Job vacancy: Discharge Associate Nurse, University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, Bournemouth

Job summary

Main area: nurse
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 4
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (7 day rota)
Job ref: 153-CO05272

Employer: University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: e and Poole
Town: Bournemouth
Salary: £27,485 - £30,162 pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 26/11/2025 23:59
Interview date: 08/12/2025

Discharge Associate Nurse

NHS AfC: Band 4

As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.

We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.

In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.

We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.

We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.

At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.

As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.

We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

· To be first point of contact for queries from the discharge facilitators/ keyworkers

· Work autonomously with support from the Clinical Discharge Leads, Cluster leads and wards across both UHD sites supporting with monthly meetings for information sharing and training

· To support discharge facilitators/ keyworkers with pathway plans and signposting to appropriate resources.

· Work within the limits of your knowledge, seeking advice from Clinical Discharge and Cluster Leads in relation to potential or actual problems in a timely fashion according to the severity of the situation.

Maintain accurate documentation and ensure appropriate people and services are kept up to date of changes.

Person specification

qaulifications

Essential criteria

• Nursing foundation degree qualification or equivalent Vocational level 3 or equivalent Knowledge
• GSCE Grade A-C in Maths and English or skills level 2 maths and english or equivalent

experience

Essential criteria

• Evidence of knowledge Discharge Pathways.
• Experience of working in teams within a part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience of discharge meetings and best interest meetings

Desirable criteria

Experience of managing or supervising team members

knowledge

Essential criteria

• Understands the scope of the role of the Nursing Associate
• Knowledge of when to seek advice and escalate appropriately
• Understanding of Confidentiality and Information Governance

Desirable criteria

• Previous experience of the full range of line management responsibilities, including attendance management, discipline and grievances, management of recruitment & selection, personal and career development.
• Knowledge of organisational policies and procedures

communication

Essential criteria

• demonstrates enhanced communication skills
• Ability to work autonomously as well as in a team
• Recognises the limits of own authority within the role
• Accepts responsibility for own workload
• Ability to work under pressure

Technical skills

Essential criteria

• Standard keyboard skills and ability to communicate through IT using applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel/ PowerPoint

Desirable criteria

• Ability to navigate the Clinical IT applications that support the flow of patient information such as EPR/ HOTW/ eCaMIS/ Transport Booking
• Knowledge of the Dorset Healthcare system

Please note:

Staff recruited are expected to be available to work flexibly across all our Trust locations to meet service demands.

This advert may be closed early if sufficient applications are received.

COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst this vaccination is not a condition of employment we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated.

Internal Candidates: staff employed prior to merger who voluntarily change jobs will be appointed to UHD terms and conditions.