Job summary
- Main area
- Aging and Health
- Grade
- AfC Band 8a
- Contract
- 12 months (This is a 12 month fixed term contract)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 384-AGB-EMF19490-B8a
- Employer
- Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
- Town
- Guildford
- Salary
- £57,888 - £64,880 per annum pro rata - includes high cost area supplements (HCAS)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 09/12/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 19/12/2025
Employer heading
Patient Discharge Lead
AfC Band 8a
Job overview
We are seeking an experienced and passionate healthcare professional to take on the pivotal role of Patient Discharge Lead. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and shape the discharge process across our organisation, ensuring patients experience safe, timely, and person-centred transitions from hospital to home or onward care.
As a Band 8A leader, you will work collaboratively across clinical and operational teams, driving improvements in patient flow, discharge planning, and system-wide coordination. You will be instrumental in embedding best practice, reducing delays, and enhancing outcomes for patients and their families.
About You
We’re looking for someone who is:
• A registered healthcare professional with substantial experience in discharge planning, patient flow, or operational leadership.
• A confident communicator and collaborator, able to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Skilled in service improvement, project management, and data analysis.
• Passionate about delivering high-quality, patient-centred care.
• Knowledgeable about NHS discharge policies, integrated care systems, and current challenges in hospital flow.
If you’re ready to take the lead in transforming discharge planning and improving patient journeys, we’d love to hear from you.
Interviews for this post will take place in the Education Centre at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust on 19 December 2025.
Main duties of the job
Main Duties of the Job
• Lead the strategic development and operational delivery of discharge planning across the Trust.
• Work in partnership with internal teams, local authorities, community services, and voluntary sector organisations to ensure seamless discharge pathways.
• Analyse data and performance metrics to identify areas for improvement and implement evidence-based solutions.
• Provide expert guidance and support to clinical teams on discharge processes and policies.
• Represent the Trust in system-wide forums and contribute to regional discharge improvement programmes.
Working for our organisation
Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing program along with a commitment to developing and advancing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family will ensure you that you feel valued from your initial interview through your entire tenure.
We are clinically led and provide joined up care by bridging the gap between hospital and community services alongside regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford with community hospital sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh. We provide adult community health services in homes across Guildford and Waverley.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have given us an overall rating of Outstanding.
Royal Surrey has a strong reputation and history to build on. We are proud of our achievements and we are investing in our colleagues through our commitment to supporting professional development as well as investing more than £45 million in our physical environment and new equipment in the next few years. There has never been a better time to join us.
Although it isn't the Trusts normal practice, adverts may close early, so you are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.
A video about the Royal Surrey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R96pMboIYdo
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
• To provide operational, clinical, professional and managerial leadership of the Case Management Service across the SBUs and Community Partners focusing on improving patient discharge flow and length of stay
• To be the Patient Discharge lead, providing a strong clinical presence supporting the Case Management service & assuring the provision of a safe, effective and evidence based discharge.
• To provide expert knowledge in leading and directing safe, effective and timely discharge practices across the Trust.
• To be easily identifiable, visible and accessible to patients, families, staff and external partners.
• To inspire, motivate and empower all members of the team.
• To be a core member of the Divisional Management teams, in achieving LOS reduction plans, ensuring that the portfolios and SBUs are supported to meet agreed patient flow targets within the available resources.
• Actively support the team objectives by developing services and leading patient discharge flow projects to influence service redesign.
• Lead and participate in projects and areas of work, which reflect clinical, professional and corporate objectives
• To be the Case Management lead for Patient & Families Experience in discharge.
• To be accountable for all aspects of designated budgets within the Case Management Service.
• To work in partnership with the Medicine, Surgery, Community Service and Oncology Matrons, Consultants and Support services (e.g. Head of Therapies, Head of Radiology) to ensure accountability on key performance indicators.
• To empower the Case Management Service in providing demonstrably high standards and excellence in the quality of care in a clean and safe environment.
• To liaise with RSCH managers and external partners to resolve complex organisational or external issues impacting on a timely transfer of care.
• To be accountable for resolving internal and external issues and accountable for Director level escalation of delays that cannot be resolved in a timely manner and providing assurance a resolution is achieved.
• To be accountable for the accurate identification and reporting of patients meeting and not meeting the criteria to reside and on all pathways.
• To be accountable for the operation and clinical accuracy of Clinical Utilisation Software and improvement actions associated with the data.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- RGN/RM (Adult) registration/AHP Registration
- 1s' level Degree in relevant subject- Nursing/Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy or equivalent
- Teaching/mentorship qualification
- Evidence of Continuous Professional Development relevant to this role.
Desirable criteria
- Masters Degree or equivalent experience
- Currently studying for post graduate degree
- Quality Improvement Qualification
- Clinical Specialist qualification (or experience) in their area
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Implementation of national nursing/midwifery/AHP guidance and standards, and championing of good clinical practice
- Relevant experience within complex discharge planning, multidisciplinary working
- an appreciation of the relationship between key systems partners, including Surrey County Council and wider community providers
- Implementing of Safety and Risk Management practices
- Clinical competence, relevant clinical experience
- Design and implementation of patient care pathways
- Good listening skills, able to articulate views whilst considering others
- Financial management and controls
- Diplomacy skills
- Conflict Management
- Extensive experience Band 7
- People Management
- Experience of managing and leading a team
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Sarah Holbrook
- Job title
- Lead Nurse Patient Flow
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01483571122
- Additional information
For further information or an informal discussion, please contact:
Sarah Holbrook [email protected] 01483571122 ext 2065
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