Job summary
- Main area
- Older Person Services
- Grade
- Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 153-ME04584
- Employer
- University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Bournemouth Hospital
- Town
- Bournemouth
- Salary
- £24,625 - £25,674 pa/pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 08/06/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Discharge Facilitator
Band 3
As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.
We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £250m estates programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.
In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.
We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.
We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.
At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.
As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.
Job overview
Are you passionate about improving outcomes for older patients? Join our dynamic admissions team and help shape safe, timely and person-centred discharges.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an individual to be part of a forward thinking team to support Multidisciplinary teams and Patients with discharge planning on the Older Persons Admissions Unit (OPAU).
The Discharge Planning (Co-ordinator) Support Worker will need competent I.T skills and the ability to use initiative to work to deadlines and prioritise workload.
The role is fast-paced and efficiency is vital in order to support timely patient flow through the department facilitating safe, smooth and timely discharges.
Ideally, you should have some experience of working within a healthcare setting and have a good understanding of community services. A willingness and commitment to learn, with a passion for delivering high-quality patient care is essential.
Base Location: Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Interview Date: TBC
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will be assessing and developing individualised, appropriate and timely discharge plans for patients.
Collaborate with medical, nursing and therapy teams to assess discharge needs early in the admissions process, liaising with community services, social care, and families to ensure continuity of care, providing clear communication between hospital and external agencies.
Monitor and reduce delayed discharges and support patient flow across the Unit.
Good communication skills, a pro-active approach towards discharge planning and the ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service is essential.
They should be able to problem solve complex situations and recommend appropriate action.
Working for our organisation
Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how
we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued teammates and colleagues. UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme. This means that some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have about this at interview.
Please note if the role or service is relocated as part of a planned move, employees will not be eligible for excess mileage reimbursement. Travel from the postholder's home to the new work base will be considered a normal commute. Any other changes not related to this relocation will be managed according to the relevant Trust or National terms and conditions
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Understanding of complex discharge planning in care of the elderly, stroke and vulnerable adults.
- Experience of supporting patients’ specialised care needs to enable informed decision making
Desirable criteria
- Previous experience of working with patients requiring CHC and Social care involvement
- Experience of working in a hospital setting or relevant community service
- Experience of working within an MDT
Technical Skills Competencies
Essential criteria
- Assessment, planning and organisational skills
- Ability to progress plans for discharge with internal / external agencies and family members
- Use of IT including Windows, Word, Excel, Powerpoint,
Desirable criteria
- Use of clinical IT systems
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NVQ level 3: health / social care management or equivalent
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Team working qualities including understanding the needs of other professions.
- Self-motivated
- Good time management
- Ability to work under pressure
- Able to prioritise own caseload
- Flexibility to respond to urgent requests, changes to plans etc.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of complex discharge planning process.
- Understanding of assessing and problem solving issues related to discharge planning
- Understanding of NSF’s, CHC Framework, Delayed Discharged Act and Reimbursement.
- Understanding of multidisciplinary assessment and treatment for older people / vulnerable adults within acute care and community settings.
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of Integrated Care Systems
Interpersonal skills
Essential criteria
- Good Communication Skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working qualities including understanding the needs of other professions.
- Willing to be flexible to meet the needs of the service.
- Sense of humour.
Language requirement
Essential criteria
- Be able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- OPAU Sisters
- Job title
- Clinical Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 019 6850
- Additional information
Clinical Leads -
Emma Hardy
Hayley Mackrell-Bailey
Sophie Gogan
Timothy James
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