Health Care Coordinator

Job description

Job responsibilities

Summary of Role

You will be responsible for coordinating, integrating and delivering support to

• elderly
• learning difficulty
• end of life
• frail patients

You will liaise with a broad range of medical social and third sector services to provide effective and synchronised care to these patients.

You will work with frail and vulnerable adults to improve their health and wellbeing by navigating them to appropriate services. You will assist them to access these services and any appropriate funding. The service will be targeted at specific patient groups identified by GP practices.

These patients will include but are not limited to adults with

• Complex long term health needs
• Depression
• Organic mental illness
• Learning difficulties

You will be working at a variety of venues in the community, including patients homes and utilising premises in agreement with stakeholders and clients. You will work collaboratively with the general practice teams to meet the needs of patients, supporting the delivery of DDHF policies and procedures, and support leadership as required.

Primary Responsibilities

Service Delivery

Build and develop a robust knowledge of health & social sector provision in the Durham Dales area

Build and develop strong working relationships with health, social, and third sector providers in the Durham Dales area, including GP practices

Work closely with professionals from a variety of health specialties.

Prepare proactive care plans for vulnerable patients

Build relationships with patients, patients families, and carers with home visits, telephone consultations and reviews within the community setting and at dedicated venues.

Act as an advocate for patients and service users to the health and social care system

Signpost patients towards appropriate services

Communication

Attend practice level MDT meetings to discuss patients and coordinate with health care professionals

Utilise and demonstrate sensitive communication styles, to ensure patients are

fully informed

Communicate with and support patients who are receiving bad news

Communicate effectively with patients and carers, recognising the need for alternative methods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding,

cultural background and preferred ways of communicating

Anticipate barriers to communication and take action to improve communication

Maintain effective communication within the practice environment and with external stakeholders

Delivering a quality service

Produce accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient contact, consistent with legislation, policies and procedures

Prioritise, organise and manage own workload in a manner that maintains and

promotes quality

Assess effectiveness of care delivery through self and peer review, benchmarking and

formal evaluation

Participate in the maintenance of quality governance systems and processes across the organisation and its activities

Utilise the audit cycle as a means of evaluating the quality of the work of self and the team, implementing improvements where required

In partnership with other clinical teams, collaborate on improving the quality of health care responding to local and national policies and initiatives as appropriate

Evaluate patients responses to health care provision and the effectiveness of care

Support and participate in shared learning across the wider organisation.

Assess the impact of policy implementation on care delivery

Understand and apply legal issues that support the identification of vulnerable and

abused adults, and be aware of statutory vulnerable patients health procedures and local guidance

Specific Tasks/ Responsibilities

Team working

Understand own role and scope, work within this scope of practice and identify how this may develop over time

Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring

the mechanisms to develop new ways of working

Delegate clearly and appropriately, adopting the principles of safe practice and assessment of competence

Create clear referral mechanisms to meet patient need

Prioritise own workload and ensure effective time-management strategies are

embedded Work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery

Discuss, highlight and work with the team to create opportunities to improve patient care

Managing information

Use technology and appropriate software as an aid to management in planning, implementation and monitoring of care, presenting and communicating information

Ensuring that patent data is kept confidential at all times and is shared on a need to know basis only.

Understand responsibility of self and others regarding the Freedom of Information Act

Collate, analyse and present data and information to the team

Learning and development

Disseminate learning and information gained to other team members in order to share good practice and inform others about current and future developments (eg courses and conferences)

Assess own learning needs and undertake learning as appropriate.

Equality and inclusion

Identify patterns of discrimination and take action to overcome this and promote diversity and equality of opportunity

Enable others to promote equality and diversity in a non-discriminatory culture

Support people who need assistance in exercising their rights

Adhere to local chaperoning policies

Act as a role model in the observance of equality and diversity good practice

Accept the rights of individuals to choose their care providers, participate in care and refuse care

General Responsibilities

Ensure strict confidentiality of correspondence, reports, meetings and verbal communications as appropriate.

Adapt to and support any changes that are implemented to improve the service.

At all times provide a caring service and to treat those with whom they come into contact in a courteous and respectful manner.

Demonstrate commitment by the efficient completion of all tasks allocated.

Carry out duties and responsibilities in compliance with health and safety policy and statutory regulations.

Adhere to equal opportunities policy throughout the course of employment.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE Grade C or above in Maths and English, or equivalent qualification

Desirable

• Qualification in a health or social care allied profession
• Phlebotomy
• HCA qualification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with or caring for elderly people, friends or relations

Desirable

• Experience of working in primary care
• Experience of working in social care or health
• Experience of working with frail and vulnerable patients
• Experience of working as part of an MDT

Skills

Essential

• Communication skills, both written and verbal
• Empathy with the older persons needs and conditions
• Positive attitude to work, colleagues and patients
• Non-judgemental attitude to patients
• Tact and diplomacy
• Desire to help and put people first
• Ability to negotiate the best possible services for patients
• Advocacy skills
• Time management
• Team working
• Good record keeping
• Good IT keyboard skills

Desirable

• Knowledge of SystmOne
• Care planning knowledge

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Durham Dales Health Federation

Address

Unit 51 Innovation Hse, Longfield Rd

South Church Enterprise Park

Bishop Auckland

Durham

DL14 6XB

Employer's website

https://ddhf.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)