Patient and family support worker jobs in Belfast
How's your job search on our site?
Job description
Job Purpose
The hospital to home service works collaboratively with hospitals to support people when they are discharged from hospital to return home. As a Hospital to Home Outreach Worker, you will provide temporary, practical and emotional support to service users within their home and make sure they understand the care and local community services available to them.
The service is time limited, usually up to 4 or 6 weeks, to adjust and settle back in their homes.
Key Tasks
-
Assess the needs of service user’s either in hospital before discharge, or in their homes, and understand what barriers and enablers there might be to moving home.
-
Aid the discharge process and improve patient experience through tasks such as:
-
Key cutting
-
Co-ordinating with colleagues for the setup of the home environment such as checking fridge for in-date food
-
Checking heating, electric and gas is functional prior to discharge
-
Allowing access to the property for cleaning/repairs and receiving equipment
-
Provide and/or arrange the practical and emotional support needed to enable service users to return home and/or remain safely at home.
-
Be vigilant and make referrals/signpost for additional needs that our wider team, or partners can support. E.g. for benefit checks, energy advice, carers support, befriending.
-
Help maximise service user independence by adopting an enabling approach.
-
Develop a listening, caring and professional relationship with the service user and their families/carers.
-
Provide domestic practical support within the home such as:
-
Light cleaning,
-
Washing (e.g. bedding),
-
Changing bed sheets etc.
-
Prepare and service drinks and simple meals with or for the service user ensuring nutritional needs are met.
-
Accompany service user outside the home e.g. hospital/GP appointments etc.
-
Support service users with other tasks e.g. making telephone calls on their behalf, reading and responding to correspondence, completing simple forms (training will be provided) as directed by the service user’s etc.
-
Ensure services provided by AUKEL in the community are safe and person centred.
-
Report safeguarding concerns, in accordance with AUKEL safeguarding procedures.
-
Provide cover in the case of sickness and annual leave periods of colleagues.
-
Support service user reviews, ensuring all visiting information is uploaded on to Salesforce.
-
Support volunteers in the team and provide support and guidance to their development.
-
Work with a range of professionals including:
-
Supporting health and social care professionals with patient discharge
-
Liaising with the hospital health and social care professionals (e.g. Social Workers) to facilitate smooth supported discharge.
-
Handypeople & contractors.
Administration
-
Input all records, reviews, and visiting information to service user’s case notes in a timely manner to maintain up-to-date and accurate records on Salesforce.
-
Report all “no access” failed visits, or changes in service user’s condition or circumstances in accordance with AUKEL’s policies and procedures.
-
Ensure service user comment sheets are completed.
-
Ensure service user’s feedback questionnaires are sent at the end of each intervention and record returns.
-
Submit travel expenses regularly for sign off by manager.
Quality
-
Be familiar with and to implement AUKEL policies and procedures in line with our Values.
-
Ensure the service is delivered in accordance line with Care Quality Commission principals.
-
Ensure integration with other AUKEL projects, and service users are referred and/or sign-posted to appropriate support services available to them.
-
Respond to safeguarding or other concerns and make appropriate reports and management action.
Liaison
-
Work in collaboration with other agencies providing support within the service user’s home.
-
Work under the direction of the service manager and project officer/s.
-
Represent AUKEL and participate in appropriate external meetings and events to remain aware of local, regional, and national issues affecting quality and compliance issues affecting care and home support services.
General
-
Meet regularly with your line manager for support, supervision, and appraisal.
-
Attend team and staff meetings, and other meetings as required.
-
Undertake any other duties within the competence of the post holder as may be required from time to time for the continued smooth running of AUKEL.
-
Complete any training which is required to fulfil the role.
-
Carry out the duties of the post in accordance with AUKEL policies and procedures including Equal Opportunities, Mental Capacity, Deprivation of Liberty, Food Hygiene, Health & Safety, Confidentiality, Complaints, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults etc.
-
Work within AUKEL’s expectations of professional boundaries and confidentiality
Functional Links
-
The post holder reports to the manager /or Project Officer.
-
Close working with NHS health & social care professionals.
-
Close working with AUKEL internal departments e.g. Finance Team, Information and Advice, Befriending services, Community services, and our Handyperson services.
-
Close working with external partner agencies e.g. Food Banks, Age UK Redbridge, Barking & Havering, and Age UK Waltham Forest.
Registered Charity 
51 - 100
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Today, 12 children and young people will be diagnosed with cancer. We’ll stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.
- Salary: c. £56,000
- Full or Part Time – Open to both options
- Permanent
- Location: We honestly don’t mind. You’ll be expected to travel between our London (Farringdon) and central Bristol offices as well as other locations across the UK. Either of our office locations or remote home working is acceptable. Please clearly state your preferred location in your application.
- Closing date: 19 July 2026 (11:59pm)
- First stage interviews: w/c 10 August
- Second stage interviews: w/c 17 August
Change lives in a life-changing career
When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. Independence is taken and confidence is stolen. Stability no longer exists. The future suddenly feels uncertain.
The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer. We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise wellbeing. And we stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.
We challenge the systems and policies that surround children and young people, we highlight gaps and campaign for change. Because we know what a better future could look like. And we know what we need to do to make that future a reality. We need to push harder, reach further and work smarter. And we need the right people on our team to help us get there. People like you.
About the role
We’re looking for a Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) with experience of designing and embedding organisational DEIB strategies and leading culture change at a senior level to join our CEO Office.
This is a pivotal leadership role at a critical moment in our DEIB journey. You will lead the development of our next DEIB strategy, building on our ‘Brave, Not Perfect’ commitments and driving forward meaningful, measurable change across the organisation. Working closely with the CEO and Executive Team, you will shape the vision, influence decision-making and ensure DEIB is fully embedded across our culture, systems and ways of working.
You’ll act as both a strategic lead and an organisational change expert – engaging colleagues, supporting leaders, and ensuring our work reflects the diverse needs of the children and young people we support. This role does not have direct reports but carries significant influence across the organisation, requiring strong leadership, resilience, and the ability to bring others on the journey.
What will I be doing?
No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your ‘day to day’ isn’t easy. Here are some of the main things you’ll be doing, but you’ll find more details in the job description.
The next step in Young Lives vs Cancer’s diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging journey
- Building on the work in ‘Brave, not Perfect’ to develop the next iteration of DEIB strategy at Young Lives
- To engage the organisation in the development and context of this work, and to deliver a programme model for the delivery of the goals within the strategy, including monitoring and evaluation
Build on strong foundations
- To evaluate and develop our programme of internal DEIB engagement ‘DEIB Confident’ to reflect the goals within the next phase of DEIB strategy
- To support and develop our existing staff led networks, and the creation of new ones
- To lead and develop our approach to Equity Impact Assessment
- To coach, advise and challenge senior leaders and allies within the organisation
Leadership
- To role model the culture we want to see at Young Lives vs Cancer, through your behaviour, ways of working and approach to leadership
- As a Head of department, you will be a key senior leader and manager, providing visible and confident leadership for all of our workforce at Young Lives vs Cancer, and taking a holistic organisational view in all matters – holding our strategy and vision for young cancer patients at heart.
What do I need?
Diverse perspectives and unique skillsets are at the heart of Young Lives vs Cancer. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet the criteria and person specification fully. Your potential is what matters most to us, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment to help you develop.
The key skills we’re looking for in this role are:
- Experience of developing and implementing an EDI strategy at a senior level
- Understanding and knowledge of EDI legislation, policies and best practices
- Experience of managing change initiatives and a practical approach to culture change including through systems, policy and procedures
- Experience of leading, inspiring and motivating staff
- A good leader with ambition and conviction and the ability and desire to inspire staff at all levels.
- Demonstrable influencing skills and ability to develop networks both internally and externally
- Experience of facilitating activities across geographically dispersed operations
- A respected project and change expert with personal confidence
- Understanding of oppression and the barriers that marginalised people face, and strong commitment to deliver anti-oppressive practices
- Demonstrate that Young Lives vs Cancer’s values are at the heart of everything you do: Curious, Creative, Collaborative, Changemaking, and Courageous
What will I gain?
For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you’ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here’s how we do it:
- Flexible working: we’re open to working hours outside of 9 - 5 and we can talk through your flexibility requirements at interview stage
- Wellbeing days: four days a year to do what works for you – from catching up on training to going for a walk
- Generous annual leave allowance
- Great family/caring leave entitlements
- Enhanced pension
- Access to our employee savings scheme
To find out more about our benefits package, have a look on our website.
Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don’t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.
We’re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren’t there yet, and we’re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.
To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value AI adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to tell us about your skills and experiences in your own voice.
Accessibility
We’re committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always aim to be as accommodating as possible.Please let us know in your application form of any adjustments or access requirements we could make to help you with the application process and interview.
#ShowTheSalary #NonGraduatesWelcome
