Therapy Discharge Practitioner Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust; Huddersfield; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated Therapy Discharge Practitioner to enhance patient care through timely discharges. This role is pivotal in coordinating discharges, ensuring patients receive the necessary assessments and support. The position offers opportunities for skill development in therapy practices and requires working across a 7-day service, including weekends. With a commitment to quality improvement and community engagement, this role is ideal for those passionate about making a difference in patient care and supporting a diverse range of services within the healthcare system.

Qualifications

• Qualifications and experience as outlined in the person specification.
• Experience in assessing and issuing equipment for patient needs.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate safe and timely hospital discharges for patients.
• Conduct needs assessments and liaise with multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Patient Assessment

Discharge Planning

Communication Skills

Manual Handling

Team Coordination

Education

Relevant Healthcare Qualification

Job description

Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust (CHFT) - Therapy Discharge Practitioner

CHFT is implementing the Home First Model to enhance patient care by facilitating timely discharges and assessments in suitable settings. The Therapy Discharge Practitioner role is central to this initiative, focusing on ensuring patients who are medically optimized can leave hospital promptly, with their assessments completed efficiently.

The post holder will serve as a single point of contact for patients, families, carers, and multidisciplinary teams, coordinating safe and timely hospital discharges. Support will be provided for developing therapy skills through competency training, including walking aid assessments and equipment evaluation.

This position requires working over a 7-day service, including weekends and bank holidays, on a rota basis. There are one permanent and one 12-month secondment position available.

The role involves maintaining momentum in discharge planning, acting as a Trusted Assessor, and completing relevant referral documentation. A deeper understanding of health and social care factors, anatomy, and physiology is essential, with tasks such as assessing for equipment needs and ordering equipment based on assessments. Support for developing these skills through training will be provided.

Lone working, sometimes in patients' homes, may be required in line with Trust policies.

CHFT employs over 6,500 staff delivering compassionate care across hospitals, community sites, and homes, alongside nearly 150 volunteers. Services include urgent and emergency care, medical, surgical, maternity, gynaecology, critical care, children’s services, end-of-life care, outpatient, and diagnostic imaging. Community health services, including sexual health, are also provided.

As a foundation trust, CHFT is committed to quality improvement, responding to community needs, and maintaining a patient-first approach, with decisions driven by an independent board and engagement with the community.

Minimum Requirements and Responsibilities

1. Formal Knowledge and Experience: Qualifications and experience as outlined in the person specification.
2. Supporting Patients and Service Users: Assessing, ordering, and issuing equipment; discharge planning; supporting referrals; lone working; administrative duties; manual handling training.
3. Clinical and Technical Roles: Conducting needs assessments, preparing patient information, liaising with multidisciplinary teams, and coordinating support services.
4. Communication and Information: Clear, respectful communication; supporting documentation; negotiation and conflict resolution; involving families and ensuring consent.
5. Safe and Inclusive Environments: Upholding equality, diversity, safeguarding, and confidentiality; maintaining accurate records; reviewing safety systems.
6. Research and Service Improvement: Participating in audits, evaluations, mandatory training, and service development.
7. Leadership: Role modeling, supervising others, leading safety and improvement initiatives, and delivering training.
8. Values and Behaviours: Demonstrating NHS values, participating in supervision and appraisal, adhering to policies, maintaining professionalism and punctuality.

This advert closes on Sunday 11 May 2025. Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme