Specialist Discharge Nurse

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic individual to join our Integrated Discharge Team as a Band 6 Specialist Discharge Nurse, working collaboratively with our system partners to support a safe timely discharge.

The NNUH, works within the statutory guidance of the Hospital Discharge and Community Support Tool, using Discharge to Assess pathways, ensuring no long term decisions are made in an acute hospital, we support a home first ethos, alongside discharge initiatives around Length of stay, and early discharge.

A good working knowledge of hospital discharge (D2A) is essential to the role, excellent communication, and assessment skills, with the ability to manage difficult and sensitive conversations.

If successful, you will work within the Integrated Discharge Team, completing Fast Track Assessments, adhering to National Guidance, and D2A3 reviews to support our most complex discharges. You will also provide specialist advice and knowledge to wards and wider MDT around discharge.

Excellent organisational skills are essential and the ability to prioritise a conflicting workload.

Discharging our patients to the right destination in a timely manner is key to maintaining flow throughout the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, we advocate a “home first” ethos, initiating discharge planning from the point of admission, supporting early conversations, and early referrals to ensure patients are discharge ready, at the point of no longer having criteria to reside.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a compassionate, motivated individual with excellent communication, interpersonal, organisational and IT skills who is dedicated to working as part of a strong , small, specialist multidisciplinary team to facilitate safe and timely discharge for our patients, whilst upholding the NNUH PRIDE values. The ability to expediate discharge through pro-active discharge planning, improving patient experience and journey is essential.

Full and part time hours available

Interview date: 8th June 2026

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Expedite the discharge process through pro-active discharge planning, acting as resource and providing expert advice regarding complex discharges as required.
• Facilitate early discharge planning working as part of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT); attend case conferences, promote good communication and a multi-disciplinary approach to patient care to achieve safe and timely discharge from hospital.
• Responsible for collating, analysing and reporting Discharge Performance Data and utilising this information to inform decision-making and  identify areas for improvement.
• Attend case conferences to support and facilitate effective multi-disciplinary discharge planning and processes as an integral part of patient care management within the Trust.
• Coordinate and conduct end of Life (Fast Track) assessments in liaison with ward multidisciplinary team (MDT) and the Palliative Care Team in accordance with the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS Funded Care.
• Support staff in undertaking multidisciplinary team assessments and as a key practitioner; facilitate complex case management working collaboratively with ward MDTs and Community partners including completing nursing needs’ assessment.
• Work closely with relevant Health and Social Care partners to ensure safe onward transfer of care and appropriate with Home First ethos and effective use bedded solutions.
• Monitoring standards of care and escalating issues to the Lead Specialist Nurses and Discharge Service Lead as appropriate.
• Maintain accurate patient records contemporaneously in line with the Trust policy on record keeping and data collection.
• Support Trust and National processes (such as Long Stay Reviews) ensuring every delayed patient in the organisation is regularly reviewed and has a discharge plan.

Please refer to the Job Description for the full specification of responsibilities and requirements for this post.