Patient Flow Coodinator

Job overview

Job Purpose:

The Acute Referral Centre (ARC) operates 24hrs a day, 7 days a week. It is the Trusts central point of contact for crisis referrals. All referrals are triaged in ARC to ensure robust gatekeeping. This in addition to key functions being undertaken within the centre including the overall management of patient flow to acute beds, links with the Central Place of Safety (POS) and an imbedded 24hr Crisis Line.

ARC works closely with the borough-based Flow Teams, Assessment and Liaison services, In patient wards, community treatment teams, acute trusts, Custody, Criminal Justice, Prisons, LAS and NHS111 Ext 2. The ARC provides telephone triaging, advice and support for people in crisis whist co-ordinating admissions and supporting discharges from hospital.

The post holder will oversee the co-ordination of admissions between Emergency Departments, CMHTs, Custody and medical wards to inpatient Acute areas. They will ensure that all relevant documentation is completed and data relating to admissions is recorded and collated. The post holder will be responsible for booking transport to facilitate transfers where required and organising out of area provision when authorised.

An emphasis is therefore placed on the postholders ability to always communicate in a professional manner.

Main duties of the job

Administration

• Check that all referrals are SLaM’s responsibility and if required liaise with the patient’s home trust and commissioner to ensure timely return to local area.
• To be the point of contact for other mental health providers and to facilitate repatriation of patients that are SLaM’s responsibility.
• Be responsible for maintaining an accurate and up to date bed position for the Trust which requires timely data entry on the system including the completion of patient movements and transfers. Additionally, work with Clinical Service Leads to ensure the accurate reporting of data relating to bed matters.
• Support clinical inpatient teams to work with the new Acute Referral Centre by coaching them about the correct information that they need to enter on electronic patient records in order to facilitate the effective management of patient flow.
• Allocate Trust and Non Trust beds in a timely manner using a system of prioritisation.
• Book transport to facilitate transfers and record as directed.
• Attend bed management meetings as required.
• Complete all required paperwork, including obtaining estimated fees, in order to inform decisions around the purchase of a private bed.
• Book private beds once authorised.
• Maintain accurate records.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Administration

• Check that all referrals are SLaM’s responsibility and if required liaise with the patient’s home trust and commissioner to ensure timely return to local area.
• To be the point of contact for other mental health providers and to facilitate repatriation of patients that are SLaM’s responsibility.
• Be responsible for maintaining an accurate and up to date bed position for the Trust which requires timely data entry on the system including the completion of patient movements and transfers. Additionally, work with Clinical Service Leads to ensure the accurate reporting of data relating to bed matters.
• Support clinical inpatient teams to work with the new Acute Referral Centre by coaching them about the correct information that they need to enter on electronic patient records in order to facilitate the effective management of patient flow.
• Allocate Trust and Non Trust beds in a timely manner using a system of prioritisation.
• Book transport to facilitate transfers and record as directed.
• Attend bed management meetings as required.
• Complete all required paperwork, including obtaining estimated fees, in order to inform decisions around the purchase of a private bed.
• Book private beds once authorised.
• Maintain accurate records.

Communication and Relationship Skills

• Communicate in a clear and respectful manner at all times.
• Communicate effectively with a range of individuals on a range of complex matters.
• Receive and communicate complex information in a variety of forms.
• Provide and receive routine information requiring tact or persuasive skills.
• Develop excellent working relationships with all Trust staff and staff at other NHS hospitals and private organisations.
• Work in partnership with Trust internal crisis services to support the integration of the Acute Referral Centre providing opportunities for developing a well-managed 24hour, 7 day a week response to patients presenting in crisis.
• Liaise with Home Treatment Team Discharge Practitioners and those parties involved with discharge in good time ahead of the expected date of discharge in order to help facilitate a review and reduce delays to discharge.

General

• Follow standard operating procedures for the effective management of patient flow, referring to clinicians from Home Treatment Teams for triage or the Clinical Service Lead where needed.
• Monitor usage of private and out-of-area overspill, supporting the repatriation of these patients to Trust beds by identifying and escalating where internal beds become available based on information contained in the electronic dashboards.
• Be expected to prioritise and organise their workload on a shift by shift basis and ensure the accurate handover of information and continuity of the service.
• Have a high degree of self-awareness and resilience which enables working in a busy and pressured environment.
• Contribute to managing the workload of all the ARC team.
• Contribute to the on-going development of the Acute Referral Centre by recommending quality improvements to aid the smooth and efficient running of the service.
• Support the development of new staff within the Acute Referral Centre, and other staff who liaise with the service in order to ensure a consistent understanding of correct processes and accurate data recording that support the service.