Navigational Support Workers

We are looking to recruit Navigational Support Workers with strong interpersonal skills, solution-focused thinking, and a passion for supporting safe and timely patient discharges. This role is pivotal in providing discharge coordination and social care navigation for individuals in acute inpatient mental health settings. You will be aligned with one of the three boroughs served by the Trust and will play a vital role in overcoming barriers to discharge, empowering individuals to transition safely from hospital to home, and ensuring their continued support in the community. This is a unique opportunity to develop skills across social care, housing, and mental health discharge planning. You will gain experience in working collaboratively across borough-based teams and community services while directly impacting the quality and timeliness of patient discharges. Please note:This is a 6-month fixed-term post due to current funding arrangements. Key Responsibilities ·

• Work with individuals allocated by Acute Social Care Team colleagues following initial screening and identification of discharge barriers. Attend weekly borough-based meetings, ward reviews and relevant multidisciplinary team meetings to support discharge planning.
• Provide practical support with benefits, debt and financial matters, housing, community appointments and home visits. Prioritise actions that remove discharge barriers, applying knowledge of housing legislation, No Recourse to Public Funds, section 117 of the Mental Health Act and the Mental Capacity Act.
• Work on inpatient wards with a defined borough caseload, within Local Services Patient Flow, and liaise with community mental health teams, local authorities and other agencies to support effective discharge.
Attend relevant ad hoc meetings with the multidisciplinary team, ward managers, unit coordinators and senior nursing staff where appropriate. · Provide navigational support and discharge coordination for patients on acute mental health wards, following initial screening by the Acute Social Care Team. · Work closely with community organisations, local authorities, families and carers, housing departments, benefits agencies, and third-sector services to facilitate smooth and timely discharges. · Adopt a targeted, solution-focused approach to remove obstacles and improve patient flow, ensuring maximum independence and personalised support for each individual. · Attend weekly borough-based meetings and contribute to multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussions, gaining a complete understanding of patient pathways and discharge barriers. · Offer direct support to patients with financial matters, including advice on benefits, debt management, and accessing additional financial support services. · Conduct home visits to assess discharge readiness and living conditions, support patients with community tasks such as attending Job Centre appointments or managing banking and ID requirements.