IDS Home First Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist | East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

This post is an essential for the delivery of a fully integrated discharge service across Pennine Lancashire. The Integrated Discharge service therapistundertakes highly skilled and specialised work to support in the assessing and treating of patients, to facilitate complex discharges and improve clinical flow throughout the trust to improve access to acute services.

To provide pro‑active and responsive support to the Divisional Therapy Lead, working across all ELHT sites to meet the needs of the Complex Case Management Service. Have in‑depth knowledge and skills to act as a resource for ward staff at all levels and other multi‑disciplinary professionals ensuring there is a consistent and informed approach in relation to effective and timely discharge from hospital. Carry out home assessments with patients who have complex needs and afterwards produce comprehensive documentation from these visits.

Established in 2003 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen. We are committed to delivering the best possible healthcare services to the local population while ensuring the future viability of our services. This will be achieved by continually improving the productivity and efficiency of services. Our core focus has enabled demonstrable improvement in our key access, quality and performance indicators.

Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements.

• To provide pro‑active and responsive support to the Divisional Therapy Lead.
• Work across all ELHT sites to meet the needs of an efficient Complex Case Management Service.
• Advise assist and navigate ELHT staff through the discharge planning process to plan and meet future care needs to facilitate a safe and timely discharge from hospital.
• To have the in‑depth knowledge and skills to act as a resource for ward staff at all levels and other multi‑disciplinary professionals ensuring there is a consistent and informed approach in relation to effective and timely discharge planning.
• To promote and maintain effective communication channels between all Health and Social Care departments/agencies in the acute and community settings.
• Proactively advise and support staff to initiate the early discharge planning of patients with vulnerable/complex needs ensuring appropriate assessments are completed in a timely manner to facilitate discharge.
• Maintain accurate records and participate in internal or Department of Health audits as required in relation to the discharge planning process.
• Ensure compliance with other related Trust Policies and Department of Health Legislation regarding the discharge planning processes.
• Screen referrals made to the Central Point of Referral in, signposting to alternative pathways as appropriate to meet identified needs.
• Carrying out home assessments with patient who have complex social issues eg chaotic lifestyles/rehousing/refurnishing etc which can take up an extraordinary amount of time if a ward therapist or social worker were to deal with this.
• Give both verbal and written feedback about the progress of patients assessment and treatment, this will include the typing of comprehensive documentation from visits and clinical input.
• Taking patients home to settle or visiting post discharge to prevent re‑admission.
• Untilise mental health knowledge and carry out in depth cognitive assessments.
• To be able to carry out second opinion assessments when there is a dispute between health professionals and the patient or their families, for example a decision around home rather than bed base.
• To use social services IT systems in conjunction with the trusted assessment documentation and set up new packages of care for patients.

This advert closes on Friday 6 Mar 2026.