Integrated Discharge Case Manager

Job overview

Join the Integrated Discharge Service (IDS) at North Bristol NHS Trust and play a key clinical leadership role in supporting safe, timely and person‑centred discharges for patients with complex needs. As a Band 6 Case Manager, you will use your professional expertise to guide multidisciplinary teams, support complex decision-making and ensure patients leave hospital safely, in the right way and at the right time.

You will be a registered health or social care professional bringing strong assessment skills, sound clinical judgement and a passion for improving patient experience. You’ll work closely with ward teams, the Transfer of Care Hub and partners across BNSSG, offering expert advice on discharge processes and supporting colleagues through real‑time coaching, supervision and leadership.

If you thrive in a fast‑paced environment, enjoy solving complex challenges and want to make a meaningful impact for patients with multifaceted needs, this senior role offers both autonomy and development within a supportive team.

Main duties of the job

In this role, you will:

• Lead and influence high‑quality board rounds, providing expert clinical guidance, coaching ward teams and driving timely discharge decision‑making.
• Coordinate and manage complex discharges, including patients with homelessness, NRPF, mental health needs, CHC/Fast Track cases and out‑of‑area placements.
• Champion ‘Home First’ principles, promoting safe, appropriate and timely discharges and reducing avoidable delays.
• Support and supervise IDS Coordinators, providing clinical oversight, coaching and guidance within your cluster team.
• Use expert communication and problem‑solving skills to navigate complex situations, resolve barriers and support patients and families through challenging conversations.
• Build effective partnerships with community services, social care, voluntary sector organisations and the Transfer of Care Hub to ensure joined‑up discharge planning.

Applicants should bring strong clinical assessment skills, confidence managing complex and emotive situations, and the ability to lead others in a dynamic hospital environment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

As a senior clinician within IDS, you will:

Clinical Leadership & Board Round Excellence:

• Lead daily board rounds on allocated wards, coaching MDT colleagues and acting as the expert point of escalation for complex discharge queries.
• Support early discharge conversations with patients and families, ensuring clear, person‑centred planning.
• Lead post‑board huddles, allocating actions and providing real‑time supervision to Coordinators.

Complex Case Management:

• Hold a specialist caseload including homeless patients, self‑funders, CHC/Fast Track cases, mental health and learning disability cases, NRPF, and out‑of‑area discharges.
• Undertake comprehensive clinical assessments, including mental capacity assessments and contributions to Best Interest Decisions.
• Coordinate multi‑agency planning meetings and develop High Impact User plans for patients with recurring or prolonged stays.

Cluster Team Supervision & Professional Support:

• Provide clinical supervision, coaching and oversight to IDS Senior Coordinators and Coordinators.
• Review Transfer of Care documents and ensure quality standards are met.
• Support performance or capability concerns sensitively and appropriately.

Discharge Flow, Governance & System Standards:

• Promote accurate Criteria to Reside coding and ensure delays are recorded in line with BNSSG operational standards.
• Actively challenge inappropriate discharge cancellations and support timely decision-making.
• Maintain accurate documentation in CareFlow in line with IDS Documentation Standards.

Partnership Working:

• Work closely with the Community Transfer of Care Hub, social care, Sirona, care providers, housing teams, mental health services and third‑sector organisations.
• Support the restart or redesign of packages of care and provide expert advice on discharge pathways P0–P3 and Home First approaches.

Training, Development & Service Improvement:

• Deliver training to new IDS staff and support students through induction and ongoing learning.
• Participate in audits, quality improvement work, complaint investigations and service development.

Seven‑Day Service:

• Contribute to the seven‑day working rota, ensuring continuity of complex case management across weekends and bank holidays.