Housing Enablement Officer

Overall Purpose
The Housing Enablement Team was created in 2014 and has grown to cover all hospital settings within the local area. The team works in both physical and mental health environments, placing housing professionals in medical settings to address housing-related issues. The primary goal is to prevent delays in patient discharge by offering advice and practical support to help individuals either return home or find alternative accommodation when necessary.

Key Roles, Tasks, and Responsibilities

• Handle all inquiries related to housing registers, social housing, homelessness, private rentals, hostels, and other housing needs from hospital and social care staff.
• Interview patients as soon as possible after admission, assess their situation, and create a customised discharge plan for those with housing needs or at risk of homelessness upon discharge.
• Assist patients with housing applications in line with relevant housing policies and maintain accurate records.
• Keep case records current and adhere to service standards.
• Provide performance data to the Team Leader when requested.
• Attend meetings related to bed management as needed.
• Participate in or arrange multi-disciplinary team meetings to support patient discharge.
• Provide necessary information to housing departments for assessing housing and homelessness applications.
• Offer practical help to secure housing, including:
  • Accessing bond or deposit schemes and other available funding.
  • Finding and securing accommodation in the private rented sector.
  • Ensuring proper setup of private rental tenancies.
  • Referring patients to floating support services.
  • Arranging for furniture, minor adaptations, and removals to help resolve delays in discharge.
  • Making housing nominations to partner organisations.
• Use available support services when the individual returns home, including those offered through Lightbulb.
• Manage allocated resources in line with organisational policies, budgets, and procedures.
• Collaborate with key partners and officials to develop strategies that reduce delays in hospital discharge.
• Promote best practices in areas such as environmental concerns, systems thinking, crime prevention, attendance management, and equal opportunities.
• Ensure risk assessments are conducted for significant risks and implement necessary control measures. Review assessments when there are changes to the work environment.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Line Manager.
• The job description may be reviewed and updated in consultation with the employee based on organisational changes.
• Ensure safeguarding procedures are in place and followed, in line with local guidelines.

Vivid Resourcing are committed to equality of opportunity for all applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships or any other characteristic protected by law.