Forensic Patient Flow and Capacity Practitioner

Job overview

Following a successful business case Adult Forensic Services (AFS) are advertising for two full time Patient Flow and Capacity Practitioners.

The practitioners will have a significant and key role in the transformation and direction of the AFS referral and assessment pathway including the repatriation process and out of area placements (OAPs). Supported by the Multidisciplinary Panel the post holders would be expected to provide management and clinical leadership responsibility for the pathway including the Admission and Referral Panel. An ability to work within and take a whole system collaborative approach is essential as is an ability to work productively alongside different agencies and partners across Greater Manchester and the Secure Provider Collaborative.  These roles are key to the success of the redesigned clinical model within AFS.

The roles require direct patient contact and expertise in being able to carry out forensic assessments, create discharge plans, and make clinical recommendations.

This is a unique opportunity to be part of the redesign and development of a growing, highly skilled and supportive team.

The successful candidates will report to the Operational Manager for Forensic Community Services but also work closely with the Service Manager and Lead Consultants.

There may be a requirement to travel long distances. Flexible working will be considered.

Main duties of the job

The Triage Practitioner for Forensic Patient Flow and Capacity will lead on supported by the operational manager on all patient pathway aspects across GMMH Adult Forensic Mental Health Service (AFS). They will be expected to work effectively in monitoring and triaging the Single Point of Access (SPOA) for the forensic service.

The role will include the oversight of bed capacity across the forensic service, ensuring robust patient flow, timely admissions and oversight of out of area placements (OAPs) and waiting list for admission.

This will involve working collaboratively with AFS, Local Provider Collaborative (LPC) and other agencies to identify appropriate admissions and ensure that service users are maintained in the least restrictive environment to ensure safe and effective care pathways are in place.

The post holder will also work with the case managers to monitor the pathways of patients in non-GMMH commissioned forensic services.

To work effectively as a part of the Patient Flow Team, triaging referrals to national service specifications, priority and be actively involved in the co-ordination and completion of the assessment of referrals.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This includes the triage and management of all forensic referrals for forensic inpatient and forensic community services, resource allocation, forensic bed management, patient flow, integrated discharge planning, and monitoring of OAPs in collaboration with the operational manager for SCFT.

Participating in and attend the Referrals and Admissions Panel which ratifies all recommendations for admission to AFS forensic inpatient beds.

Manage, monitor, and prioritise patients on the waiting list for admission based on clinical presentation.

Establish the care pathway and core interventions for patients admitted to AFS.

Identify discharge pathways at the point of admission, working with clinical teams to ensure that the length of a service user’s admissions is appropriate to their level of need and associated risk.

To ensure assessments and outcomes are competed within national guidelines and timescales, including outcome letters.

To ensure the AFS referrals tracker is maintained and up to date alongside admin colleagues.

To communicate decisions with referring teams and ensure all outcomes are appropriately documented on the clinical database.

To have oversight of reporting to the LPC regarding admissions, discharges and referral activity.

Provide the oversight of the predicted care pathway of all inpatients including OAPs and challenge MDTs in the delivery of the care pathway to reduce unnecessary delay and ensure smooth delivery of care to progress to discharge.

Provide expert advice on flow and process design that support a seamless patient journey integrating specialist forensic pathways which integrate national and local policy.

Develop and implement guidance, plans, processes, and policies applying a project management approach where appropriate, to achieve ensure compliance with relevant guidance and standards and apply identified good practice about referral management, bed management, patient pathways and discharge.

Ensure systems are in place to embed agreed key performance indicators and the development of data capture to ensure their measurement and delivery.

Supported by Service Manager/Operational Manager assist in the preparation of, operational plans and/or contingency plans for specific events in conjunction with SLT and the Head of Emergency Planning.

To undertake complex assessments for patients that may require secure care or are in secure care working collaboratively with service users and their families. Interpret this information and make recommendations to the multidisciplinary teams and involved agencies.

Identify discharge pathways at point of admission, and work with clinical teams to ensure that the length of a service user’s admission is appropriate to their level of need and associated risk.

Develop and plan complex admission and discharge plans within specialist area being responsive to rapidly changing circumstances.

Attend professional meetings, inpatient reviews of all OAP placements and clinical team meetings as required.

Lead on and chair weekly patient flow meeting and support critical oversight of assessments.

Participate in the on-call rota.