Therapy Discharge Practitioner

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics.
We are committed to recruiting to our values. Leading One Culture of Care underpins our values by creating an environment, tone and behaviours across all parts of the Trust that are fundamentally rooted in compassionate care.
We are open to considering a wide range of flexible working arrangements. There are opportunities to flex the days of the week, hours and times of work and place of work including: part-time, job-share, flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home when appropriate. Please talk to us during the interview process to discuss any flexibility that you may require.
We received our Silver Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme which is helping actively promote SaBRE - Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers. This means that we provided its statement of intent to support all Defence personnel and we welcome application to work for us. Find out more - Why Choose CHFT?
Our Future Plans
The Department of Health and Social Care has awarded capital funding to invest in local health services at both Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. This is a significant investment and an opportunity to enhance services for our populations in Calderdale and Huddersfield and West Yorkshire for generations to come. To find out more, please visit https://future.cht.nhs.uk, 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 may undertake 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)
2. Supporting patients and service users
Supporting patients and service users and their families, and providing care throughout their care and care pathways
+ Will involve assessing for, ordering, and issuing basic equipment
+ Will involve discharge planning from services in conjunction with MDT and registered practitioners.
+ To support / lead on onward referrals to other health related teams within CHFT /external agencies
+ To undertake lone working (sometimes within a patients own home) in line with Trust Policy
+ To complete administrative duties and general patient care across departments as required
+ Will take part in manual and handling training and subsequently contribute to the moving and handling of patients
3. Clinical, technical and scientific roles and responsibilities
The underpinning knowledge and practice, support and interventions required of support staff to safely assist service users in meeting their optimum potential.
+ Determine a treatment and/or discharge plan for an individual following a needs-based assessment, taking into account both health and social care needs.
+ May require preparing and co-ordinating patient information regarding reason for admission/ referral, social history and current needs, to document this information accordingly and share with the MDT as required.
+ To work as part of the wider Health and Social Care Team / PCN linking with staff from the Acute Trust, Primary and Social Care
+ Carry out baseline assessment, in relation to health and social care support, record those assessments and request simple services or alterations to packages of care for service users. Liaise with Gateway to Care and Single Point of Contact and social services directly where appropriate
4. Communication and information
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.
+ Working in conjunction with the MDT, support the completion of the comprehensive and relevant discharge documentation /including onward referrals to other agencies
+ At times, demonstrating good negotiation, support and conflict resolution skills where there may be disputes surrounding a plan for discharge/ treatment or assessment
+ Supporting patients and relatives during stressful and emotional times
+ Work closely with the patient's family and friends to ensure accurate information is recorded on electronic systems and that they are happy and confident to provide consent to other services
+ Ensuring compassionate care and excellent communication is at the forefront of all interactions and assessments
5. Safe and inclusive environments
The principles of equality, diversity and inclusion, safeguarding, protection, personal wellbeing and safety, along with the importance of duty of care and candour.
+ To ensure that documented information is accurate, up-to-date and reflective of the department's involvement with individual service users and to use computerised records accordingly
+ Ensure all relevant systems are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure safe care of all patients - including safe discharge from services
+ Carry out duties with due regard to the Trust's Equal Opportunity Policy
6. Research and service improvement
Participation in research, audit, evaluation and service improvement projects. Eg supervision, training, developments
+ Attend all mandatory training and be responsible for maintaining up to date additional training and responsibilities relevant to the post (e.g. medical devices, competency training etc)
7. Leadership
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.
+ Will take the responsibility for the training of others, including delivering training
8. Personal and professional values and behaviours
Understanding and demonstration of the values in the NHS Constitution and NHS People Promise, as well as self-development and personal well being
+ Participate in regular supervision
+ Participate in an appraisal annually identifying, developing and agreeing your own development plan with your Line Manager using the Trust Appraisal
+ Comply with all Trust policies, procedures and protocols
+ Seek advice and support from Line Manager whenever necessary
+ Maintain professional conduct including appearance at all times
+ Be responsible for good time management and attendance.
Our vision is to provide One Culture of Care for one another in order that we can provide compassionate care for the people who use our services. We are passionate about creating a workplace where we work together to get results, encouraging colleagues to have their say, in order to co create the change we want to see. We take pride in the diversity of our workforce that's why we encourage applications from all. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants.
Please ensure your application is submitted with referees who can verify your employment/education history over the last three years and include valid email addresses for them. We will request electronic Factual Employment References from your previous employers. These references will be requested before you are issued with an unconditional offer of employment letter.
If you are appointed to a post, information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Records system. The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.
You may be required to undertake a DBS. The Trust will administer the DBS check on your behalf and will recover the cost (Enhanced £42.90, Standard £22.90 or Basic £22.90) from your salary when you commence in post (including Internal staff). You will also be required to participate in the DBS Update Service and pay the £13 cost per year. This is a condition of your employment.
CHFT is part of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), a collaborative of the NHS hospital trusts from across West Yorkshire and Harrogate working together to provide the best possible care for our patients.
If you have any questions please contact [email protected] for assistance.

We employ more than 6,500 staff who deliver compassionate care from our two main hospitals, Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary as well as in community sites, health centres and in patients' homes. We also are incredibly proud to have almost 150 volunteers here at CHFT.
We provide a range of services including urgent and emergency care; medical; surgical; maternity; gynaecology; critical care; children's and young people's services; end of life care and outpatient and diagnostic imaging services.
We provide community health services, including sexual health services in Calderdale from Calderdale Royal and local health centres. These include Todmorden Health Centre and Broad Street Plaza.
We continue to modernise and invest in our health services to build on our strong reputation. Foundation trusts are public leaders in improving quality in health services. They are part of the NHS - yet decisions about what they do and how they do it are driven by independent boards. Boards listen to their Council of Governors and respond to the needs of their members - patients, staff and the local community.
Foundation trusts provide what the health service wants, yet are also free to invest quickly in the changes to the local community needs, in striving to be the best, and in putting their patients first.