Job Description – Admission and Discharge Co-ordinator

Reports to: Ward Manager

Location: Whilst your normal place of work is St Nicholas Hospice Care, Hardwick Lane, Bury
St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 2QY, you will also be required to work at such other
place or locations within the Bury St Edmunds, West Suffolk and Thetford area as
we may reasonably determine.

Job Purpose: The Admission and Discharge Co-ordinator (the “ADC”) will work proactively
across all clinical services within the directorate ensuring that all plans and
arrangements are in place for the patients’ admission and discharge.
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Key Responsibilities

Admission

 Co-ordinate all appropriate procedures working with the doctors, nurses, therapists, Family
Support Team (FST), Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) and outside agencies ensuring that all
plans are in place for the time of admission.

 Work closely with First Contact on arranging admissions, booking transport and liaising with the
patient, the family and relevant professionals. This includes informing patients and families of
visiting hours and taking note of their contact numbers.

 Communicate with patients, their families and the person who referred this patient. To verify all
parties understand admission plans, dealing with their concerns in a compassionate and
effective manner.

 To play a proactive role on each admission, introducing themselves and their role to all patients
and carers.

 Ensure patients and their families are offered refreshments, orientated to the ward, shown how
to use buzzer, location of telephones, etc. This will require the post holder to involve Volunteers
by sharing information and knowledge so they can actively contribute to these activities.

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Discharge Coordinator
Discharge

 Facilitate safe discharge by co-ordinating all appropriate procedures working in partnership with
doctors, nurses, therapists, FST, MDT and outside agencies, ensuring that all plans are in place
for the time of discharge including transport arrangements.

 Discuss (in preparation for discharge) plans with the patient and their family ensuring that the
patient and the family have an understanding of these.

 Liaise on and facilitate discharge planning for patients with identified continuing care and
complex needs. This includes the co-ordination of continuing healthcare applications through
collaborative work with the patient’s nurse.

 Assist with other aspects of care such as verifying that all arrangements and equipment needed
are in place for nursing and home care, i.e. out-patient and therapy appointments and
Community Hospice Team input.

 Act as a link to facilitate patients’ referrals in co-ordination with other health services such as
physiotherapy, community nurses and/or primary care providers.

Other Key Features of the Role

 Attend admission and discharge meetings with the Ward and First Contact, in order to discuss
planned admissions and discharges, conveying this information back to the relevant teams, in
co-operation with the Ward Manager and the Community Hospice Team.

 Attend MDT meetings when required playing a leading role in ensuring that discharges are
effectively communicated on and planned, completing all records and facilitating the completion
of any relevant actions from such meetings.

 Liaise with the Education Department/Training Co-ordinator in order to arrange any training that
staff, the patient and their families or carers may need as part of the admission or discharge
process.

 Contribute to establish and evaluate the standards for admission and discharge activity in order
to help the Hospice measure the quality and effectiveness of the service provided.

 Act as a resource, advisor and role model to other colleagues in relation to the admission and
discharge processes.

 There may be exceptional circumstances in which the job holder will be expected to change their
scheduled work at short notice as deemed necessary by the needs of the service. Last minute
changes to the working pattern would be initially requested on a voluntary basis and only as a
last resort would they be imposed on any individual.

 It will be expected that the postholder hold a full, valid driving license and is able to drive a
hospice ‘pool’ car or their own car if preferred.

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Discharge Coordinator
Professional Development

 Access educational and development opportunities e.g. minibites/MDT/caseload

 Provide evidence of intention to participate in further education for the benefit to self, patients
and or colleagues

 Provide general information and coaching to patients, carers and other professionals and
signpost to suitable palliative care materials

 Participate in local teaching sessions to colleagues in line with link role

Personal Development (all staff)

 All staff and volunteers in the Hospice are encouraged to contribute to identifying and meeting
their own job-related development needs. This will be achieved through a variety of processes
including regular 1-2-1’s with Line Managers or senior colleagues, annual appraisal and
development reviews.

 All employees are subject to an annual appraisal and to maximise the benefit from this process
the employee must engage fully in the review and agree with their Line Manager organisational,
team and personal objectives.

 Each employee must co-operate and attend all appropriate mandatory and statutory training as
required by the organisation and /or their professional bodies.

Health and Safety (all staff)

 Ensure your own actions reduce risks to health and safety. Minimise the risk of spreading
infection by cleaning, disinfection and storing care equipment. Ensuring your actions contribute
to a positive and safe working culture.

 Protect individuals from abuse.

 Support the safeguarding of individuals.

 All staff have responsibilities to ensure that our working environment continues to be a safe,
secure, healthy and fulfilling place to work.

 Employees of St Nicholas Hospice Care are required to work in line with the Health and Safety
Policy to ensure not only their own health and safety, but that of others too.

Governance

 Be aware of and comply with all relevant Hospice policies, guidelines and procedures, including
code of conduct for Healthcare Assistants.

 Ensure the maintenance of confidentiality in respect of patient, staff, volunteer, and

organisational records.

 Be aware of, and use the procedure to report any incidents, risks and safety concerns.

 Participate in the annual appraisal system.

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Discharge Coordinator
General (all staff)

 Act as an ambassador for the charity and encouraging others to do the same.
 Work closely with colleagues in Fundraising and Marketing to promote the charitable activities of
the hospice and participate in fundraising as required.
 At the heart of our strategic vision, our “One Team” approach aims to support creative and
flexible responses from every member of our workforce in order to benefit each and every person
using our services, from clinical care, retail, fundraising, education and the support services.
There is an expectation for everyone to support colleagues beyond their own team.
 Ensure that all within the team have a grasp of the Hospice’s structure, values and purpose and
have opportunities for involvement in its further development.
 Ensure the maintenance of confidentiality in respect of staff, volunteer and client records and all
privileged information relating to the services of the Charity, its patients, staff and volunteers and
particularly of the area for which directly responsible.
 Promote and foster the Hospice’s reputation and standing within the community and with private,
statutory and voluntary sector agencies and organisations.
 Undertake any other duties which may be reasonably required.
 The philosophy of the Hospice is based on a multi-skilled, cross-departmental approach. Staff
regardless of grade or discipline, are required to participate in this concept. The role of volunteers
is integral with the work of St Nicholas and paid staff are required to underpin this in their attitude
and actions.
 All staff must be sympathetic to and able to project the philosophy and concept of hospice care.
 The Hospice has in place provision for staff support. Staff are expected to exercise responsibility in
accessing and providing whatever forms of support might be appropriate for them to ensure that
they are able to offer the professional care for which they are employed.
 This Job Description may change and the duties listed are not exhaustive, but such change will
only be made following consultation between the (relevant) "Manager" and the post holder.

Job Description dated: September 2016

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Discharge Coordinator