Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity for a dedicated Discharge Coordinator to join our Older People's Services Unit at The Royal London Hospital. This pivotal role involves supporting ward teams in the effective planning and facilitation of patient discharges, ensuring a smooth transition for patients returning home or to alternative care settings.
As a Discharge Coordinator, you will collaborate closely with patients, their families, ward staff, and our Complex Discharge Team to enable timely discharges once patients are medically fit. Our wards prioritize multidisciplinary teamwork, so you will work alongside clinicians, therapists, Specialist Older Persons Teams, social workers, and other key partners to coordinate care effectively.
You will champion the use of our internal patient record system by maintaining real-time discharge updates and documenting outcomes of critical patient meetings throughout the day.
The ideal candidate will have a thorough understanding of Criteria to Reside, Continuing Health Care pathways, and hospital discharge processes.
Main duties of the job
An exciting opportunity has arisen for the position of Discharge Coordinator within the Older Peoples Services Unit. The successful candidate will be based at The Royal London Hospital site and will be required to support ward staff in facilitating and planning discharge.
The successful applicant will engage and work with the patient and their next of kin to empower them to actively participate and prepare for their discharge from the ward.
The Wards are focused on multidisciplinary working and staff are expected to work very closely with Clinicians, therapists, Specialist Older Persons Teams, social workers, and the Complex Discharge team.
The post holder will champion the use of our internal patient record system, recording live updates in relation to discharge throughout the day and following key patient meetings.
The post holder will have an in-depth knowledge and awareness of the Criteria to Reside, Continuing Health Care and discharge processes.
The post holder will be expected to demonstrate the Barts Health WECARE values and share our vision of excellence and innovation, providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in East London and beyond.
About us
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.
The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.
Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.
We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE Grade A-C in Maths & English or skills level 2 Maths & English or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in teams under appropriate supervision as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Insight into how to evaluate own strengths and development needs, seeking advice where appropriate
- Experience of providing and receiving complex, sensitive information
Desirable
- Experience of leading/participating in meetings
- Experience of updating patient information onto the whiteboard and use of the command centre
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of the scope of the role of the in context of the nursing and interdisciplinary team and the organisation, and how the role may contribute to service development
- Knowledge of when to seek advice and escalate to the appropriate professional for expert help and advice
- Understanding of the importance of following procedures and treatment plans
- IT awareness and ability to use Trust Computerised Records System (electronic patient notes)
- Knowledge of Criteria to Reside, CHC & other discharge guidelines
- Understanding of the hospital processes required to discharge patients home, into placements or rehabilitation center's
Desirable
- An understanding of what failed discharges are, along with rapid release would be advantageous.
- Awareness of repat pathways
- Knowledge of IDH Referrals, DN Referrals & Fast Track paperwork
Skills
Essential
- Ability to organise and prioritise own delegated workload
- Ability to deal with non- routine and unpredictable nature of workload and individual patient contact
- Ability to communicate effectively (written, verbal and non-verbal communication) with patients/relatives and carers and all members of the multi-disciplinary team.
- Ability to develop effective and appropriate relationships with people, their families, carers and colleagues
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE Grade A-C in Maths & English or skills level 2 Maths & English or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in teams under appropriate supervision as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Insight into how to evaluate own strengths and development needs, seeking advice where appropriate
- Experience of providing and receiving complex, sensitive information
Desirable
- Experience of leading/participating in meetings
- Experience of updating patient information onto the whiteboard and use of the command centre
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of the scope of the role of the in context of the nursing and interdisciplinary team and the organisation, and how the role may contribute to service development
- Knowledge of when to seek advice and escalate to the appropriate professional for expert help and advice
- Understanding of the importance of following procedures and treatment plans
- IT awareness and ability to use Trust Computerised Records System (electronic patient notes)
- Knowledge of Criteria to Reside, CHC & other discharge guidelines
- Understanding of the hospital processes required to discharge patients home, into placements or rehabilitation center's
Desirable
- An understanding of what failed discharges are, along with rapid release would be advantageous.
- Awareness of repat pathways
- Knowledge of IDH Referrals, DN Referrals & Fast Track paperwork
Skills
Essential
- Ability to organise and prioritise own delegated workload
- Ability to deal with non- routine and unpredictable nature of workload and individual patient contact
- Ability to communicate effectively (written, verbal and non-verbal communication) with patients/relatives and carers and all members of the multi-disciplinary team.
- Ability to develop effective and appropriate relationships with people, their families, carers and colleagues
- Excellent interpersonal and communication 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.
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).
