Job overview

Are you a motivated, dynamic, and enthusiastic housing officer with significant experience of working with people that are homeless or rough sleeping? Would you like to work within an acute hospital supporting patients that are homeless or at risk of homelessness? 

If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to be involved in our specialist Homeless Health team at a critical time in its development. We have a Band 5 Homeless Health Housing Coordinator post within the team that we are recruiting to as our team has been funded by an extra 3 years with development opportunities. 

The Homeless Health team is multi-disciplinary and operates a reactive and fast- moving service. The team is necessary to redress the stark health inequalities suffered by the homeless population. The average age of death for rough sleepers is 43 years old (women) and 47 (men) compared with 80 and 74 in the general population.

The homeless health team seeks to overcome the barriers that homeless people face accessing high quality services.  Through this approach, the team also aims to reduce delayed and premature discharges, and reduce unscheduled admissions and A&E attendances.

The Homeless Health Housing Coordinator will work with patients on our wards, in Accident and Emergency (A&E) and may need to outreach into the community to support patients to secure housing, access health care and post discharge for follow ups. The post holder will be expected to work on site Monday to Friday. 

Main duties of the job

• You will play a vital role in improving the quality of care for homeless hospital patients by providing specialist housing advice, advocacy, support, and quality discharge interventions, with a particular focus on accommodation options.
• Working as part of a multi-disciplinary Homeless Health team, you will ensure safe, appropriate, and sustainable hospital discharges and support patients to access housing, benefits, primary health care, and follow-up appointments after discharge.
• You will undertake detailed housing assessments that will help prove a patient’s homelessness, eligibility, priority for housing and established local connection.
• You will maintain regular contact with and support a caseload of patients during admission and post-discharge, including visiting discharge locations and escorting patients to appointments when necessary.
• You will accompany patients to Housing Options offices to provide face-to-face advocacy and resolve disputes to achieve the best outcomes.
• You will act as an advocate for patients within the clinical setting and with external agencies, clearly communicating patient circumstances to hospital staff and external providers.
• You will assist patients to understand and obtain their welfare, housing, and related rights, addressing barriers such as language, culture, mental or physical health.

• You will be good at partnership working, building relationships and liaising with Local Authorities Housing departments and hospital clinical teams.

Working for our organisation

At Imperial College Healthcare you can achieve extraordinary things with extraordinary people, working with leading clinicians pushing boundaries in patient care.  

Become part of a vibrant team living our values - expert, kind, collaborative and aspirational. You’ll get an experience like no other and will fast forward your career. Benefits include career development, flexible working and wellbeing, staff recognition scheme.  Make use of optional benefits including Cycle to Work, car lease schemes, season ticket loan or membership options for onsite leisure facilities. 

We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and will consider applications to work flexibly,  part time or job share.  Please talk to  us at interview. 

Environmental sustainability
Climate change and poor air quality is a health emergency that harms people’s health and wellbeing and widens health inequalities. The Trust is also committed to reducing its impact on the environment by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero by 2045. All our employees have a role to play, and we have an active green network that supports staff to act in ways that ensures that our services are efficient, sustainable and reduce our impact on the environment www.imperial.nhs.uk/about-us/our-strategy/green-plan.