Homeless Health Liaison Officer

King's College Hospital; Orpington; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Orpington is seeking a health professional to join the KHP Homeless Health team. The role involves partnership working to improve housing and health outcomes for patients experiencing homelessness. Responsibilities include multidisciplinary team collaboration, holistic assessments, and ensuring patient dignity and respect. The ideal candidate will have a relevant nursing or social work qualification and experience in advocacy and patient care.

Qualifications

• Engagement in partnership with NHS services and local authorities.
• Experience in delivering care to homeless populations.
• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Work within a multidisciplinary team for patient outcomes.
• Build relationships between professionals and outside agencies.
• Deliver holistic assessments and interventions for homeless patients.
• Provide tailored advice around homelessness.
• Ensure effective communication with hospital teams.
• Conduct risk assessments and care planning.

Skills

Partnership working

Advocacy

Patient care

Communication

Holistic assessment

Education

Relevant qualification in nursing, social work, or allied health

Job description

The KHP Homeless Health team works across the Kings Health Partner in‑patient and Accident Emergency Services to provide advocacy, support and quality discharge interventions for patients experiencing homelessness who are attending or admitted to any of the Kings Health Partner hospitals. The team currently operates within the Kings College, PRUH, St. Thomas and Guys Hospitals. Kings College Hospital NHS foundation Trust will be the host for this position.

The KHP Homeless Health team works to ensure that patients experiencing homelessness have discharges from hospital that are as safe as possible and effective in a way that prevents re‑admissions and improves long‑term health outcomes. The team connects patients with primary care services, mental health services and addictions support, medication concordance support, screening and vaccination services.

The post holder will be engaged in partnership working including primary care NHS services, GP’s and practice nurses, Local Authority housing departments, drug/alcohol and mental health services, Social Care and voluntary sector organisations.

This post is open to individuals from nursing, social work and allied health professional backgrounds, with specialist knowledge in homeless health. They will be required to provide expert advice and education drawing from their professional skillset for other members of the team and wider hospital colleagues.

Main duties of the job

• To work as part of a dedicated multidisciplinary team, aiming to improve housing and health outcomes for patients experiencing homelessness.
• To support the KHP Homeless Health Service (PRUH) in building successful relationships between key professionals and outside agencies.
• To implement the delivery of quality holistic assessment, planning and interventions to contribute to the physical, psychological and social wellbeing of patients.
• Provide tailored, specialist advice for both patients and hospital colleagues around issues associated with homelessness.
• To communicate effectively and efficiently whilst liaising with other members of the multi‑disciplinary and wider hospital team, ensuring that patients receive seamless care within the trust.
• Ensure robust risk assessment and care planning processes are undertaken by the team.
• Supporting the trust in its compliance with completing the ‘Duty to Refer’ referrals to Local Authorities as per the Housing Act 2018.
• Ensure that patients are valued as individuals, and their respect and dignity is maintained at all times and that the care provided respects equality and diversity.
• To develop and maintain effective channels of communication with the Transfer of Care Bureau and wider PRUH services.

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust‑wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person‑centred, digitally‑enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to match the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.