Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Community Liaison Practitioner

The closing date is 24 August 2025

Job summary

We are looking for a highly motivated and clinically experienced professional to join our System Capacity and Flow team as a senior representative of Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT). This post is based within the A&E department at University Hospitals Sussex and plays a key role in supporting the urgent care system. The successful candidate will act as a visible leader and clinical expert, working at the frontline of patient care to identify opportunities for early intervention and safe, effective discharge planning from the moment of arrival.

As a key interface between acute and community services, the post holder will support the reduction of unnecessary hospital admissions and ensure patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. The role requires a strong understanding of discharge pathways, excellent communication and leadership skills, and a proactive, solution-focused approach to improving patient flow across the system. You will be working in a fast-paced environment, closely collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, including A&E staff, community providers, and partner organisations, to enable timely discharge and continuity of care.

Main duties of the job

  • Work closely with A&E and assessment unit teams to identify patients suitable for safe discharge and plan early, effective transitions to community services.
  • Use clinical expertise and in-depth knowledge of community pathways to support early assessments and discharge planning in line with the Discharge to Assess model.
  • Lead and support the Front Door Clinicians across the Trust, promoting shared decision-making and patient flow from acute to intermediate care services.
  • Participate in daily board rounds, discharge planning meetings, and system-wide touchpoint calls to ensure coordinated care and capacity management.
  • Liaise with SCFT and wider community services to support patients already known to services and manage new referrals appropriately.
  • Identify service improvement opportunities using incident data, staff feedback, and clinical observations to inform practice development and strategic planning.
  • Support, supervise, and appraise junior staff, contributing to a positive learning environment and effective workforce development.
  • Demonstrate budgetary awareness and promote cost-effective care delivery aligned with clinical safety and quality.
  • Work collaboratively with acute and community partners to maximise system capacity and reduce delays in discharge through effective use of available resources.

About us

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?o Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeingo Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussexo Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retiremento Excellent training, development, and research opportunitieso Accredited Living Wage Employer, we ensure fair pay for all our staffo Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brightono Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networkso Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust

Our values--Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence--guide everything we do.

We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

Details

Date posted

12 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year "Indicative" NHS AfC: Band 7

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

150-GM1998-UPC

Job locations

Worthing Hospital

Lyndhurst road

Worthing

BN11 2DH


Job description

Job responsibilities

For further details please see Job Description & Person Specification.

If you would like to discuss further please contact

Siobhn Cast

Operational Head of Service- ToCH

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further details please see Job Description & Person Specification.

If you would like to discuss further please contact

Siobhn Cast

Operational Head of Service- ToCH

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Nurse/AHP
  • Mentorship qualification
  • Post Registration study or Qualification

Desirable

  • Leadership Qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Min. 5 years post registration clinical experience
  • Min. 3 years' experience in a Band 6 leadership role
  • Line management experience including appraisal and supervision
  • Experience in change management
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Demonstrable skills in leadership and management

Desirable

  • Min. of 2 years' working within a community setting
  • Min. of 2 years working within an acute hospital trust

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • Evidence of a range of advanced clinical assessment skills appropriate for the role including interpretation of findings.
  • Advanced communication skills including difficult conversations, negotiation, managing conflict.
  • Promotes patient centred care including self- management.
  • Demonstrates application of evidence-based practice
  • Knowledge of best practice discharge planning processes
  • IT literate
  • Understanding and knowledge of current issues in nursing and the NHS
  • Current knowledge of community services
  • Demonstrates competency in a range of clinical skills, reviewing and interpretation of patient records
  • Ability to work autonomously and make own decisions, competently, confidently and efficiently

Other Requirements

Essential

  • Indication of relevance of this post to career development
  • Demonstrates a high level of understanding of self and able to identify personal limitation and shows openness to address them
  • Ability to travel between sites, car owner/driver
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Nurse/AHP
  • Mentorship qualification
  • Post Registration study or Qualification

Desirable

  • Leadership Qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Min. 5 years post registration clinical experience
  • Min. 3 years' experience in a Band 6 leadership role
  • Line management experience including appraisal and supervision
  • Experience in change management
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Demonstrable skills in leadership and management

Desirable

  • Min. of 2 years' working within a community setting
  • Min. of 2 years working within an acute hospital trust

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • Evidence of a range of advanced clinical assessment skills appropriate for the role including interpretation of findings.
  • Advanced communication skills including difficult conversations, negotiation, managing conflict.
  • Promotes patient centred care including self- management.
  • Demonstrates application of evidence-based practice
  • Knowledge of best practice discharge planning processes
  • IT literate
  • Understanding and knowledge of current issues in nursing and the NHS
  • Current knowledge of community services
  • Demonstrates competency in a range of clinical skills, reviewing and interpretation of patient records
  • Ability to work autonomously and make own decisions, competently, confidently and efficiently

Other Requirements

Essential

  • Indication of relevance of this post to career development
  • Demonstrates a high level of understanding of self and able to identify personal limitation and shows openness to address them
  • Ability to travel between sites, car owner/driver

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Worthing Hospital

Lyndhurst road

Worthing

BN11 2DH


Employer's website

https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Worthing Hospital

Lyndhurst road

Worthing

BN11 2DH


Employer's website

https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Operational Head of Service- ToCH

Siobhan Cast

siobhan.cast1@nhs.net

07887541645

Details

Date posted

12 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year "Indicative" NHS AfC: Band 7

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

150-GM1998-UPC

Job locations

Worthing Hospital

Lyndhurst road

Worthing

BN11 2DH


Privacy notice

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)