Job Description

We are pleased to announce an exciting secondment opportunity for a Band 6 Nurse/Occupational Therapist to join our University Hospitals Dorset Integrated Discharge Team for a period of 12 months.



The Integrated Discharge team across UHD is an extremely dynamic, innovative and supportive multidisciplinary team who are passionate in enacting a discharge to assess (D2A) model for discharge out of hospital, as outlined in the Our Dorset Discharge Model. The team supports the hospital multi-disciplinary team working across the clinical areas. Working with external partners, community and voluntary services to plan discharge in line with the patient's expressed wishes, their next of kin/ representatives to achieve a safe and timely discharge from hospital.



The post holder will be expected to work weekends and Bank holidays as the service operates 7 day / week. There are two positions, one post holder to be based at Poole Hospital and one post holder to be based at Bournemouth hospital.

Base Location:

Royal Bournemouth or Poole Hospital

Interview Date:

To work with the Integrated discharge team as a professional discharge lead to achieve effective discharge practice in the management of complex cases



Works as a Discharge expert as an autonomous practitioner supporting the multi-disciplinary team to facilitate safe, effective patient discharge as an integral part of the ward team/discharge co-ordination team on the ward



To support a culture of "Home First" and Discharge to Assess principles for discharge in line with agreed Dorset Home First strategy are in practiced to avoid significant delays or unrealistic expectations of patients/ relatives.



To provide the timely discharge of hospital patients who do not meet the clinical criteria to reside,



To be a skilled and knowledgeable advisor for patients, family/carers and staff, articulating an understanding of the National Hospital Discharge Service Requirement Policy, Discharge Planning: Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) and discharge planning processes for simple and complex discharges.



To provide expert discharge advice and support the clinical areas in effective recording of patient discharge information on Health of the Ward/ena systems that delivers accurate real time patient tracking/ discharge information and data



Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued teammates and colleagues. UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme. This means that some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have about this at interview.



Please note if the role or service is relocated as part of a planned move, employees will not be eligible for excess mileage reimbursement. Travel from the postholder's home to the new work base will be considered a normal commute. Any other changes not related to this relocation will be managed according to the relevant Trust or National terms and conditions.



The integrated discharge team has an overarching aim to reduce a patient's length of stay thereby reducing the risks associated with elongated stays in acute hospital beds. The Our Dorset discharge to assess ( D2A) model is committed to enabling and supporting patients to be assessed away from the acute hospital setting. Dorset is recognised as an integrated care system. Transformation work continues post pandemic across the Dorset health, social and voluntary organisations to continually improve discharge policy and procedure that support hospital discharge recognising the complexities in achieving this aspiration requires professionals with expert skills and knowledge of working with partners, knowledge of legal frameworks such as safeguarding, Deprivation of Liberty, Mental Capacity Act and excellent interpersonal skills.