Homeless Health Housing Worker | Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
| Posting date: | 12 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £37,259 - £45,356 per annum |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 11 January 2026 |
| Location: | London, SE1 7EU |
| Company: | Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 7661430/196-LIS10134E |
Summary
The post holder will ensure safe, appropriate, effective and sustainable discharges that meet the needs of homeless patients. The post holder will work in partnership with members of their own multi-disciplinary as well as other hospital teams and outside agencies in order to achieve successful discharges. The post holder will work both on various wards, in Accident and Emergency (A&E) and may need to outreach into the community to support patients postdischarge for follow ups. The post holder will be expected to work core hours of Monday to Friday 09.00-17.00, with one weekend per month.
The post holder will work as part of a multidisciplinary team with other housing workers, an occupational therapist, nurse and social worker. The post holder will provide expert housing advice to other members of the team and wider hospital. The post holder will also be expected to contribute to teaching/awareness sessions delivered to a variety of staff throughout the hospitals.
The post holder will undertake detailed housing assessments that will help prove a patient’s homelessness,eligibility,priorityforhousingandestablishedlocalconnection.. The post holder will build relationships and liaise with Local Authorities Housing departments to achieve the best results for the patients. Thepostholderwill at times escort patients to Housing Options departments and accommodation viewings to provide advocacy as necessary.
· To deliver individualised advice to patients liaising with the necessary support agencies/authorities to achieve the best possible outcome on discharge.
· To carry out holistic housing assessments that will help prove a patient’s homelessness, eligibility, and priority for housing support and to verify localconnection.
· To work alongside senior staff to resolve disputes with Housing Options, and achieve the best results for the patient and the health and housing services involved.
· To ensure patient case notes are updated in timely manner (e.g. EPIC).
· To provide information and advice to members of the team and other colleagues in the hospital around housing, benefits entitlements and processes.
· To provide discharge advice and support to health professionals in hospital.
· To act as a role model for other staff, delivering sensitive, comprehensive and appropriate care to homeless patients, demonstrating noprejudice.
Guy’s and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK’s best known hospitals – Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield – as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation. See www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk.
We are among the UK’s busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark. See www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk
The post is based with the Homeless Health team at Beckett House opposite St. Thomas's hospital and will involve travelling to St. Guy's hospital.
Our values
Our values help us to define and develop our culture, what we do and how we do it.
It is important that we all understand and reflect these values in our work. We are:
Caring –we put patients first
Ambitious –we innovate and strive for excellence
Inclusive –we respect each other and work collaboratively
Jobsummary
The post holder will ensure safe, appropriate, effective and sustainable discharges that meet the needs of homeless patients. The post holder will work in partnership with members of their own multi-disciplinary as well as other hospital teams and outside agencies in order to achieve successful discharges. The post holder will work both on various wards, in Accident and Emergency (A&E) and may need to outreach into the community to support patients postdischarge for follow ups. The post holder will be expected to work core hours of Monday to Friday 09.00-17.00, with one weekend per month.
The post holder will work as part of a multidisciplinary team with other housing workers, an occupational therapist, nurse and social worker. The post holder will provide expert housing advice to other members of the team and wider hospital. The post holder will also be expected to contribute to teaching/awareness sessions delivered to a variety of staff throughout the hospitals.
The post holder will undertake detailed housing assessments that will help prove a patient’s homelessness,eligibility,priorityforhousingandestablishedlocalconnection.. The post holder will build relationships and liaise with Local Authorities Housing departments to achieve the best results for the patients. Thepostholderwill at times escort patients to Housing Options departments and accommodation viewings to provide advocacy as necessary.
Thepostholderwillbeengagedin significantpartnershipworkingaimedatimproving hospital discharge for individual homeless patients where patterns emerge. This partnership working involves key stakeholders within NHS, Housing, Social Care and Voluntary Sectororganisations.
The post holder will uphold and adhere to Trust guidelines on practice and will endeavour to communicate the Trust’s vision at all times.
Dutiesandresponsibilities
· To deliver individualised advice to patients liaising with the necessary support agencies/authorities to achieve the best possible outcome on discharge.
· To act in an advocacy role both within the clinical setting and with external agencies; using the expertise of peers in the multidisciplinary team as appropriate.
· To carry out holistic housing assessments that will help prove a patient’s homelessness, eligibility, and priority for housing support and to verify localconnection.
· To accompany patients to Housing Options Services to provide advocacy and resolve disputes to achieve best results for patients.
· To immediately report any difficulties experienced in Housing Options environments to Band 7 Lead.
· To work alongside senior staff to resolve disputes with Housing Options, and achieve the best results for the patient and the health and housing services involved.
· To ensure patient case notes are updated in timely manner (e.g. EPIC).
· To provide information and advice to members of the team and other colleagues in the hospital around housing, benefits entitlements and processes.
· To give information and advice to patients and their carers’ as required where a need has been identified.
· To participate in the development of patient leaflets and educations materials as appropriate.
· To provide discharge advice and support to health professionals in hospital.
· To work autonomously with nominated frequent attenders to resolve patterns of frequent attendance asnecessary.
· To liaise with outside agencies / services as necessary to develop plans for patients.
· To act as a role model for other staff, delivering sensitive, comprehensive and appropriate care to homeless patients, demonstrating noprejudice.
· To use high level communication skills to convey complex and sensitive information effectively to patients, carers and voluntary sector/clinical staff, overcoming any barriers to understanding (e.g. education level, language, literacy, embarrassment, stigma, mental health conditions e.g. personality disorders, disabilitiesetc.).
· Toensurepatientsareabletogainaccesstohealthandsocialcareinformation relevant to their needs and to facilitate a healthierlifestyle.
· To identify problems with clients related to non-concordance, and liaise appropriately with NHS services, voluntary and statutory workers to solve or assist with these problems, whilst maintaining any necessaryconfidentiality.
· To arrange for and use interpreting services when delivering services (telephone and face to face interpreting) asnecessary.
· To follow patients up after discharge as necessary, including visiting them in their discharge location as required and to escort patients to appointments if necessary
· Toworktoensurethemaintenanceofacleanandsafeenvironmentatalltimes.
· To have willingness to seek clinical advice from the Team Leader asappropriate.
· To have knowledge of the addiction related conditions that commonly affect homeless people, and apply this to the care of ownclients.
· Toproactivelyidentifyadultandchildsafeguardingissuesandtakeimmediate action asappropriate.
· To uphold and adhere to Trust’s policies and guidelines.
Management and Leadership
· To promote the vision of the Homeless Health Team within the hospital setting at alltimes.
· To represent the team as a homeless housing specialist in external situations e.g. training, conferences, committees,etc.
· Toattendthewardweeklymulti-disciplinarymeetings,andany other necessary liaison meetings. Within these meetings to demonstrate positive active partnership with all relevant agencies, in order improve the qualityofdischargeplanning,andreduceunscheduledre-admissionsandA&E attendances.
· To develop and maintain proactive positive links with all key partnership organisations.
· To implement and work within Trustpolicies.
· To diffuse difficult or dangerous situations in line with Trust policies, and to summon external assistance whennecessary.
· To identify actual and potential risks for staff, patients and visitors, and take action to reducethis.
Service Development & Governance
· Toparticipateinthedevelopmentofpatientleafletsandeducationmaterialsas appropriate having regard to any barriers to understanding (e.g. education level,language,literacy,embarrassment,stigma,mentalhealthconditions,disabilities etc.) in line with Trustpolicies.
· Tomaintainup-to-daterecords,ensuringstandardsforrecordkeepingaremet.
· To maintain professional boundaries and working relationships with patients andcolleagues.
· To ensure patient confidentiality is maintained and that practice is consistent with Trust policy and the Data ProtectionAct.
· To ensure vulnerable adults and children are safeguarded at alltimes.
· To ensure that negative outcomes/poor performance and patient feedback is used constructively to develop the service and evolve new ways ofworking.
· To attend supervision as arranged by the TeamLeader.
· To actively participate in local, regional and national homeless events/conference.
· To utilise research findings in the delivery of the service, developing fresh approaches and disseminate relevant information to colleagues and subordinates.
Information Management
· To contemporaneously keep notes up to date and accurate at alltimes.
· Toconsistentlymeetlocaltargetsfortheserviceandtocontributetoreviewing, developing, extending and improving the service as and when needschange.
· To collect and analyse data, produce reports as necessary as requested by the Team Leader e.g. quarterly activity reports or e.g. an infection control audit.
· To participate in any key developments which are agreed on by the team as requested by the TeamLeader.
· To identify appropriate areas for new clinical audits and/or research, and contribute to such initiatives as necessary. To participate in any key developments which are agreed on by the team as requested by the Team Leader.
Education & Professional Development
· To actively work to remain updated within the specialty; seeking specific development relevant to therole.
· To participate in any appropriate staff development and in-service training activities available within the Trust, and specifically training appropriate to this role offered or organised by homeless partner organisations.
· Toactivelyparticipateinlocalsupervision/appraisal,andnationalnetworkingto maintain and develop expert knowledge in thespecialty.
· To assist in the development and delivery of a patient focused education and information giving strategy, within the team.
· To educate patients and their carers’ as required where a need has been identified.
ThepostholderisrequiredtofollowTrustpoliciesandprocedureswhichareregularlyupdated.
This advert closes on Sunday 28 Dec 2025