ED, Homeless Health HIU Housing Worker

North West London (NWL) has the largest homeless population in London, with Westminster experiencing an 18% increase in rough sleepers since 2020. People experiencing homelessness face significant health inequalities, with much lower average life expectancy and higher rates of co-morbidities, trauma, and social exclusion. These factors contribute to high intensity use of urgent and emergency care (UEC) services, frequent hospital admissions, and challenges in accessing mainstream health and social care. This role is central to improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities for homeless individuals, many of whom are High Intensity Users (HIUs) of UEC services. The post holder will provide specialist housing advice, advocacy, support, and high quality discharge interventions, focusing on accommodation options and holistic support. The aim is to ensure safe, appropriate, and sustainable hospital discharges, reduce unscheduled admissions, and support patients to access housing, benefits, healthcare, and follow-up after discharge.,

• Provide front-line, immediate, hands-on support to people experiencing homelessness who may be high intensity users in the Emergency Department (ED) to facilitate discharge from ED, including referrals to appropriate agencies and signposting to other services.
• Provide longer-term support to those individuals with more complex needs, in particular those who are High Intensity Users of ED, including:
+ Undertaking and collating timely, detailed assessments of housing, health, and social care needs. + Preparing Urgent Care Plans (with clinical support) and uploading those to the Pan-London Urgent Care Platform + Ensuring that, where needed, cases are presented and discussed at suitable MDT meetings. + Liaising with the SMH ED HIU Case Worker and the patient's relevant local Borough HIU Care Coordinator to agree responsibilities for longer term support.
• Support the department in fulfilling its Duty to Refer, safeguarding and related responsibilities with relation to this cohort of patients.
• Advocate on behalf of patients with local authorities, housing providers, and other services.
• Work closely with clinical teams, local authorities, and voluntary sector partners to improve pathways out of homelessness and reduce health inequalities.
• Deliver training and awareness sessions to hospital staff on homelessness and HIU care, including signposting information.
• Ensure patient involvement and empowerment throughout care planning and discharge.
  
  Our Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites--Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital--along with award-winning clinics across North West London.
Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5m, providing full clinical services including maternity, A&E and children's services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health care. The CQC rates us Good in safety, effectiveness, care and responsiveness, and Outstanding in leadership and resource use. We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Mid. We are delivering sustainable healthcare through our Green Plan. In line with Greener NHS ambitions, we aim for net zero carbon emissions by 2045. Achieving this requires collective effort. We encourage staff to reduce their impact on carbon, waste and pollution wherever possible. Every action counts to create a healthier, more sustainable future.