Imago (formerly Voluntary Action within Kent) is a long established, well respected and effective charity working across Kent, Medway, Southwark and East Sussex to deliver a range of services to individuals, voluntary and community organisations, the public and private sector.
Our mission is to promote, develop and facilitate social action, support independence and empower communities. User and volunteer engagement, leadership and involvement in decision making are core principles.

We deliver a wide range of services in partnership with funders, public sector commissioners and private sector sponsors to children and young people, older people, carers, and volunteers.

Underpinning our work is a commitment to excellence, evidencing impact and safeguarding vulnerable people.

Imago offers a competitive remuneration package consisting of salary, contributory pension, healthcare benefits and 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays.

The Care Navigator Service offers free information and support to help vulnerable adults to manage change in their lives. We work in partnership with and provide a key link between statutory, voluntary and private services in order to promote and facilitate the preventative, early intervention and health promotions themes, and support timely and efficient hospital discharge.

Purpose of Role:

To signpost all appropriate service users/carers to a range of services provided by Health, Social Care, and/or independent/voluntary services making sure that the service user/carers needs are relayed in a clear succinct manner.

Work with service users/carers with the aim of encouraging independence, enabling service users to remain at home, assisting in reducing unnecessary admissions to hospital and supporting early discharge from hospital, improving the quality of care.
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Support service users to access their local health and social care system (statutory and non-statutory), providing emotional support and reassurance as appropriate.
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Provide feedback to health/social care stakeholders and at practice Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDTs), troubleshoot and escalate actions as necessary.
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To ensure that service user needs are dealt with proactively, coordinating effectively the resources available to support and providing a response to the service user/carer and their health and social care leads.

The post holder will:

Be a point of contact for the Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDT)/GP to find appropriate service(s)

Work closely with GPs, practice staff and Case Managers as well as service users/carers in reducing the number of unnecessary hospital admissions by appropriately sourcing and signposting service users to alternative services within the community provided by the Health, Social Care, and/or independent/voluntary sector.

Locate and make contact with relevant services within health/social care as well as voluntary sector services, to ensure the service user is able to effectively access services within Medway

As directed by the Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDT), GP, and Social Care team assist with identifying additional support that may be needed for the service user.

Liaise with safeguarding team to pass on and escalate concerns if safeguarding and quality of care issues are identified

Understand and follow procedures and policies on information governance, with strict adherence to protocols regarding the sharing of personal and confidential information between different organisations and individuals.

Share with service users and their carers any updated information and/or interventions or support that has been put in place/provided to continue to ensure services are accessible

Communication and relationship skills
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Enable service users with disabilities and long term conditions to link with services to improve their physical, mental and economic wellbeing and remain as independent as possible in their own community

Establish effective communication networks and excellent working relationships with all professionals, clinicians and other members of the MDT and assist in the proactive management of the patient pathway

Develop strong communication links with GPs providing them with regular feedback on service user progress and highlight when needs become more acute, and/or if it is appropriate for the service user to exit the service

Offer service users space to talk about their own needs and the skills, strengths and resources they have personally and within their own community/support network.

Support eligible individuals through home assessments, offering a range of options to meet needs and aspirations, referring to community support organisations as agreed with the patient.

Effectively communicate with other agencies to ensure continuity of care between hospital, community, care settings, voluntary or other

Dealing with general queries from service users and outside organisations over the telephone

The post holder will be involved with the dissemination of complex or sensitive information and will often require considerable tact

Knowledge, Training & Experience:

NVQ 3 or equivalent and/or relevant basic/first level care management professional qualification

Experience of working in either a health, social care or voluntary role within the third sector

Computer literate – ability to use multiple databases/websites

Analytical & Judgemental Skills:


Ability to act with discretion and understand the need for confidentiality

To have the ability to analyse situations and take the most appropriate action

To have the confidence to make decisions on an individual basis or seek advice from the most appropriate source, where relevant. This involves understanding and managing a variety of patient needs, and signposting the patient to appropriate services, negotiating with external service providers as well as patients and carers/relatives.

Work with Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDTs) to identify barriers to patients accessing services to improve patient/service user care and experience

Able to make sound judgements when analysing data for discussion with clinicians responsible for patient care

Planning & Organisational Skills:

To keep up to date with resources and opportunities available in the local area, including identifying and engaging with peer support networks; relevant training, other organisations and the voluntary sector

To work in partnership with the practice Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to facilitate the implementation of the unmet needs for service users with one or more long term conditions

To accurately gain and record patient contact information that will assist in signposting of the service user to the most appropriate service, and can be used for the updating of care plans, this involves recording and relaying complex information to assess and handle a series of requests.

Physical Skills:

The ability to use a range of keyboard, IT packages and applications

Responsibility for Patient/Service Users or Carers

To provide information on and advice about the service to patients/service users, their families/carers and relevant other professionals where appropriate

Support service users to be in control and enable them to make choices that will positively impact their quality of life

To provide support in navigating the health and social care as well as the voluntary system

Where appropriate to encourage and assist service users to access and take up the services that will enhance their lives

To actively promote and refer people to support services local and national, statutory or third sector as appropriate

The post holder will be expected to demonstrate a sensitive and caring attitude that is patient- focused and to maintain a calm and organised approach when working under pressure
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To be fully aware and conversant with confidentiality guidelines and to exercise judgement and care when exchanging confidential and sensitive patient information

Responsibility for Policy/ Service Development

Responsible for ensuring that policies are adhered to and implemented in own work area

Responsible for ensuring that administrative processes are robust, documented and auditable

Responsibility for Information Resources:

To accurately gain and record patient contact information that will assist in signposting of the service user to the most appropriate service, and can be used for the updating of care plans
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Maintain accurate records and statistical returns as required and within the required timeframe
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To collate relevant data as required evidencing the work carried out by this team and the outcomes achieved
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Manage and maintain computer and paper based filing systems as agreed
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To comply with the Data Protection Act relating to personal information of individual members of the public

Essential:
* NVQ 3 or equivalent and/or relevant basic/first level care management professional qualification
* Evidence of continuing professional development in health, social care or voluntary setting
* Excellent communication skills to communicate effectively with patients and carers, specialist services, clinicians and colleagues
* Experience of working in either a health, social care or voluntary role within the third sector
* Experience of providing a high quality service and able to evidence this
* Ability to be organised and prioritise own workload
* Able to work effectively independently and as part of a team
* Ability to work in a demanding and pressurised environment
* Computer literate – ability to use multiple databases/websites
* An ability to work effectively with stakeholders and maintain and develop good working relationships
* Good interpersonal skills
* Ability to negotiate and influence across organisational boundaries to help signpost, co-ordinate and improve access to services for patients
* An ability to learn the various health and social care pathways
* High level of self-motivation, is persistent, resilient, can challenge and is able to overcome any barriers in order to help patients navigate and access services
* Respects the values, culture and beliefs held by others
* Has experience of mediating to help resolve difficult situations
* Has a “can do, will do approach”

Desirable:
* An awareness of issues or experience within Primary Care
* Experience of working with people with various communication challenges
* An awareness of relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures
* Awareness of health and social care terminology
* Awareness of data protection and confidentiality protocols
* Awareness of legislation relating to Equal Opportunities and Medway Council and NHS equality and diversity policies
* Knowledge of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
* Has experience of mediating to help resolve difficult situations

Working Conditions:
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Mainly office based role, you will be expected to attend offside meetings and carry out home visits as required
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Willingness to work flexibly outside normal office hours as necessary

Full clean driving licence and access to a vehicle

Post is subject to references and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check

Please either submit your CV with a short covering note outlining your CURRENT SALARY and or visit our website at www.imago.community for a full application.

Imago recognises that many people in our society experience discrimination or lack of opportunity for reasons that are not fair. These include: race, religion, creed, colour, national and ethnic origin, political beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability (including mental illness), HIV status, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity status, responsibility for dependents, appearance, geographical area, social class, income level or criminal record.
Imago aims to create a culture that respects and values each other’s differences. Imago sees these differences as an asset to our work as they improve our ability to meet the needs of the organisations and people we serve. We proactively seek to increase opportunities for inclusion, and celebrate diversity across our organisation and within the communities we serve.

NB: The Job Description is not exhaustive. The postholder will be required to undertake any other duties that may be required by the Line Manager, commensurate with the level of the post.