Discharge Coordinator

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Swindon; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Swindon is recruiting a Discharge Coordinator to support safe, timely discharge for complex patients within the Discharge Support Team. You will coordinate discharge plans, liaise with MDT and partner organisations, and actively involve patients and families in planning.

The role requires a nursing or therapy background, strong communication, and the ability to work independently as part of the ward team.

Qualifications

• Educated to an NVQ3 in Health and social care or equivalent
• Foundation in Health and social care degree or equivalent
• Demonstrable knowledge gained through experience
• Experience of collaborative working
• Nursing or therapy background

Responsibilities

• The Discharge Coordinator coordinates discharge plans for complex patients with MDT input
• Independently coordinate and document discharge plans and liaise with partner organisations
• Identify barriers to discharge early and help maintain timely patient flow through the hospital

Skills

Communication skills

Problem solving

Strategic planning

Analytical skills

IT skills

Collaborative working

Word

Outlook

Excel

Education

NVQ3 in Health and social care

Foundation in Health and social care

Tools

Word

Outlook

Excel

Job description

Employer Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site The Great Western Hospital Town Swindon Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 16/09/2026 23:59

NHS AfC: Band 4

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a unique organisation, serving as the sole integrated provider in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire system. Our scope extends beyond boundaries as we oversee adult community services in Swindon and provide acute care from the Great Western Hospital.

Our 5,500 staff have 1.2m patient contacts a year, with 13,000 operations carried out in our Theatres, around 4,000 babies born, and our emergency attendances are now well over 100,000 per year. Those numbers only tell part of our story about what an exciting time it is to join Great Western Hospitals.

We are cultivating a culture that fosters our ambitions, prioritising equality, diversion, inclusion, wellbeing, and leadership. We aim to create an environment where every member of our team can truly thrive.

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close adverts prior to the published closing date. Therefore, we advise you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.

Job overview

**Previous applicants need not apply**

At the time of advertising, this role does not meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. For this reason, we are unable to sponsor anyone for a skilled worker visa for this role. We are happy to accept applications from candidates who can prove their right to work in the UK or via alternative visa routes. Such applications will be considered alongside all other applications.

This is an exiting opportunity to join the Discharge Support Team working in a fast paced environment in a varied role. You will be part of an integrated team who provide a high quality service to facilitate a safe, appropriate, timely discharge for patients.

You will work closely with the multi disciplinary team and will be a skilled knowledgeable adviser for patients, family/carers and staff raising the understanding of the trusts discharge policy and discharge planning processes.

Main duties of the job

The discharge coordinator supports partnership working across disciplines and agencies, and will have excellent communication skills with the ability to bridge-build, enable, and problem solve.

You will work within the Discharge Support Team but have the ability to work independently to actively coordinate and document discharge plans for complex patients.

The role is key in supporting the flow of patients through the hospital, identifying barriers to discharge early and preventing delays. You will act in a caring, compassionate manner and actively involve patients and family/carers throughout their hospital journey.

Working for our organisation

We are proud to be part of BSW Hospitals Group – a formal partnership between Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust. With a combined workforce of over 17, 600 colleagues, and budget of 1.6 billion the Group is united by a common purpose to deliver the best possible care to over 1 million people.

We are creating a health and care system that works with the people we care for, reducing the differences people currently face in access, experience and outcomes, improving the experience of our colleagues, our patients, our communities and our partners.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Discharge Coordinator works with the Matron of Clinical Operations and Patient Flow to achieve effective discharge practice in the management of complex cases. They will work independently under the supervision of the Matron of Clinical Operations and Patient Flow, supporting the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to facilitate safe, effective patient discharge, as an integral part of the ward team/ discharge co-ordination team on the ward. The post holder will be a skilled and knowledgeable advisor for patients, family/carers and staff, raising understanding of the trusts discharge policy and discharge planning processes for simple and complex discharges. Key responsibilities include the proactive co-ordination of discharge plans, referral to partner organisations, communicating with MDT, advising, sign-posting, educating, completion of discharge documentation. The Discharge Coordinator will support partnership working across disciplines and agencies, bridge-building, enabling, negotiating, problem solving and conflict resolution.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Educated to an NVQ3 in Health and social care or equivalent & demonstrable knowledge gained through experience
• Evidence of continued personal and professional development
• Experience of collaborative working
• Nursing or therapy background
• Educated to Foundation in Health and social care degree or equivalent & demonstrable knowledge gained through experience

Experience

• Excellent verbal, written and electronic communication skills
• Good IT knowledge and skills -Word, Outlook, Excel
• Excellent problem solving skills
• Think and plan strategically, tactically and creatively, and to prioritise significant workloads in the face of competing demands
• Excellent analytical and numerical skills

Thank you for expressing interest in this role. For further employer guidance, please review the attached supplementary applicant information.

Certificate of Sponsorship - Sponsorship can only be offered where the role meets the relevant eligibility criteria, including minimum salary requirements. Please note that not all roles within the organisation are eligible for sponsorship. Eligibility for this role includes:

• Current right to work in the UK, subject to verification

Meeting the Skilled Worker visa criteria, where applicable

From 4 April 2024, UK immigration policy changes increased the minimum salary levels required for Skilled Worker visas. Further information is available on the UK Visas and Immigration website.

Current employees should be aware that this position is advertised as a Great Western Hospitals position and appointment ends any TUPE protection.

Candidates are responsible for covering the cost of their own DBS check if required: £21.50 for a Standard DBS check, recoverable from the first pay, or £49.50 for an Enhanced DBS check, divided and recoverable over the initial two pay periods. Payment for DBS checks for bank posts must be settled prior to commencement. Apprentices are exempt from DBS payment.

We are committed to supporting our staff in achieving a healthy work-life balance through flexible work arrangements. Upon joining the Trust, you have the right to request flexible working, with an unlimited number of requests allowed.

Upon acceptance of a job offer, your information will be transferred to the national NHS Electronic Staff Records System. All communication regarding your application will be conducted via email; please ensure to check your junk/spam folders as emails may occasionally be filtered there.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer; all applicants who have a disability can opt to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme, which means that, providing they meet the minimum essential criteria for the post, they will be offered an interview. We are also proudly accredited as a Veteran Aware organisation and have signed The Armed Forces Covenant.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.