Discharge support: Role description

Purpose:

To provide information and signposting to patients who are being discharged within the next 7 days from our Intermediate Care Units. Thereby enabling patients to feel better informed about organisations that could support them when living at home. Engaging with activities and groups in the community will help to reduce social isolation and promote a feeling of wellbeing. We are looking for volunteers that can commit to one 2-hour shift per week for a minimum of 6 months.

Key Tasks (what you will be doing)

• Instigate healthy conversations with identified patients in a sensitive way.
• Retrieve the red referral folder containing the referrals.
• Identify the patients that will be discharged within the next 7 days.
• Using the signposting handbook and iPad, identify organisations within the local community which would be able to offer information/ support and provide an activity when the patient is discharged.
• Use an iPad/ to access NHS Choices as an interactive tool to, research health queries and give information on health topics e.g., smoking, diet etc.
• Record organisations identified on the standard template letter and the referral form.
• Place the referral form back in red folder and give the letter reminding the patient of organizations they can contact once home.

The Skills you Need:

• Well presented, with a friendly and approachable manner and good verbal communication skills.
• An ability to relate well to people on a one-to-one basis and be sympathetic to others’ situations.
• An ability to be patient and calm even in the face of difficult situations. Demonstrate empathy and compassion where needed.
• An ability to start conversations/activities without prompting.
• An ability to act on own initiative within the role description.
• Punctual and dependable.
• A willingness to be flexible and to follow the guidance of a Placement Supervisor.
• A commitment to the trust’s equal opportunities and diversity policies.
• A willingness to abide by SCFT’s guidelines, including Confidentiality, Health and Safety, Safeguarding Adults and Children and Manual Handling.

Requirements of the role:

• Pre-placement checks, training and support:
• You must be aged 18+ to apply.
• Role is fully accessible.
• You must have a Standard DBS check for this role. We can help to arrange if not.
• Completion of Occupational Health and self-declaration forms, along with a Covid risk Assessment and disclaimer form. We can discuss further on application.
• Complete Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust’s Volunteer Statutory Training.
• You will receive a local induction and orientation, including any training relevant to perform your tasks. Plus, a volunteer’s handbook.
• Support and direction will be offered from the Ward Manager and Ward staff.

For the full document please download the attached PDF

You may also be interested in:

• Discharge Lounge
• Discharge support (Chelsea & Westminster)