Job vacancy: Clinical lead for Discharge, University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, poole

Job summary

Main area: discharge
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Part time - 30 hours per week (7 day working)
Job ref: 153-CO05621

Employer: University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Poole
Town: poole
Salary: pro rata
Closing: 27/02/2026 23:59
Interview date: 09/03/2026

Clinical lead for Discharge

NHS AfC: Band 7

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 £500m transformation 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.

We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

· As a discharge expert build competence and confidence in the discharge process, promoting a culture of prevention of delays and early intervention.

· As a discharge expert proactively support ward staff to effectively manage complex discharge planning to support a reduction in the number of patients across the trust that become “Stranded”.

· Act as a “liaison” with partner organisations to facilitate effective communication, reducing delays and avoidance of court of protection applications.

· Oversee, co-ordinate and support the clinical areas to proactively plan discharge for the complex patients who are at risk of becoming stranded to achieve optimum discharge outcomes.

· Act as a single point of escalation for complex cases, resolve issues, disagreements to deliver the most appropriate patient outcomes pertaining to discharge as required.

· Develops effective links and relationships that deliver the Dorset Home First D2A Model working with professional partners to ensure seamless discharge.

· Acts as a discharge expert supporting wards to deliver best practice when planning safe and timely transfer of care to achieve best outcomes for patients, reduce length of stay and optimize bed usage.

· Attend / facilitate best interest meetings for patients identified with complex discharge needs where independent, expert advice is required.

Person specification

communication

Essential criteria

• Act as a “liaison” with partner organisations to facilitate effective communication, reducing delays and avoidance of court of protection applications.
• Provides advice and information to patients and families/carers regarding intermediate care, rehabilitation, social care and other services and sources of help following discharge.
• Communicate on a regular basis with other members of the ward team to share best practice, develop new ideas, resolve problems and monitor discharge effectiveness - this to be achieved by attending weekly long length of stay Patient meetings.

Experience

Essential criteria

• Works as a clinically independent and autonomous practitioner to co-ordinate and act as case manager for complex discharge patients supporting the ward multi-disciplinary team.
• Demonstrates an effective level of professional assessment and documentation, using knowledge and precision to analyse information independently, to confirm a safe discharge plan.

qaulifications

Essential criteria

Demonstrable post-registration experience • Teaching Practice and developing staff. Experience in undertaking audit
NMC registered Nurse / or equivalent professional body Experience of managing/ supporting the complexities of care delivery within an acute hospital setting Experience of managing change on service related projects Teaching and Assessing in Clinical environment Course or recognised teaching qualification

Please note:

Staff recruited are expected to be available to work flexibly across all our Trust locations to meet service demands.

This advert may be closed early if sufficient applications are received.

COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst this vaccination is not a condition of employment we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated.

Internal Candidates: staff employed prior to merger who voluntarily change jobs will be appointed to UHD terms and conditions.