Discharge Officer
Job overview
Are you highly motivated and looking for a new challenge? Discharge Planning are seeking individuals who are keen to work in a fast paced role which requires excellent communication skills with an ability to problem solve and use initiative.
The role of Discharge Officer is a key part of the Multi-Disciplinary Team and involves liaison with patients, their families, external partners as well as colleagues across the Trust. The successful candidate will need to be compassionate and dedicated to providing high quality services.Excellent time management and organisation is essential in order to meet the requirements of the discharge plans.
The role is well supported by the senior Discharge Planning team as well as the wider Integrated Discharge MDT who work closely together to achieve the shared goal of safe and efficient discharge for our community.
Main duties of the job
JOB SUMMARY- To be responsible for discharge planning from the point of admission ensuring that discharges are expedited in a timely manner maximizing the use of hospital beds and reducing length of stay.
- To work with the discharge team and multi disciplinary teams to ensure patients, relatives & health professionals both inside and outside the trust are all working together to achieve the same goal of safe and seamless discharge.
- To liaise daily with medical staff & ward managers to review all patients supporting and facilitating discharge decisions and progress chasing any outstanding diagnostics and reviews.
- To progress chase patients through their whole hospital journey and ensure patient’s, relatives and colleagues are kept up to date with progress and delays.
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career.
The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology.
Our Values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSE OF THE POST:
- To identify problems in relation to discharge and initiate actions to resolve them in order to facilitate safe and efficient discharge.
- Throughout the shift ensure that beds are used efficiently and appropriately, maximising the use of the departure lounge to support the emergency 4 hour target.
- To liaise with the discharge planning team to ensure patients with complex needs have adequate community care packages in place to meet their individual needs.
- To organise and coordinate with patients, relatives and various outside agencies the requirements of patients with complex discharge needs.
- To report daily and escalate information relating to any delayed discharges and regularly review actions being taken to address the delays.
- To progress chase each patient through their hospital stay ensuring diagnostics and results are delivered and reviewed in a timely manner.
- Communicate with nursing & medical colleagues ensuring all staff
Please see job description and person specification for further details of what the role includes.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Educated to Level 3, A level, diploma, BTEC or equivalent
Experience
Essential criteria- Experience of working in a hospital setting
- Experience of working within the MDT
- Experience of liaising with patients and their families / carers
- Previous working with outside agencies / organisations to achieve a common goal
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Awareness of topics related to discharge planning
- Understand key issues of infection control
- Knowledge of data protection, key aspects and its importance and relevance
- Awareness of how to work in line with adult safeguarding policies
- Understanding of patient flow through hospital and possible impacts of delays
- Knowledge of how community support mechanisms might be accessed on discharge
Skills
Essential criteria- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Well organised, able to prioritise and manage time efficiently
- Able to identify when a situation is not going as planned and problem solve
- Able to be assertive and influence decision making where appropriate
- Excellent Windows IT skills with an ability to input data accurately and efficiently
It is an exciting time to join the newly formed Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We run two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Our 7,500 staff provide high quality care for a growing population of around 700,000 across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas.
You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career.Travel between hospital sites may be required. We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post.