Flow and Discharge Co-ordinator/ Housing SpecialistThe closing date is 16 August 2026Job summaryThe post holder will work as an experienced clinician as a key member of the Flow and Discharge Team based within the acute inpatient services (working age adult and Older peoples). The post holder will work collaboratively with the Patient Flow Hub, Senior Flow and Discharge Coordinators (SF&DC), inpatient wards (internal and external), crisis teams, relevant community teams / services, service users and their families, working in a targeted way to achieve the best pathway for inpatients on discharge with early identification of factors that would potentially delay timely discharge and impact on provision of appropriate aftercare. The post holder will focus mainly on patients facing homelessness as barrier to discharge across all three boroughs. To sit organisationally within the Patient Flow services and be present on the inpatient wards working with an identified caseload to enable effective discharge planning for patients facing homelessness. The postholder would be required to travel to other Trust sites to support the discharge planning process for patients where required.
Main duties of the job- To provide supervision as required for team members in accordance with Trust supervision standards
- Identify and minimise delays to discharge and support patients discharge to the community or back to Trust inpatient units.
- Provide regular, informative, and accurate bed management information
- Improve satisfaction of service users and carers in discharge planning arrangements and transfer arrangements from Oxleas wards and out of borough/ private placements.
- To work closely with the inpatient wards and Home Treatment Teams and be a key contact for discharge coordination.
- Attend and participate in the Clinically Ready for Discharge (CRFD) and Length of stay (LOS) meetings.
- Attend and participate in ward rounds, including Section 117 meetings
About usOxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.
Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
- We're Kind
- We're Fair
- We Listen
- We Care
DetailsDate posted: 03 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £45,953 a year
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 277-8166822-AAC
Job locations: Pinewood House, Pinewood House, Pinewood Place, Dartford, DA2 7WG, United Kingdom
Job responsibilitiesTo work and support the Flow and Discharge Team under the management of the Flow and Discharge Team Lead and Clinical Nurse Manager.
To develop strong working relationships and work in close partnership with ward multi-disciplinary teams, Patient Flow Hub, SF&DCs,Crisis teams, Community teams / services and social services to facilitate discharge from acute in-patient care to prevent delays and resolving complex discharge arrangements, for the effective, efficient and optimum management of inpatient beds.
To ensure early assessment of barriers to discharge and proactively support and facilitate timely and safe discharge from hospital to home or onward care settings.
To work with individuals identified on admission, in daily huddle meetings, ward rounds and Delayed Transfers of care meetings to ensure a complete picture of the acute care pathway and patient flow and any barriers to discharge.
To support and co-ordinate timely and appropriate assessment and safe discharge of people from acute inpatient beds.
Through effective clinical leadership, assertive care co-ordination and management of health and social care resources, ensure that pro-active, clinically effective, and efficient acute care pathways are implemented to Greenwich, Bromley and Bexley residents admitted to acute in-patient wards.
Work in partnership with the management team, business manager, IT and finance departments.
Key Tasks and Responsibilities- To provide supervision as required for team members in accordance with Trust supervision standards
- Identify and minimise delays to discharge and support patients discharge to the community or back to Trust inpatient units.
- Provide regular, informative, and accurate bed management information
- Improve satisfaction of service users and carers in discharge planning arrangements and transfer arrangements from Oxleas wards and out of borough/ private placements.
- To work closely with the inpatient wards and Home Treatment Teams and be a key contact for discharge coordination.
- Attend and participate in the Clinically Ready for Discharge (CRFD) and Length of stay (LOS) meetings.
- Attend and participate in ward rounds, including Section 117 meetings
Core Job Objectives and Tasks1. Implement and resolve discharge-planning arrangements to avoid delayed discharged and ensure safe discharge planning and follow up.As a core member of the inpatient service, lead in working in close partnership with local services and colleagues to resolve discharge delays by:
- Assertive facilitation and troubleshooting of complex discharge planning arrangements.
- Identify potential discharge delays within 72 hours of admission and agree action plans in relevant meetings.
- Attend daily Borough based patient flow huddles to provide feedback on progress in discharge facilitation.
- Implement safe and effective clinical practice including delivering evidence-based interventions throughout the acute care pathway ensuring an integrated multi-disciplinary and whole service system approach to the implementation of discharge plans.
- To develop effective relationships with housing providers, tenancy support teams and benefit agencies specific to the Borough.
- To verify the purpose of admission and expected length of stay for all new admissions to acute inpatient wards and ensure that there is an identified Expected Date of Discharge (EDD) and identify likely pathway out of hospital as the earliest opportunity.
- Investigate cases that are about to pass / have passed projected milestone / discharge dates in the acute care pathway ie. discharge review, discharge plan in place, discharge date.
- Support carer engagement and work closely with carers and relatives in the interests of supporting timely discharge.
- Ensuring clear, concise discharge plans are swiftly communicated in writing and verbally (where necessary) to appropriate people, including service user and carer, community keyworker, RC / AC, and GP (other involved agencies i.e. supported accommodation provider, day service)
2. Establish and maintain effective, agreed bed management information and infra-structures by:Working in close partnership with the patient flow team, inpatient services, IT department and business manager to set up appropriate systems.
Enter and disseminate appropriate data requirements, maintaining up to date, accurate and relevant information management systems including:
- Weekly maintenance and dissemination of data relating to delayed discharge and length of stay in partnership with the business office and IT department.
- Establish and maintain active data base/ information systems in liaison with IT Department providing delayed discharge data.
3. Work effectively and professionally as an experienced clinician with colleagues across Directorate, Trust, Local Authority and other directorate servicesParticipate pro-actively and regularly in team meetings, establishing productive and supportive relationships within the Discharge coordination team.
Establish and maintain professional and effective partnership relationships with colleagues in: Oxleas House, Green Parks House and Woodlands Unit, locality services, other Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust services e.g. forensic services and other providers.
Implement agreed service objectives and standards
Implement agreed policies and procedures
Work in accordance with professional codes of conduct
4. In partnership with senior multi-disciplinary staff in the service, deliver an integrated quality system to include:- Contributing to meeting requirements and priorities within Clinical Governance framework.
- Implement evidence-based practice
- Facilitate the effective and meaningful involvement of service users and carers in all aspects of the discharge facilitation process, including individual care planning and review.
- When required participate and support in the investigation of complaints and incidents.
5. Implement effective partnership working, liaison and communicationPromote effective liaison, communication and partnership working with locality services/ CMHTs, acute wards and other core service partners including Local Authorities, housing departments, Primary Care and probation services, day service providers, addiction services and local ethnic minority communities.
Represent the service at forums and meetings as appropriate and agreed with the Flow and Discharge Team Lead.
Contribute to the delivery and promotion of a joint agency and multi-professional service culture.
Ensure that the service promotes and works within a multi-cultural and non-discriminatory framework.
6. Undertake personal development including:- Proactive participation in Professional and management supervision by the allocated SF&DC, annual objective setting and PDR/appraisal
- Pro-actively participate and identify training and development opportunities
- Ensure up to date knowledge of mental health care including evidence-based interventions, national/local policy and service developments
Person SpecificationEducation/QualificationEssential- RMN with current registration
- Educated to degree level
- ENB 998/Mentorship in Practice or equivalent
ExperienceEssential- Minimum 2 years experience in mental health care
- Experience of working with patients facing homelessness
- Experience of supervising junior staff
Desirable- Wxperience of teaching/ training in a formal or informal setting
Skills/Abilities/KnowledgeEssential- Specialist knowledge of mental health disorders as well as their relationship to physical disorders
- Risk assessment/management and crisis intervention
- Communication and relationship skills
- Ability to work autonomously
- Computer literacy
Other requirementsEssential- Be able to work flexibly if required
- Be able to travelacross sites and where required to private placements, ideally through use of own vehicle
- Ability to meet deadlines
- Ability to frequently work under pressure and maintain intense concentration
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).Employer contact detailsFor questions about the job, contact:Patient Flow and Discharge Team Clinical Manager
Joanne George
joanne.george9@nhs.net
07386652371
