Operational Discharge and Flow Support HCSW

Job overview

Band 3 Operational Discharge and Flow Support HCSW.

The new HHFT Operational Discharge and Flow Support Team has been formed via the merger of the  existing Discharge Lounge and Transfer Teams on both the Winchester and Basingstoke sites,  and we are excited to recruit into our Band 3 HCSW roles on the Winchester and Basingstoke Sites.

Working collaboratively with the Site and Duty team, In-patient and clinical areas, and  Integrated Discharge Teams amongst others,  the Operational Discharge and Flow support Team will positively impact the patient experience and operational performance by supporting earlier discharges from the wards via the Discharge Lounges, and  earlier movement from our Emergency Departments and assessment areas.  The team will work dynamically and with multiple key stakeholders to provide targeted support to alleviate blockages and barriers to flow.

Potential candidates must be  able to work across all functions of the role, and the ability to work intuitively and under the guidance of the Band 7 and Site and Duty team.

Main duties of the job

The main duties of the role include:

• Discharge coordination, working with the Integrated Discharge Team, Patient Flow Facilitators, ward teams and the Operations Centre team.
• Maintaining accurate data on our Ewhiteboards,
• Supporting with transport arrangements
• Patient engagement and experience - working together to support patient's safe and timely transfer both on the day of admission and to the Discharge Charge Lounge on their discharge date.
• Be flexible and responsive with the ability to move between tasks quickly ad efficiently.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to Job description for personal specification.

In addition, successful candidates role and responsibilities include:

• Discharge Preparation and Coordination

• Proactive planning for same-day and next-day discharges, working collaboratively under the guidance of the Band 7 and 5 RN and the Duty Manager, and with the Integrated Discharge Team (IDT), Patient Flow Facilitators (PFFs), ward teams, and the Operations Centre.
• Ensuring discharge lounges are operational from 07:30 hrs to facilitate early patient transfers and bed availability.

Data Accuracy and Digital Tools

• Maintaining accurate and timely updates on electronic whiteboards (eWhiteboards) to reflect real-time patient status.
• Utilising Power BI dashboards to gather discharge intelligence, enabling informed decision-making and targeted liaison with IDT, wards, and key stakeholders.

Clinical Documentation and Medicines Readiness

• Ensuring TTOs and discharge summaries are prepared and verified the day prior to planned discharge, reducing delays and improving patient safety.

Transport Arrangements

• Confirming appropriate patient transport is pre-arranged and meets individual needs.
• Encouraging and supporting patients to arrange their own transport wherever clinically appropriate, promoting independence and reducing Trust costs.

Patient Engagement and Experience

• “Meet and greet” patients identified for discharge lounge transfer, providing clear communication about the process and expected timelines.
• Coordinating packing, collection, and transfer of patients, property, and medications to the discharge lounge on the morning of discharge.
• Supporting patients with breakfast as required and contacting relatives/carers to confirm collection details and discharge lounge location.

Operational Oversight and Escalation

• Monitoring progress of all discharge actions, escalating barriers promptly to the Band 7 lead, Band 5 or Duty Manager.
• Ensuring safe and timely transfer of patients from ED/admission areas to inpatient wards and discharge lounges, prioritising flow in collaboration with the Duty Manager.

Flexibility and Responsiveness

• Ability to redeploy  rapidly to areas of greatest operational pressure.
• Anticipating demand and adapting to evolving site requirements, maintaining a proactive “what’s next?” approach to patient flow.

Communication and Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintaining regular communication with the Duty Manager and Site Coordinator to ensure alignment with operational priorities.
• Developing strong relationships with key stakeholders across clinical and non-clinical teams, fostering open and supportive communication channels