UCAT Early Discharge Facilitator

Job overview

The post holder will assess service users who remain acutely unwell for the suitability of home treatment as an alternative to continuing hospital admission; following assessment, the post holder will co-produce a care plan with the service user which will include identification of local community assets to support discharge from hospital and continuing community care.

The postholder will attend any meetings with the inpatient staff, ward rounds, bed management meetings and MDT meetings (as required) to discuss, screen and assess actual and potential referrals for early discharge.

Through local intelligence and tracking, the postholder will identify service users who may be appropriate for early discharge and facilitate assessment. If, after assessment the service user is not accepted for home treatment, the postholder will clearly identify the reasons why early discharge is not appropriate and identify what changes to the service user’s presentation need to occur before a referral for early discharge will be reconsidered.

There will also be an expectation that the post holder provides input to Mental Health Act assessments regarding the consideration of potential community options. Advice will also extend to external providers who have been commissioned to provide acute inpatient services on behalf of NHFT.

Main duties of the job

• To undertake assessments of service users who may be suitable for early discharge from hospital
• To be responsible for the assessment of service user care needs which may be complex and the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care in the community.
• To be responsible for ensuring programmes of care are co-produced with service users and carers are kept up to date and relevant and are available within the MDT to refer to when needed
• To undertake, coproducing where possible, risk assessments and risk management strategies for service users who maybe complex and who present with risk factors and risk-taking behaviour.
• To actively utilise clinical skills to conduct comprehensive service-user care reviews.
• Establish, maintain and effectively manage barriers to communication with service users and carers in order to develop a therapeutic relationship within which highly sensitive, distressing health conditions and complex issues will need to be addressed; this may include using highly skilled and effective communication to impart information relating to assessment and the basis for early discharge
• To work with external agencies to facilitate seamless pathways of care for service users and carers.
• To provide the highest standards of care utilizing clinical skills and working in collaboration with the MDT to improve and maintain the quality and safety of service user care.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post is a countywide post primarily based at the Welland Centre, Kettering with occasional requirement to attend Berrywood Hospital, Northampton.

For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the ‘About You’ Section of the document.