Discharge Officer

UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SOUTHAMPTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST; Southampton; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent acute teaching Trust in Southampton is seeking a Discharge Officer to ensure safe and efficient patient discharges. The successful candidate will coordinate discharge plans, liaise with various healthcare professionals, and support families during the discharge process. Essential skills include strong organization, excellent communication, and experience in a healthcare setting. This role offers comprehensive training and a chance to contribute significantly to patient care in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Strong organisational and multitasking skills to manage a busy workload.
• Experience in an administrative or patient-facing role within healthcare.
• Good IT skills with confidence using hospital systems.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and support the safe discharge of patients from admission.
• Work with healthcare professionals to ensure timely discharge plans.
• Liaise with care agencies, homes, and social services.

Skills

Organisational skills

Effective communication

Multitasking

Teamwork

Patient advocacy

Education

Good standard of secondary education (GCSE grade C)

NVQ 3 Qualification or relevant experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Hospital computerized patient systems

Job description

Are you passionate about making a real difference to patients' journeys through hospital care? Join our friendly and dedicated team, The Complex Discharge Team, as a Discharge Officer, where you'll play a key role in helping patients leave hospital safely, smoothly, and on time. In this rewarding role, you'll work closely with a wide range of professionals – nurses, doctors, therapists, social workers, and community teams – to coordinate discharge plans from the very start of a patient's admission. You'll be the vital link between the ward, patients and families, and partner organisations, ensuring every discharge is planned, communicated, and completed efficiently. Your work will have a direct impact on improving patient flow, reducing delays, and supporting the Trust's goal of providing exceptional, patient‑centred care. No two days will be the same – you'll be managing your own caseload, problem‑solving in real time, and seeing the positive results of your efforts as patients safely return home or move on to the next stage of their care. You'll be part of a supportive and proactive team, working alongside and reporting to Advanced Discharge Officers, Complex Discharge Practitioners and other senior leaders. Together, you'll help ensure every patient's discharge is safe, timely, and well‑coordinated. If you're organised, compassionate, and thrive in a busy environment where teamwork truly makes a difference, we'd love to hear from you.

We're Looking For Someone Who Is Organised, Compassionate, And Confident Communicating Across Multiple Teams. The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate strong organisational and multitasking skills, with the ability to prioritise a busy workload and meet deadlines. Excellent communication and teamwork, with the confidence to liaise effectively with staff at all levels and external partners. Experience in an administrative or patient‑facing role, ideally within a hospital or healthcare setting. Good IT skills and confidence using Microsoft Office and hospital systems. A proactive and empathetic approach to supporting patients and their families during their hospital stay.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate and support the safe discharge of patients from the point of admission, ensuring plans are realistic, proactive, and person‑centred.
• Work closely with nurses, doctors, therapists, social workers, and community partners to ensure discharge plans are communicated, documented, and delivered on time.
• Monitor and update patient discharge information on the hospital's digital systems (UHS Apps), escalating any issues or delays to the appropriate teams.
• Liaise with care agencies, care homes, and social services to arrange assessments, confirm placements, and restart care packages.
• Act as an advocate for patients and their families, providing clear discharge information and ensuring their voices are heard in decision‑making.

Candidate Attributes and Skills

• Patient First
• Always Improving
• Working Together – Good standard of secondary education with literacy and numeracy skills demonstrable to GCSE grade C or equivalent standard
• NVQ 3 Qualification or relevant equivalent experience
• Basic knowledge of medical terminology
• Experience working in an administrative capacity in a customer‑focused environment
• Proven ability to work to deadlines, prioritise and multitask

Desirable Criteria

• Courses/further study attended to demonstrate evidence of personal development
• Diploma level qualification or equivalent experience
• RSA 2 word processing/typing or equivalent experience
• Proficient in the use of all hospital computerised patient systems
• Experience in medical or patient services administrative role

University Hospital Southampton is one of England's largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.

You'll work as part of a rota, which includes weekdays, weekends, and bank holidays as eRostered. The role is based at Southampton General Hospital. Full training and ongoing support will be provided, with opportunities to develop your knowledge at UHS. This post is subject to standard NHS employment checks, including references and right‑to‑work verification.

Trust Values

We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute. We are committed to creating an anti‑racist, anti‑discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities. At UHS we proudly champion individuality and recognise that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team.