patient care, ensuring a holistic approach is taken.
The post holder, as a member and representative of the organisation, will work with colleagues from across a number of services supporting a personalised and efficient approach to patient care. Fundamental to this approach will be ensuring that services work together to provide a seamless service which adds both financial and patient value, reduces unnecessary duplication and builds relationships between services. The post holder will have excellent literacy and IT skills, being confident in the use of risk stratification tools to identify at risk client groups; conducting audits and producing reports at a strategic level that will guide developments within the organisation.
The post holder will have excellent communication skills in a multi-professional environment, being an advocate for clients, and able to negotiate with both clients and providers, to achieve best outcomes. They will have a good understanding of risk in physical and mental illness to prioritise need, making and receiving referrals as required. They will provide both emotional support for vulnerable clients, and motivational skills to support change management and create a supportive working environment for both the organisation and service users. They will understand the impact of their own actions on those they seek to help and on colleagues, and have resilience to cope in challenging situations. They will have a sound knowledge of health and social care policy, together with local services and health promotion initiatives, that will enable the safe transfer of clients between different provider services, and the integration of services from different providers where indicated.
Person Specification
Skills
Essential
- Able to relate to and work with all professional and non-clinical staff within the organisation
Desirable
- Able to involve patients, carers and the public in service development and improvement activities
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in health, social care or information and advice, in direct contact with people, families and carers in a paid or voluntary capacity
Desirable
- Experience of patient and public involvement/user involvement
Knowledge
Essential
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
Desirable
- Confident in organising and chairing multi-professional meetings and case conferences
Person Specification
Skills
Essential
- Able to relate to and work with all professional and non-clinical staff within the organisation
Desirable
- Able to involve patients, carers and the public in service development and improvement activities
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in health, social care or information and advice, in direct contact with people, families and carers in a paid or voluntary capacity
Desirable
- Experience of patient and public involvement/user involvement
Knowledge
Essential
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
Desirable
- Confident in organising and chairing multi-professional meetings and case conferences
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
