Cardiology Discharge Co-ordinator

We are looking for a motivated enthusiastic person in the role of Discharge Co-Ordinator.

The role involves working on our Cardiology Unit.

You will be required to work closely with the ward multidisciplinary teams to ensure the safe effective and timely organisation of patient discharges. Within this role you will also liaise with the wider patient flow team, social services, bed managers and discharge lounge team. You must have good communication skills and be organised in your approach to work.

Previous applicants need not re-apply

The primary focus of the Discharge Co-Ordinator role is to enable and support the safe and timely discharge of patients. The post holder will need to consider the options around a patient’s discharge and take appropriate action to resolve delays in discharge. This will ensure capacity is created in the system to allow the wards to have empty beds at all times to match their demand. The key element of the Discharge Co-Ordinator role is to communicate with the bed manager and the nurse in charge to ensure everyone is working to the same plan of no delays for patients.

To work with Airedale NHS colleagues, social partners, voluntary sector, care/nursing/residential homes, patients and their carers to proactively support and facilitate timely and safe discharges from hospital to home or onward care settings.

We are always looking for enterprising and innovative approaches to the way we provide our services. We are a national centre for telemedicine and introduced telehealth to the UK offender healthcare sector and also provide the service to patients in their care homes. Community matters to us and we are supported by 400 dedicated volunteers and have strong links with Bradford University, Craven College and Leeds City College to ensure we inspire the workforce of the future.

We want to attract staff who embrace our ‘Right Care’ behaviours of compassion, a commitment to quality of care and working together for patients - we want to make these part of our DNA
- Responsible for ensuring every patient plan is up to date and has a plan for at least 7 days or until estimated day of discharge (EDD) and chasing Clinicians where required.
- Actively progress/chase all identified delays to patient, taking appropriate action to resolve through considering the options available and using judgement in making the appropriate decision.
- Work with ward staff to ensure that SystmOne and SAFER board is accurate and updated every 2 hours.
- Responsible for driving up the achievement of discharge levelling targets through effective planning and focused attention.

**OPERATIONAL DUTIES**:

- In conjunction with the nurse in charge, ensure SystmOne and SAFER board information is available and up to date every 2 hours.
- Update the SystmOne bed board as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) and escalate any issues to the nurse in charge of the ward.
- Liaise with the bed managers to inform them immediately when a patient is discharged from the ward.
- As directed by the nurse in charge, deliver all allocated actions following ward round/handover, liaising as appropriate with colleagues from health and social care. Escalate any issues to the Ward Manager in a timely manner.
- In conjunction with the nurse in charge, ensure that wards have plans to meet, and then achieve, their discharge levelling targets. Alert the nurse in charge to any projected shortfalls against the required number of discharges.
- Ensure all those involved in the current and onward care of the patients carry out their assessments and related activities in a timely manner; this will require liaison with other professionals and senior colleagues including doctors, nurses and the wider multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to obtain medically estimated dates of discharges (EDD).
- Ensure any relevant information from the wards’ MDT is factored into individual patient discharge plans.
- Ensure that ward based Safer Bundles are adhered to and escalated to Ward Manager when appropriate.
- Work and liaise closely with the patient’s family and friends to ensure they are fully informed of their EDD.
- Develop effective relationships within the ward environment and wider teams.
- Anticipate and support the ward team on a daily basis to receive patient transfers.
- Ensure the Bed Managers and Patient Flow team are kept up to date with any transfer/discharges in real time.
- Practically encourage the use of a patient Discharge area for patient discharges being aware of any clinical or social criteria.
- Understand, encourage and complete the necessary paperwork to enable discharge in a safe and timely manner.
- Understand and ensure completion of paperwork takes place for any patient transfers to Community services.
- Ensure all patient documents for patient discharge are prepared in advance ie discharge letter, District Nurse referrals, OPD appointments, etc.
- Co-ordinate the prescription of TTO’s as early as possible within