Homeless Health Housing Worker

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job summary

The post holder will ensure safe, appropriate, effective and sustainable discharges that meet the needs of homeless patients. The post holder will work in partnership with members of their own multi-disciplinary as well as other hospital teams and outside agencies in order to achieve successful discharges. The post holder will work both on various wards, in Accident and Emergency (A&E) and may need to outreach into the community to support patients post discharge for follow ups. The post holder will be expected to work core hours of Monday to Friday 09.00-17.00, with one weekend per month.

The post holder will work as part of a multidisciplinary team with other housing workers, an occupational therapist, nurse and social worker. The post holder will provide expert housing advice to other members of the team and wider hospital. The post holder will also be expected to contribute to teaching/awareness sessions delivered to a variety of staff throughout the hospitals.

The post holder will undertake detailed housing assessments that will help prove a patients homelessness, eligibility, priority for housing and established local connection.. The post holder will build relationships and liaise with Local Authorities Housing departments to achieve the best results for the patients. The post holder will at times escort patients to Housing Options departments and accommodation viewings to provide advocacy as necessary.

The post holder will be engaged in significant partnership working aimed at improving hospital discharge for individual homeless patients where patterns emerge. This partnership working involves key stakeholders within NHS, Housing, Social Care and Voluntary Sector organisations.

The post holder will uphold and adhere to Trust guidelines on practice and will endeavour to communicate the Trusts vision at all times.

Duties and responsibilities

To deliver individualised advice to patients liaising with the necessary support agencies/authorities to achieve the best possible outcome on discharge.

To act in an advocacy role both within the clinical setting and with external agencies; using the expertise of peers in the multidisciplinary team as appropriate.

To carry out holistic housing assessments that will help prove a patients homelessness, eligibility, and priority for housing support and to verify local connection.

To accompany patients to Housing Options Services to provide advocacy and resolve disputes to achieve best results for patients.

To immediately report any difficulties experienced in Housing Options environments to Band 7 Lead.

To work alongside senior staff to resolve disputes with Housing Options, and achieve the best results for the patient and the health and housing services involved.

To ensure patient case notes are updated in timely manner (e.g. EPIC).

To provide information and advice to members of the team and other colleagues in the hospital around housing, benefits entitlements and processes.

To give information and advice to patients and their carers as required where a need has been identified.

To participate in the development of patient leaflets and educations materials as appropriate.

To provide discharge advice and support to health professionals in hospital.

To work autonomously with nominated frequent attenders to resolve patterns of frequent attendance as necessary.

To liaise with outside agencies / services as necessary to develop plans for patients.

To act as a role model for other staff, delivering sensitive, comprehensive and appropriate care to homeless patients, demonstrating no prejudice.

To use high level communication skills to convey complex and sensitive information effectively to patients, carers and voluntary sector/clinical staff, overcoming any barriers to understanding (e.g. education level, language, literacy, embarrassment, stigma, mental health conditions e.g. personality disorders, disabilities etc.).

To ensure patients are able to gain access to health and social care information relevant to their needs and to facilitate a healthier lifestyle.

To identify problems with clients related to non-concordance, and liaise appropriately with NHS services, voluntary and statutory workers to solve or assist with these problems, whilst maintaining any necessary confidentiality.

To arrange for and use interpreting services when delivering services (telephone and face to face interpreting) as necessary.

To follow patients up after discharge as necessary, including visiting them in their discharge location as required and to escort patients to appointments if necessary

To work to ensure the maintenance of a clean and safe environment at all times.

To have willingness to seek clinical advice from the Team Leader as appropriate.

To have knowledge of the addiction related conditions that commonly affect homeless people, and apply this to the care of own clients.

To proactively identify adult and child safeguarding issues and take immediate action as appropriate.

To uphold and adhere to Trusts policies and guidelines.

To promote the vision of the Homeless Health Team within the hospital setting at all times.

To represent the team as a homeless housing specialist in external situations e.g. training, conferences, committees, etc.

To attend the ward weekly multi-disciplinary meetings, and any other necessary liaison meetings. Within these meetings to demonstrate positive active partnership with all relevant agencies, in order improve the quality of discharge planning, and reduce unscheduled re-admissions and A&E attendances.

To develop and maintain proactive positive links with all key partnership organisations.

To implement and work within Trust policies.

To diffuse difficult or dangerous situations in line with Trust policies, and to summon external assistance when necessary.

To identify actual and potential risks for staff, patients and visitors, and take action to reduce this.

To participate in the development of patient leaflets and education materials as appropriate having regard to any barriers to understanding (e.g. education level, language, literacy, embarrassment, stigma, mental health conditions, disabilities etc.) in line with Trust policies.

To maintain up-to-date records, ensuring standards for record keeping are met.

To maintain professional boundaries and working relationships with patients and colleagues.

To ensure patient confidentiality is maintained and that practice is consistent with Trust policy and the Data Protection Act.

To ensure vulnerable adults and children are safeguarded at all times.

To ensure that negative outcomes/poor performance and patient feedback is used constructively to develop the service and evolve new ways of working.

To attend supervision as arranged by the Team Leader.

To actively participate in local, regional and national homeless events/conference.

To utilise research findings in the delivery of the service, developing fresh approaches and disseminate relevant information to colleagues and subordinates.

To contemporaneously keep notes up to date and accurate at all times.

To consistently meet local targets for the service and to contribute to reviewing, developing, extending and improving the service as and when needs change.

To collect and analyse data, produce reports as necessary as requested by the Team Leader e.g. quarterly activity reports or e.g. an infection control audit.

To participate in any key developments which are agreed on by the team as requested by the Team Leader.

To identify appropriate areas for new clinical audits and/or research, and contribute to such initiatives as necessary. To participate in any key developments which are agreed on by the team as requested by the Team Leader.

Education & Professional Development

To actively work to remain updated within the specialty; seeking specific development relevant to the role.

To participate in any appropriate staff development and in-service training activities available within the Trust, and specifically training appropriate to this role offered or organised by homeless partner organisations.

To actively participate in local supervision/appraisal, and national networking to maintain and develop expert knowledge in the specialty.

To assist in the development and delivery of a patient focused education and information giving strategy, within the team.

To educate patients and their carers as required where a need has been identified.

The post holder is required to follow Trust policies and procedures which are regularly updated.

Person Specification

Qualifications / education

Essential

• Educated to GCSE level with a pass in Maths or English

Desirable

• Training relevant to housing legislation

Previous experience

Essential

• Direct work with homeless clients or clients with addictions
• Experience of case management
• Experience of working in partnership and negotiating with a wide variety of agencies

Skills and knowledge

Essential

• Able to undertake a holistic assessment for homeless clients.
• Able to work effectively and constructively within a multi-disciplinary
• Able to manage conflict effectively
• Ability to write and assessment and plan

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Homeless Health Team , 1st Floor Beckett House

1 Lambeth Palace Road

London

SE1 7EU

Employer's website

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx (Opens in a new tab)