Discharge Coordinator

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust; London Borough of Ealing; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust seeks a Discharge Coordinator to support Ward Sisters in delivering high-quality, patient-focused discharge planning. This role focuses on reducing length of stay by ensuring safe, timely discharges and robust documentation across wards.

You will work with multidisciplinary teams, social services, primary care and families to maintain accurate discharge records and coordinate transport and post-discharge needs.

Qualifications

• GCSE English or equivalent completed.
• Experience as administrative assistant or ward clerk.
• Ability to handle complaints sensitively and assertively.
• Knowledge of NHS terminology and workflows.
• Experience with discharge processes.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate safe, effective and timely patient discharge.
• Monitor discharge progress and escalate delays proactively.
• Coordinate with families, transport, social services and primary care.
• Maintain discharge planning documentation and records.
• Liaise with MDTs to ensure discharge readiness.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Proactive coordination

Practical IT skills

Discharge planning experience

Teamwork across multidisciplinary team

Education

GCSE or equivalent standard of education (with a pass in GCSE English Language or equivalent)

Tools

NHS IPR systems (ICE, Cerner)

Job description

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust

Discharge Coordinator

The closing date is 10 November 2026

The role of the Discharge Liaison Practitioner is to support Ward Sisters in delivering a high-quality, patient-focused experience by providing flexible, reliable administrative and operational support. This includes assisting nursing teams in maintaining accurate discharge records and ensuring that discharge processes are safe, effective, and completed in a timely manner, thereby supporting the reduction of patient length of stay.

The role requires excellent interpersonal, communication and organisational skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams. The Discharge Liaison Practitioner will support Ward Sisters in maintaining effective relationships with key stakeholders, including senior staff, medical and nursing teams, allied health professionals, patients and their families, as well as social services and primary care providers.

Main duties of the job

The Discharge Coordinator will play a key role in facilitating safe, effective and timely patient discharge, with a clear focus on reducing avoidable delays and length of stay. The post holder will work proactively with the multidisciplinary team, including ward staff, discharge lounge, Site Practitioners, allied health professionals, and external partners such as Social Services, Primary Care and GPs, to ensure robust and co-ordinated discharge planning from admission through to discharge.

The post holder will ensure that patient journey boards/whiteboards are consistently accurate and up to date, proactively identifying and escalating any potential delays that may impact discharge pathways. They will take ownership of monitoring discharge progress, supporting early identification of barriers and driving actions to mitigate delays.

In supporting the effective running of the ward, the Discharge Coordinator will undertake key administrative and coordination tasks that directly contribute to safe and timely discharge. This includes completing and maintaining discharge planning documentation, liaising with external agencies, coordinating with families and carers, arranging transport, and working closely with therapy teams such as occupational therapy and physiotherapy to ensure all discharge requirements are met without delay.

About us

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH) cares for the people of Brent, Ealing, Harrow and beyond.

Our team of more than 8,200 clinical and support staff serve a diverse population of almost one million people.

• Northwick Park Hospital: home to one of the busiest emergency departments (A&E) in the country. The hospital provides a full range of services including the country's top-rated hyper-acute stroke unit and one of only three hyper-acute rehabilitation units in the UK
• St Mark's Hospital: an internationally renowned specialist centre for bowel disease
• Ealing Hospital: a busy district general hospital providing a range of clinical services, as well as 24/7 emergency department and urgent care centre, and specialist care at Meadow House Hospice
• Central Middlesex Hospital: our planned care site, hosting a range of surgical and outpatient services and collocated with an urgent care centre.

We are a university teaching NHS trust, in recognition of the important role we play in training clinicians of the future and bringing the benefits of research to the public.

Job responsibilities

Applicants are strongly encouraged to refer to the full Job Description and Person Specification for comprehensive details of responsibilities, requirements and role expectations.

Person Specification

Education and qualifications

• GCSE or equivalent standard of education (with a pass in GCSE English Language or equivalent

Knowledge and Experience

• Previously worked as administrative assistant / ward clerk / personal assist within a busy environment
• Communication at all levels; Organising own workload; Working within a team.
• Ability to handle complaints and deal with them sensitively and assertively
• Knowledge of NHS IPR systems (ICE, Cerner)
• Knowledge of Medical terminologies and workflows

Skills, abilities and attributes

• Excellent communication skills in oral and written format, the ability to communicate effectively and professionally at all levels.
• Practical IT skills, including use of Word, database input, Internet and E-mail.
• Practical experience of being involved in the safe discharge of patients including Discharge check lists, Social service referrals, district nurse referrals and transport requests.
• Knowledge of medical and NHS terminology and of the NHS National Targets.
• Proactive coordination with multidisciplinary teams

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.

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust

£33,262 to £36,027 a yearpa Inclusive of High Cost Area Supplement pro rata