Discharge Support Worker

at  Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

The Park House Patient Flow team address barriers to discharge for patients who are clinically ready for discharge. The team will facilitate an integrated approach to effective discharge planning across health and social care systems incorporating support from third sector partners including but not exclusive to housing, housing associations, City Councils etc. The role will include close working with the housing support workers to register service users for housing, sourcing and securing accommodation, liaising with housing officers to support payment of rent arrears and make payments for discretionary Housing payments, organising deep cleans etc.
The Discharge Support Workers will support the Senior Patient Flow Practitioners to develop systems and processes to promote effective discharge planning and address the current delays across the city’s mental health services to improve flow and capacity.
As a Discharge Support Worker you will be instrumental in the support of identification, assessment and discharge of patients with complex needs from the hospital setting, discussing discharge pathways and services including home and bed based reablement services, community resources and services to assist the patient once back out in the community.
The post holder will support co-ordination and navigate the patient across pathways to ensure timely discharge for patients deemed fit for discharge.
The post holders will work within the integrated team discharge providing a community focused approach to discharge planning and assessment providing a person-centred approach to care.
The role and service offer integration and partnership working with team managers, nurses, therapists, health and social care coordinators across the organisation.
The successful applicant will be supported by the Senior Practitioners in Patient Flow, working with the Integrated Discharge teams, assisting in service development, working with the team in clinical, health care and social care practice, providing knowledge, skills and experience of acute and community health care to our patients to achieve timely and safe discharge from hospital.
Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 7000 members of staff, who deliver services from more than 160 locations.
We provide inpatient and community-based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford, Trafford and the borough of Wigan, and a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and beyond.
Greater Manchester is one of the world’s most innovative, original and exciting places to live and work. From the beauty of the surrounding countryside to the heart of the vibrant inner city with great shopping, entertainment and dining options.
Wherever you go you will experience a great northern welcome with people famed for their warmth, humour and generosity.
Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users.
Support the Senior Practitioner in the implementation of processes and systems to facilitate safe and effective discharge for service users in a timely manner.
Liaison with inpatient and community teams to identify barriers to discharge and reduce Length of Stay for service users.
Improve choice and personalisation
Liaison with partner organisations such as housing to encourage an integrated approach to care.
Proactively identify and make appropriate housing referrals, following these referrals through to completion. This will include working with people who are of No Fixed Abode
Resolve any other housing concerns e.g. rent arrears, applications for discretionary payments, safeguarding concerns and anti-social behaviour
Organising deep cleans
Supporting Care Co-ordinators and Patient Flow practitioners with placement searches and referrals e.g. supported accommodation, nursing, residential care
Supporting patients who have no resource to public funds
Signposting service users to community support services e.g. MIND, food banks, Welfare Rights etc
Please see attached job description and person specification
Staff benefits

Please refer the Job description for details