Discharge Co-OrdinatorNHS
Job summary
The Discharge Co-ordinator will work as a key member of the multidisciplinary team (MDT), supporting the effective coordination of patient flow and discharge processes across inpatient and rehabilitation services. Reporting to the Lead Discharge Co-ordinator, the post holder plays a vital role in facilitating safe, timely, and efficient discharges, ensuring that patients transition smoothly from hospital to the next stage of care.
The role focuses on proactively managing and tracking patient progress, identifying and escalating delays, and ensuring all necessary actions, referrals, and arrangements are in place to enable discharge within agreed timeframes. This includes working closely with clinical teams, social care, community services, and other system partners to remove barriers and reduce length of stay.
A key element of the role involves direct engagement with patients, relatives, and carers, ensuring they are informed, supported, and actively involved in discharge planning. The post holder will act as a central point of coordination, maintaining clear communication across teams and organisations to ensure continuity of care.
This is a non-clinical role requiring strong organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills, with a focus on improving patient flow, enhancing patient experience, and supporting the effective use of hospital resources.
Main duties of the job
- Coordinate and track patient discharges, ensuring safe and timely transitions of care
- Liaise with MDT, social care, community services, and external partners to progress discharge plans
- Identify, escalate, and support resolution of delays or barriers to discharge
- Maintain regular communication with patients, relatives, and carers to support discharge planning
- Attend MDT meetings, board rounds, and discharge planning discussions, providing updates on patient progress
- Arrange and confirm discharge requirements (e.g. transport, referrals, packages of care)
- Ensure accurate and timely documentation, data entry, and reporting of discharge activity
- Support patient flow by updating bed management teams and contributing to service efficiency
Job description
The post holder will coordinate and monitor patient discharge pathways, ensuring safe, timely transitions of care and effective patient flow across inpatient and rehabilitation services. Working as part of the multidisciplinary team (MDT), they will liaise with clinical teams, social care, community services, and external partners to progress discharge plans and remove barriers.
Key responsibilities include:
- Managing and tracking patient discharge plans, ensuring actions are completed within agreed timeframes
- Liaising with internal and external stakeholders to coordinate care packages, referrals, transport, and accommodation where required
- Identifying and escalating delays, risks, or complex discharge issues to senior staff
- Supporting and informing patients, relatives, and carers throughout the discharge process
- Attending MDT meetings, board rounds, and discharge planning discussions, providing updates and ensuring actions are followed through
- Maintaining accurate documentation, data entry, and reporting to support performance monitoring and service delivery
- Contributing to service improvements, patient flow initiatives, and adherence to Trust discharge policies and procedures
About us
You will be working within the UIAS Division at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, supporting integrated patient flow and discharge across our P2 rehabilitation units. These units provide step-down care for patients who are medically fit but require further rehabilitation and coordinated discharge planning before returning home or transitioning to community services.
The Discharge Team plays a central role in ensuring safe, timely, and effective transitions of care, working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, local authorities, and community partners to reduce delays and optimise patient flow.
This role will support services across key sites including:
- Capetown Ward (Chase Farm Hospital) - a busy intermediate care and rehabilitation ward focused on preparing patients for discharge with appropriate support in place
- Magnolia Ward (St Michael's Hospital) - a specialist rehabilitation ward supporting patients with complex needs requiring coordinated discharge pathways
Across both wards, you will work closely with therapists, nursing staff, medical teams, and external partners to coordinate discharge planning, remove barriers, and improve patient outcomes.
As part of the wider discharge and patient flow function, this role contributes directly to reducing length of stay, improving patient experience, and ensuring effective use of NHS resources.