Job Vacancies
Discharge Lounge Band 5 Nurse
NHS AfC: Band 5
- DIscharge Lounge
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Permanent
-
- Full time
- Flexible working
- 418-MED1977-JB
- Luton
- Luton
- £31,049 - £37,796 per annum
- Yearly
- 17/10/2025 23:59
- 31/10/2025
Job overview
A new Discharge Lounge is being created in order to improve flow and support patients discharge from hospital.
The Discharge Lounge at Luton and Dunstable Hospital plays an integral part in supporting capacity, availability and flow through the hospital.
Working closely with the Site Operations and Discharge Planning team, the Discharge Lounge Team supports Operations by freeing up bed capacity at the earliest opportunity whilst still achieving a safe and caring environment for our patients that are waiting to leave the Trust.
Discharge Lounge (DL) provides an essential nurse led service in accepting patients on the day of discharge to release capacity for accommodation of acute admissions. DL supports timely and safe discharge of patients from inpatient wards, assessment units and Emergency Department.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and enthusiastic Registered Nurse within the Discharge Lounge Team, with a keen interest in improving patient flow across the Trust.
The Lounge is open from Monday to Friday 08:00-20:00 for patients waiting to leave the Trust.
Main duties of the job
The post holder is responsible for the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of evidenced- based nursing care, working collaboratively and co- operatively with others to meet the needs of patients and family.
Facilitating safe discharges for patients who come through the lounge.
Ensuring the discharge process is manages safely and effectively.
To demonstrate good understanding of the discharge policy.
To co-ordinate and facilitate patient transfers from all adult wards and ED to the discharge Lounge.
Provide and maintain all nursing care as needed for patients within the discharge lounge
Support the Trust’s goal to reduce length of stay and discharge initiatives and to achieve 4 hour ED standard.
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Maintain high standard of patients care throughout the patients’ journey
Develop and maintain a positive customer service focused environment to ensure excellent patient experience during the discharge process
Develop and maintain effective working relationships and communication with the pharmacy department to ensure that patients waiting for their medications are not delayed unnecessarily
Develop and maintain strong working relationships and communication with the discharge planning team, clinical site managers and transport team.
To ensure smooth, safe and effective patient transition from hospital to patients discharge, appropriate transport is booked and follow up arrangements are made.
Assess the patients nursing needs, plans, and implements and evaluates nursing care to ensure delivery of effective patient care.
Accept patients suitable for discharge following medical review and with discharge planning arrangements. If necessary, liaise with multidisciplinary teams as appropriate to assist discharge planning if required.
Works in collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams ensuring excellent communication, especially in relation to discharge planning. Carries out procedures in relation to care of patients e.g. dressing changes, Tinzaparin education, and aseptic technique.
Recognises and responds appropriately to urgent and emergency situations.
Ensure Fundamentals of Care are incorporated into daily practice to ensure a high-quality service for service users.
Ensure patient needs are met by working collaboratively with other professionals and agencies, especially in relation to ongoing care needs.
Registered with the NMC to enable them to practice within their profession and acts in accordance with the NMC's Code of Professional Practice.
Maintains up to date skills and knowledge and awareness of professional issues.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NMC Registration
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of continued Professional Development
Experience / Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Understanding of discharge process and importance hospital flow
Desirable criteria
- Good range of Medical and Surgical knowledge to provide effective communication with patients on discharge
Skills
Essential criteria
- To be able to effectively handover care of patients to other team members
- Able to communicate effectively to multi disciplinary team
- IT proficient- Good knowledge with Nerve Centre, iPM , Health Roster
Desirable criteria
- Effective documentation and report writing
Personal Skills
Essential criteria
- Demonstrate to be able to work within a team
- Proactive, reliable and flexible
- Calm and methodical approach to problem solving
Desirable criteria
- Flexible and able to respond to frequent change
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Christine Tuazon
- Job title
- Site Team Operations Manager
- Email address
- christine.tuazon@bedsft.nhs.uk.uk
- Telephone number
- 07483133196
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