Job summary
Single Point of Assessment and Rapid Response Triage Nurse (SPA)
BAND 6
Previous applicants need not apply
Normal shift pattern is 08:00-20:30.
Shifts will include Bank Holidays and weekend working. Living Independently for Everyone- LIFE
Croydon Health Services are in a new Alliance Partnership with other health and social care providers in Croydon and the LIFE service is one of our new integrated service models. This means bringing together health and social care teams who work to support people to remain independent and healthy in particular to prevent admissions to hospital and shorten hospital stays.
The Single Point of Assessment is a hub where all community referrals are received 7 days per week.
Are you a dynamic, flexible, innovative and motivated experienced District Nurse or Nurse practitioner with an extensive knowledge of community services? Clinical triaging expertise and good communication skills are required as well as excellent time management and prioritization skills is essential for this role.
This post may close early due to the receipt of sufficient applications. However, if we have not contacted you within four weeks of the closing date of this post, please presume that you have not been successful on this occasion.
We highly recommend contact or visiting the service before applying.
Interviews: 6th June 2025
Main duties of the job
The Single Point of Assessment clinician is responsible for co-ordinating and managing referrals for community services made via the Single Point of Assessment (SPA). The SPA clinician is based in the office and is generally not expected to have direct face to face patient contact but will be communicating with patients via the telephone.
The SPA clinician is responsible for triaging all calls for the Rapid Response Service and supporting the Rapid Response clinician to enable a timely assessment to be completed by the most appropriate clinician: nurse, occupational therapist or physiotherapist. The SPA clinical will also have the responsibility for clinically triaging all community health referrals and all referrals that are sent to the LIFE service.
About us
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust provide hospital and community services from a number of community and specialist clinics throughout Croydon. The Trust was formed on 1st August 2010 through the integration of Croydon Community Health Services and Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust. Around 4,100 staff provide services for a population of over 360,000 people who are relatively young with a high level of ethnic diversity.Our main hospital site, Croydon University Hospital is one of the busiest in London. We're also leading the way in providing more healthcare outside hospitals at clinics, specialist centres and in people's homes. Our experienced district nursing teams, Allied Health Professionals and community matrons look after people of all ages across Croydon.Across the NHS everyone is working hard to meet growing demand and we're no exception. But with the right people on board, we are rising to this challenge, putting our people in the driving seat, encouraging innovation and transforming our services to give local people the quality of care they deserve. Croydon Health Services puts a great deal of importance on education and training throughout the careers of all of our staff.If you want the opportunity to have a real impact, challenge yourself and be part of an NHS Trust that's making a real difference then a career at Croydon Health Services could be just what you're looking for.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached supporting document which contains more information about the role in the job summary
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached supporting document which contains more information about the role in the job summary
Person Specification
Qualification/Educat/Training
Essential
- DN qualification (certificate, diploma or degree) or knowledge of community services
- Registered nurse or paramedic
- Mentorship
- Previous experience in triaging
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of Community Services
- Recent experience working within the community or acute setting
- Experience managing resources and workload, e.g. effective use of team skill mix, appropriate delegation of patient care, supervision of junior staff
- Recent Triage Experience.
Desirable
- Knowledge of discharge planning
Knowledge and Awareness
Essential
- Ability to maintain access databases and excel spread sheets.
- Understanding of current issues, policies and frameworks
- Knowledge and understanding of needs of patients carers and knowledge of relevant statutory and voluntary services and how to access these
- Knowledge and understanding of the role and function of the all Community and Acute Services
- Knowledge and understanding of clinical governance, risk management, and ability to work in partnership with the clinical team leader to implement strategies
- Working knowledge of equal opportunities, equities and diversities
- Working knowledge and understanding of the importance of confidentiality
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work collaboratively with team members, other professionals and agencies and autonomously
- Ability to adopt a constructive and logical approach to dealing with conflict, and to challenge and support others appropriately and assertively
- Ability to manage complaints effectively
- Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills, ability to establish rapport and work effectively with colleagues and others, to influence and negotiate and facilitate equitable access to service.
- Ability to take proactive approach to facilitating hospital discharge / preventing inappropriate admission
- Good written communication skills, ability to produce contemporaneous accurate and concise patient records, reports and other relevant documentation when working within time constraints
- Ability to manage own and others time effectively, e.g. reprioritising when working under pressure district nursing, and to seek opportunities to do this
- Ability and willingness to contribute to service development opportunities, e.g. developing guidelines, policies, primary care services
- Ability to work independently using initiative and making decisions appropriately
- IT literate
Other Factors
Essential
- Ability to work flexibly including unsocial hours and weekends
- IT Skills
Person Specification
Qualification/Educat/Training
Essential
- DN qualification (certificate, diploma or degree) or knowledge of community services
- Registered nurse or paramedic
- Mentorship
- Previous experience in triaging
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of Community Services
- Recent experience working within the community or acute setting
- Experience managing resources and workload, e.g. effective use of team skill mix, appropriate delegation of patient care, supervision of junior staff
- Recent Triage Experience.
Desirable
- Knowledge of discharge planning
Knowledge and Awareness
Essential
- Ability to maintain access databases and excel spread sheets.
- Understanding of current issues, policies and frameworks
- Knowledge and understanding of needs of patients carers and knowledge of relevant statutory and voluntary services and how to access these
- Knowledge and understanding of the role and function of the all Community and Acute Services
- Knowledge and understanding of clinical governance, risk management, and ability to work in partnership with the clinical team leader to implement strategies
- Working knowledge of equal opportunities, equities and diversities
- Working knowledge and understanding of the importance of confidentiality
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work collaboratively with team members, other professionals and agencies and autonomously
- Ability to adopt a constructive and logical approach to dealing with conflict, and to challenge and support others appropriately and assertively
- Ability to manage complaints effectively
- Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills, ability to establish rapport and work effectively with colleagues and others, to influence and negotiate and facilitate equitable access to service.
- Ability to take proactive approach to facilitating hospital discharge / preventing inappropriate admission
- Good written communication skills, ability to produce contemporaneous accurate and concise patient records, reports and other relevant documentation when working within time constraints
- Ability to manage own and others time effectively, e.g. reprioritising when working under pressure district nursing, and to seek opportunities to do this
- Ability and willingness to contribute to service development opportunities, e.g. developing guidelines, policies, primary care services
- Ability to work independently using initiative and making decisions appropriately
- IT literate
Other Factors
Essential
- Ability to work flexibly including unsocial hours and weekends
- IT Skills
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
