Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust (CHFT) are implementing the Home First Model for patient care. This utilises the principles of discharge to assess which aims to ensure that patients who are medically optimised and no longer need a hospital bed, can leave hospital, and have their assessment in the most suitable setting. The Therapy Discharge Practitioner role is pivotal in shaping these services and asking the question "why not home and why not today?"
The post holder will provide a single point of contact for patients, families, carers and associated people and co-ordinate/contribute to the safe and timely hospital discharge in partnership with other multi-disciplinary colleagues/agencies. The post holder will be supported to develop therapy skills through competency training such as walking aid assessment and assessing for basic equipment.
This post will work over a 7 day service and therefore the post holder will be required to work weekends and bank holidays on a rota basis.
The post holder will maintain momentum of discharge planning throughout the entire process; supporting and working in partnership with other members of the MDT. The post holder will act as a Trusted Assessor for health and social care pathways and will complete relevant referral pathway documentation, such as Trusted Assessor forms.
The postholder will have a more in-depth education and understanding about factors that influence health and ill-health and knowledge of the wider health and social care network of services available to support patients. for example anatomy and physiology. Your work at this level will require enhanced skills which may be within a specialist clinical area. This includes tasks such as assessing for appropriate walking aids or assessing if equipment is required to support transfers for instance (this is not an exhaustive list and will depend on the area that you work as to what activities are completed regularly and what is appropriate). These assessments will also lead to you ordering equipment for patients to support their needs based on the assessments you have carried out. You will be supported to develop these skills through competency training.
The post holder mayundertake lone working (sometimes within a patients own home) in line with Trust Policy
Formal qualifications and experience expected of a new candidate ( see person specification)
Supporting patients and service users and their families, and providing care throughout their care and care pathways
The underpinning knowledge and practice, support and interventions required of support staff to safely assist service users in meeting their optimum potential.
The ability to communicate clearly, respectfully, and effectively using a range of methods written, verbal and non-verbal. Maintaining confidentiality and protection of data and overcoming physical, sensory, cognitive and language barriers to understanding.
The principles of equality, diversity and inclusion, safeguarding, protection, personal wellbeing and safety, along with the importance of duty of care and candour.
Participation in research, audit, evaluation and service improvement projects. Eg supervision, training, developments
The importance of being a role model, identifying areas for self improvement and supervising others, and leading on patient safety, improvements and support for others.
Understanding and demonstration of the values in the NHS Constitution and NHS People Promise, as well as self-development and personal well being