Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust

Discharge Co-Ordinator Community Access Team

The closing date is 14 August 2025

Job summary

We are offering an opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to step into the role of Band 4 Discharge Co-Ordinator within our Community Access Team. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone looking to broaden their discharge planning experience. As Discharge Co-Ordinator you will be expected to provide essential data, coordination and administrative support to multidisciplinary health and social care teams within acute and community hospital settings. This role supports the timely and efficient transfer of patients from acute hospitals to community care environments. The Discharge Co-Ordinator will assist in delivering high-quality patient care by assessing, planning, and evaluating discharge pathways, ensuring safe transitions to the next level of care.

Main duties of the job

The working hours for the service are from 8AM to 5PM Monday to Friday and from 8AM to 4PM on Saturday and Sunday.

You will play a key part in supporting the safe and timely transfer of patients to intermediate care settings, including inpatient units and care homes. You will be responsible for carrying out thorough patient assessments independently, while seeking input from senior qualified staff members and multidisciplinary colleagues when appropriate to ensure high-quality, person-centred care. Additionally, you will assist with a range of administrative tasks, including handling telephone enquiries and liaising with health and social care professionals to manage and process referrals efficiently.

The role is based in the Integrated Discharge Hub at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

Please note that parking is not available on site at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

About us

This is an exciting opportunity for a Discharge Co-Ordinator to join a fast-paced setting.

Apply now to join an organisation that has been awarded an 'Outstanding' rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the highest possible rating and the first stand-alone NHS community trust in the country to be awarded the title.

Please find out more information about working for our organisation here:

https://heyzine.com/flip-book/2565ae62eb.html

Please note, the selection processes at Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right values and skills, please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored. We remain watchful of candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn't accurately reflect their skills.

Details

Date posted

25 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

839-7375002-AB

Job locations

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

Colney LN

Norwich

NR4 7UY


Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical duties

1.To prepare for, carry out and monitor assessments in specified clinical areas, and discharge in line with predetermined department protocols.

2.To modify and progress intervention using own clinical reasoning, notifying a qualified practitioner accordingly.

3.To monitor patients and promptly alert a qualified practitioner when there are unexpected changes.

4.To demonstrate problem solving, and contribute to the solution, working with colleagues.

5.To plan and prioritise own assessments to delegated patients and ensure patient held paper and electronic records are completed on daily basis.

6.To allocate and monitor patients from a waiting list for community beds in line with predetermined department protocols.

7.To share responsibility for indirect patient contact tasks, such as, answering telephones, arranging appointments, processing referrals and inputting activity data.

Information and Data Co-ordination

1. To receive, breakdown, co-ordinate data and identify appropriate discharge pathways or interventions. To attend daily meetings with Multi-Disciplinary Team members and follow up on actions and escalate as required.

2. To maintain accurate data to provide up-to-date information and report to any of the multi-disciplinary team about any individual to ease processes and communication.

Discharge Co-Ordination

1.To have an up-to-date knowledge of the multidisciplinary management of the patient and discharge plan of all patients. If a clear plan cannot be identified in the medical record, to contact relevant clinicians for clarification.

2.To have an understanding of clinical conditions and terminology.

3.To independently gather and collate information from the medical notes, patients and multi-disciplinary team colleagues to enable a clear plan for a discharge pathway.

4.To facilitateeffective communication and coordination of care between all multidisciplinary team members involved with each patient.

5.To take community referrals within agreed format/process and act as a point of contact for health and social care professionals.

6.To actively communicate with services to enable appropriate and timely discharges and raise issues impacting upon delays with managers.

7.To refer to and redirect to other agencies or individuals for those whose needs might appropriately be met elsewhere and anticipate potential delays and take action to prevent them.

8.To monitor progress against the discharge plan and to be aware of changes to the original plan. Inform and liaise with clinical and non-clinical staff as appropriate.

9.To act as a resource person and assistother staff with information on available resources, relevant organisations to be approached.

10.To provide and receive sensitive information about difficult or complex matters respecting confidentiality at all times includingcommunicating effectively and appropriately with patients, carers and families where there may be barriers to understanding.

11.To manage and prioritise own workload without direct supervision.

12.To ensure paper and electronic records are completed on daily basis in a contemporaneous and accurate manner in line with legal and departmental requirements.

13.To liaise with members of the multidisciplinary team to ensure discharge arrangements are completed in a timely manner eg Ensure TTOs are prescribed, requested and obtained before transport arrives.

14.To work in accordance with policies/procedures and standing operating procedures and to suggest improvements to these and service ways of working.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical duties

1.To prepare for, carry out and monitor assessments in specified clinical areas, and discharge in line with predetermined department protocols.

2.To modify and progress intervention using own clinical reasoning, notifying a qualified practitioner accordingly.

3.To monitor patients and promptly alert a qualified practitioner when there are unexpected changes.

4.To demonstrate problem solving, and contribute to the solution, working with colleagues.

5.To plan and prioritise own assessments to delegated patients and ensure patient held paper and electronic records are completed on daily basis.

6.To allocate and monitor patients from a waiting list for community beds in line with predetermined department protocols.

7.To share responsibility for indirect patient contact tasks, such as, answering telephones, arranging appointments, processing referrals and inputting activity data.

Information and Data Co-ordination

1. To receive, breakdown, co-ordinate data and identify appropriate discharge pathways or interventions. To attend daily meetings with Multi-Disciplinary Team members and follow up on actions and escalate as required.

2. To maintain accurate data to provide up-to-date information and report to any of the multi-disciplinary team about any individual to ease processes and communication.

Discharge Co-Ordination

1.To have an up-to-date knowledge of the multidisciplinary management of the patient and discharge plan of all patients. If a clear plan cannot be identified in the medical record, to contact relevant clinicians for clarification.

2.To have an understanding of clinical conditions and terminology.

3.To independently gather and collate information from the medical notes, patients and multi-disciplinary team colleagues to enable a clear plan for a discharge pathway.

4.To facilitateeffective communication and coordination of care between all multidisciplinary team members involved with each patient.

5.To take community referrals within agreed format/process and act as a point of contact for health and social care professionals.

6.To actively communicate with services to enable appropriate and timely discharges and raise issues impacting upon delays with managers.

7.To refer to and redirect to other agencies or individuals for those whose needs might appropriately be met elsewhere and anticipate potential delays and take action to prevent them.

8.To monitor progress against the discharge plan and to be aware of changes to the original plan. Inform and liaise with clinical and non-clinical staff as appropriate.

9.To act as a resource person and assistother staff with information on available resources, relevant organisations to be approached.

10.To provide and receive sensitive information about difficult or complex matters respecting confidentiality at all times includingcommunicating effectively and appropriately with patients, carers and families where there may be barriers to understanding.

11.To manage and prioritise own workload without direct supervision.

12.To ensure paper and electronic records are completed on daily basis in a contemporaneous and accurate manner in line with legal and departmental requirements.

13.To liaise with members of the multidisciplinary team to ensure discharge arrangements are completed in a timely manner eg Ensure TTOs are prescribed, requested and obtained before transport arrives.

14.To work in accordance with policies/procedures and standing operating procedures and to suggest improvements to these and service ways of working.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • oHigher level of education (e.g. NVQ level 3 or 'A' levels at minimum or equivalent) in Maths and English
  • oFoundation degree programme, or equivalent demonstrable knowledge and skills acquired through training and experience

Desirable

  • oEvidence of degree level learning

Experience

Essential

  • oPrevious appropriate experience of working in primary care, the NHS or Social Care.
  • oProven ability to demonstrate a systematic approach to prioritisation of work and cope under pressure to meet deadlines
  • oAdministrative experience related to service users or patients
  • oProven experience of working as part of a team.
  • oExperience with day to day problem solving related to patients and service users

Desirable

  • oExperience using enhanced communication skills
  • oEnhanced experience with problems solving

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

Essential

  • oExcellent planning, organisation and communication skills
  • oComprehensive working knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially word and excel
  • oCustomer care skills
  • oAn ability to work on own initiative and manage own workload.
  • oBe able to communicate clearly and appropriately with members of the public, colleagues and staff in other agencies - verbally, on the telephone and in writing.
  • oAble to work flexibly to maintain service requirements
  • oAbility to maintain confidentiality.
  • oDemonstrates a sense of pride in the delivery of healthcare and in team achievements
  • oBe able to make own travel arrangements to attend training and key meetings.

Desirable

  • oKnowledge of health or social care database systems
  • oKnowledge of current policy and practice within health and social care.
  • oExcel Intermediate
  • oAwareness and understanding of the relevant Health and Social Care legislation.

Personal Attributes / Behaviours

Essential

  • oAble to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults.

Other

Essential

  • oAble to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • oHigher level of education (e.g. NVQ level 3 or 'A' levels at minimum or equivalent) in Maths and English
  • oFoundation degree programme, or equivalent demonstrable knowledge and skills acquired through training and experience

Desirable

  • oEvidence of degree level learning

Experience

Essential

  • oPrevious appropriate experience of working in primary care, the NHS or Social Care.
  • oProven ability to demonstrate a systematic approach to prioritisation of work and cope under pressure to meet deadlines
  • oAdministrative experience related to service users or patients
  • oProven experience of working as part of a team.
  • oExperience with day to day problem solving related to patients and service users

Desirable

  • oExperience using enhanced communication skills
  • oEnhanced experience with problems solving

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

Essential

  • oExcellent planning, organisation and communication skills
  • oComprehensive working knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially word and excel
  • oCustomer care skills
  • oAn ability to work on own initiative and manage own workload.
  • oBe able to communicate clearly and appropriately with members of the public, colleagues and staff in other agencies - verbally, on the telephone and in writing.
  • oAble to work flexibly to maintain service requirements
  • oAbility to maintain confidentiality.
  • oDemonstrates a sense of pride in the delivery of healthcare and in team achievements
  • oBe able to make own travel arrangements to attend training and key meetings.

Desirable

  • oKnowledge of health or social care database systems
  • oKnowledge of current policy and practice within health and social care.
  • oExcel Intermediate
  • oAwareness and understanding of the relevant Health and Social Care legislation.

Personal Attributes / Behaviours

Essential

  • oAble to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults.

Other

Essential

  • oAble to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language

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

Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust

Address

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

Colney LN

Norwich

NR4 7UY


Employer's website

https://www.norfolkcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust

Address

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

Colney LN

Norwich

NR4 7UY


Employer's website

https://www.norfolkcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Team Leader Community Access Team

Stamatia Avroudiadou

stamatia.avroudiadou@nchc.nhs.uk

01603646695

Details

Date posted

25 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

839-7375002-AB

Job locations

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

Colney LN

Norwich

NR4 7UY


Supporting documents

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