Health Care Navigator - Armed Forces Families Single Point of Contact

Job description

Job responsibilities

Responsibilities may include but not be limited to the following:

Providing advice, guidance and support to family members and carers of the AFC who are serving or have served, in relation to their NHS care

Providing an identifiable, accessible service to assist patients, relatives, carers and Veterans regarding any queries or concerns, providing information to help them contact the NHS as easy as possible.

Being accessible and responsive to family members and carers of the AFC who are serving or have served, in expressing their views easily and accurately with empathy in line with local and national guidelines

Acting as the single point of contact for patients, relatives, carers and veterans requesting advice and guidance on NHS Services. The post holder will not be holding a caseload instead signposting to relevant services to support and provide information.

Having a wide knowledge of health and wellbeing issues and services provided by the NHS, including a knowledge of the NHS complaints and PALS process, GDPR, legislation and governance procedures plus internal knowledge and experience.

Ensuring the service initially respond within 48 hours and working responses within 5 working days giving either advice and / or direct correspondence to local or appropriate NHS staff.

Promoting active registration with GP practices and appropriate recording of status.

Understanding and signposting to the Veterans Trauma Network using the established referral route.

Answering the telephone and maintaining the generic email inbox and being able to work both autonomously and as part of the team maintaining the professional standards expected.

Dealing with highly emotive situations and having the ability to diffuse them by resolving the issues raised by the contacts.

Providing proactive / anticipatory support for Armed Families when they move into the area to help them navigate the NHS services required.

Ensuring that all tasks required during day-to-day events are completed fully, documented efficiently and concluded within agreed timescales.

Maintaining and effectively using the Armed Forces Single Point of Contact database to ensure quality data is available for analysis.

Establishing and maintaining good relationships with all NHS and external contacts.

Ensuring appropriate and regular communication with those raising concerns.

Acting as a facilitator in relation to patient concerns and to help in resolving concerns as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Using appropriate resources and techniques to obtain responses from appropriate NHS/external staff within agreed timescales.

Developing an understanding of local NHS services and referral pathways

Developing an understanding of military life and culture

Developing an understanding of social care and voluntary sector services and referral pathways

Logging and acknoweldging all compliments / complaints received in the department.

Preparing and delivering presentations to publicise the range of queries/concerns received into the service for NHSE

Attending local, regional and national events as required.

Ensuring a knowledge of relevant and up to date safeguarding processes.

Developing an understanding of local NHS services and referral pathways

Developing an understanding of military life and culture

Developing an understanding of social care and voluntary sector services and referral pathways

Improving the quality, accuracy and timeliness of data on the AFC and sharing the data accordingly

Referring onto other organisations, both within primary care and externally, where appropriate – social prescribing, clinical pharmacy etc

Providing additional NHS Web and appropriate local advice, guidance and communications

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE Grade A-C in Maths and English or skills level 2 Maths & English or equivalent

Desirable

• Relevant health and/or social care qualification or equivalent experience
• NVQ Level 3 or Advanced Level or equivalent qualifications or relevant experience of working in this field
• Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience

Other

Essential

• Positive work ethic professional, enthusiastic, dependable and conscientious
• Proactive approach to personal development and the updating of skills and knowledge
• Positive approach with ability to work on own initiative and make a proactive contribution to the development of the role
• Access to own transport and ability to travel across the area
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check

Experience

Essential

• An understanding of the principles of Care Navigation and its place within the relevant project
• Experience of working with the AFC or an understanding
• Significant experience of delivering services to vulnerable individuals who may have multiple needs
• Experience of empowering individuals to make informed choices regarding their physical and emotional wellbeing
• An understanding of safeguarding for vulnerable adults and ability to implement relevant policies and procedures
• Experience of collaborative or partnership working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations
• Knowledge of local area and existing voluntary and community services
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills to build and nurture relationships at a personal and community level with an ability to relate well to individuals of all ages and all backgrounds
• Ability to effectively time manage and prioritise own caseload in accordance with the needs, priorities and any urgent support required by individuals on your caseload
• Empathetic approach, ability to develop trusting relationships
• Ability to work flexibly and effectively as part of a team which includes peer support and mentoring of new colleagues
• Competent in the use of Microsoft Office
• Excellent holistic assessment skills, experience of providing empowering support to adults in a way which improves health and wellbeing
• Ability to act with confidentiality, discretion and regard to sensitivity of information
• Clear and polite telephone manner
• Demonstrates personal accountability, emotional resilience and works well under pressure
• Able to work with others to reduce hierarchies and find creative solutions to community issues

Desirable

• Applied knowledge of risk assessment and management
• Understand confidentiality and the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulations
• Ability to record referrals and keep accurate up to date records using GP clinical systems which are Systm1 and EMIS

Employer details

Employer name

Heartbeat Alliance

Address

The Health Centre

42 Richmond Road

Catterick Garrison

North Yorkshire

DL9 3JD

Employer's website

https://www.heartbeatalliance.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)