Network Navigator (Discharge Hub)

Job overview

We are seeking committed and diligent staff to work as Network Navigators in our Acute Mental Health Wards at Highgate Mental Health Centre. The roles are full time and in person with face to face working  as a minimum expectation.  These are new roles to work alongside our Patient Flow service and will be part of a wider system of supporting and managing our patient access and flow within the North London Mental Health Partnership.

Directly reporting to the Discharge Coordinator  - you will be assigned to  an acute ward and will spend each day operating within the ward, ensuring our 72 hour formulation meetings are in place, linking in with the ward staff and ensuring all actions are completed in order to facilitate the safe discharge of the in-patient population as and when they are clinically ready for discharge.

Hours of work are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm  - five days per week.

Main duties of the job

Network Navigators will be responsible at ward level for ensuring that each patient’s network of care is involved early in admission to inform care planning and timely discharge. They will organise this system around the patient to join key meetings during the admission.

The quality of interaction with patients and those involved in their care will be characterised by an approach that is therapeutic, strengths based, and recovery orientated. The network will include as wide a range of relevant individuals and services as required to support the patient’s recovery. This will include carers, community mental health and substance misuse teams, voluntary sector organisations, criminal justice system staff and housing providers where relevant.

The post holders will work closely with Discharge Coordinators and their designated ward(s) to identify individual patient’s strengths and barriers to discharge at the earliest opportunity following admission. They will work with the clinical teams involved to ensure timely resolution of barriers to ensure patients are discharged when they are clinically ready. Facilitating the contribution of carers is a key activity.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Network Navigators will connect with a wide range of internal and external parties to support care planning and discharge planning. Within the Trust, this will include liaison with other resources that have a focus on discharge including mental health Social Workers, Crisis Resolution Teams, Personality Disorder Liaison Nurses, and Occupational Therapists. External pathways will include interface with general adult social care and a range of housing and other accommodation pathways. Single gender women’s wards will require connection to specific services e.g. domestic violence and refuge services and Children’s Services.

• daily attendance in ward and board rounds
• attendance in all relevant meetings
• completion of referral on forms, entering information and narrative in EPR systems
• documentation and handling of all issues pertinent to discharge
• creating and managing actions from meetings
• ability to work independently but within a wider team
• exceedingly good communication skills both written and verbal
• ability to work under pressure in a busy and acute mental health ward