North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust – Discharge Co‑ordinator
Closing date: 17 June 2026
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Discharge Co‑ordinator to work with the Discharge Pathway Team at Harplands Hospital. The position is full‑time, fixed‑term for 12 months, Band 4, with a salary of £27,485 – £30,162 per annum.
Benefits include free parking for all staff and flexible working arrangements to support wellbeing.
Main duties of the job
The Discharge Coordinator (DC) is part of the Multi‑Disciplinary Team (MDT) within the ward, providing a seamless service to patients under the supervision of nursing staff. The DC is skilled in performing actions aligned with standard operating procedures to achieve the planned outcome.
The DC plays a key role in ensuring the timely and safe discharge of patients, following assessment by the MDT, in line with policies, care plans and risk assessments.
The DC may deliver hands‑on care as required, mirroring Band 3 Healthcare Support Worker duties, including intimate personal care and patient observations, and may support induction and training of new staff as appropriate.
Job responsibilities
* Maintain excellent standards of communication to convey complex or sensitive clinical information to clinicians, external organisations, patients, and relatives/carers.
* Coordinate bed management, including transfers, discharge preparation, and out‑of‑area completion.
* Complete relevant patient documentation on admission and discharge, including:
o Single Assessment Process forms
o Continuing Healthcare Process forms
o Decision Support Tool
o Assessment Notifications
o Withdrawal Notifications
* Complete referral forms to Social Work and other relevant teams; identify areas of concern and escalated as required.
* Keep up to date with out‑of‑area patients and placements.
* Work with Assistant Practitioners and Discharge Coordinators on other wards.
* Participate in wider system meetings: bed meetings, delayed discharge meetings, link meetings with community teams.
* Build networks and relationships with community teams and beyond the wards.
* Assist with SAP3 and social care processes; link with social care colleagues.
* Assist with discharge planning and make follow‑up arrangements.
* Complete discharge paperwork and pathways with patients.
* Arrange ward reviews, MDT meetings, and coordinate the meetings for the MDT.
* Refer for CPA and CCO allocation.
* Use Lorenzo and make clinical records.
* Refer and engage with rehab services.
* Support patient assessments: social care assessments, rehab assessments, EIT assessments.
* Complete Decision Support Tool paperwork to assist with seeking discharge funding.
* Liaise with all agencies involved in patient care such as housing, finance and benefits.
* Liaise with emergency accommodation and partners.
* Collaborate with service user/carers groups to promote shared decision making.
* Prepare and present accurate reports, written and verbal.
* Maintain accurate, robust, high standards of record keeping.
* Participate in MDT reviews, daily reviews, ward meetings and handovers.
* Promote a culture of compassion, kindness, respect and dignity.
* Demonstrate initiative and decision‑making skills within defined parameters, including managing challenging behaviour.
* Plan straightforward tasks following standard operating procedures and protocols.
* Organise own workload to ensure timely completion of tasks.
* Deliver high standards of clinical care and contribute to meeting CQC Essential Standards, reporting any compromises to the ward manager.
* Support service users, carers, relatives and colleagues following incidents.
* Provide advice and guidance to promote service user health and wellbeing.
* Assist user access to community‑based services in other NHS Trusts, private and third sector, possibly making visits to homes.
* Assist in collating data for audits, surveys, FOI requests, etc.
* Work independently with supervisory oversight.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Ability to work at Diploma level or equivalent work‑based experience, or GCSE or equivalent English and Maths.
Experience
* Experience delivering hands‑on patient care in an NHS Trust and working with patients with mental health needs.
Knowledge
* Basic IT skills using MS Office.
* Basic knowledge of mental health legislation.
* Understanding of care planning, discharge processes, safeguarding processes, carer needs, common mental health issues and standard treatment approaches.
* Record keeping standards.
* Equality, Diversity and Dignity.
* Excellent communication skills.
* Ability to work independently and under own initiative.
* Good literacy and numeracy.
* Time management skills.
* Leadership skills.
* Problem‑solving skills.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check to confirm no prior convictions.
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