About this role
Job summary
The Head of Care Navigation is responsible for leading and developing the care navigation service ensuring patients are directed to the most appropriate care and support. The role oversees referral management, patient pathways, coordination between hospice services, community teams, and external partners to improve access and patient experience. The post holder will provide leadership to the care navigation team, support service improvement, and ensure safe, effective processes for triaging and directing referrals. Applications are welcomed from experienced professionals such as Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs), paramedics, or other suitably experienced healthcare leaders with strong skills in coordination, communication, and service management.
Care Navigation is the clinical front door and co-ordination hub for all hospice services, covering IPU admissions and reviews, Hospice at Home caseload and complex community work, outpatient and rapid access activity, advice and guidance to professionals, and the 24-hour support line.
The Head of Care Navigation leads a multi-professional team structure including a Triage Manager, a Flow & Scheduling Manager, and a Medicines Optimisation Manager / Pharmacists.
The Head of Care Navigation has strategic oversight of access, triage, flow and medicines optimisation. They use data and insight to understand demand and capacity, drive improvements in access and responsiveness, and support earlier intervention.
Main duties of the job
Provide senior clinical and operational leadership across hospice services, working closely with the Director of Care and Heads of Service to deliver the Living Lifes Wishes strategy. Lead the development and continuous improvement of the Care Navigation model, including one front door approach to access, triage, medicines optimisation and patient flow across inpatient, Hospice at Home and supportive care services.
Ensure the Care Navigation hub operates as an integrated, multi-professional team, delivering safe, effective triage, prioritisation and coordination of care, particularly for complex or high-risk patients. Use data, feedback and outcomes to inform service development and ensure medical input is targeted effectively.
Provide expert clinical oversight, advice and decision-making for complex referrals, urgent situations and sensitive cases, supporting patients, families and referrers. Work collaboratively within the MDT and with external partners to ensure person-centred, coordinated care and smooth transitions between services.
Support governance, quality improvement and service planning, including medicines optimisation, audit, incident review and workforce development. Provide clinical leadership, supervision and mentorship to the Care Navigation team and wider workforce, while fostering a positive learning culture.
Build strong partnerships across healthcare systems, represent the hospice in wider forums, and champion equitable access to services.
About us
Rotherham Hospice is a charity dedicated to the people of Rotherham, offering specialist palliative and end of life care to our community since 1996.
We provide comprehensive, compassionate care through two primary patient services:
24-hour, 14-bed Inpatient Service 24-hour Hospice at Home ServiceAdditionally, we offer wider support to patients and their families through:
Complementary therapies & hairdressing Counselling and Bereavement Support for adults, children and teenagers Day services with individual and group sessions Family memory events Occupation therapy and physiotherapy Social work Spiritual care Tailored experiences for patients and loved ones
Job description Job responsibilities
Strategic clinical leadership and service development
Provide senior leadership across hospice services, working closely with the Director of Care and Heads of Service to deliver the Living Lifes Wishes strategy. Lead the design, implementation and continuous development of the Care Navigation model, including the one front door access, triage, medicines optimisation and flow processes across IPU, Hospice at Home Care and Supportive Care. Ensure the Care Navigation hub functions as an integrated multi-professional team bringing together triage, medical decision making, flow and scheduling, pharmacy input and referral / booking. Use data, evidence and feedback (including referral patterns, support line activity and outcomes) to shape service development, ensuring hospice medical input is targeted where it adds most value. Support the Director of Care with medium and long-term planning for clinical capacity, including alignment of Consultant, doctor. Expert clinical decision making, triage and the 24-hour support line
Provide senior clinical oversight for triage decisions made within Care Navigation, including complex or high-risk referrals and urgent situations. Work with the Triage Manager team to refine and implement clear triage criteria, pathways and standard operating procedures for access to hospice services and for the 24-hour support line. Ensure the daytime Care Navigation CNS and overnight senior nurse model for the 24-hour support line has robust medical and pharmacy escalation routes and governance. Provide senior-level advice to referrers, patients and families where cases are complex, contentious or carry significant risk. Direct clinical care and MDT leadership
Provide clinical leadership within the Care Navigation service, ensuring safe and effective triage, assessment, and prioritisation of patient referrals. Support the coordination of care for patients with complex or palliative care needs, ensuring timely access to appropriate hospice and community services Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team (MDT) including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and community partners to ensure coordinated, person-centred care. Contribute to and support MDT discussions, providing expertise in patient pathways, service access, and care coordination. Provide professional guidance and clinical support to the Care Navigation team when managing complex referrals or sensitive patient situations. Promote effective communication between services to ensure smooth transitions of care and continuity for patients and families. Ensure that care navigation decisions and processes align with clinical governance, safeguarding requirements, and organisational policies. Support the development of collaborative working relationships across hospice, primary care, hospital, and community services. Act as a clinical leader who promotes high standards of care, patient safety, and person-centred decision making within the MDT Work closely with Nurses, Clinical Nurse Specialists, ACP, doctors and therapists to support day-to-day medical management, complex symptom control, advance care planning and end-of-life decision making. Clinical governance, medicines optimisation and quality Work with the Director of Care, Medicines Optimisation Manager / Pharmacist, Flow & Scheduling Manager and Heads of Service to ensure robust clinical governance and medical oversight across services. Provide strategic clinical leadership for medicines optimisation within the Care Navigation model, working with the Medicines Optimisation Manager / Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician on guidelines, protocols and stewardship. Lead or contribute to clinical audits, evaluations and quality improvement projects related to medical care, access, triage, medicines use and outcomes. Use the incident reporting system to review medical, pharmacy and system-level incidents, support investigations and ensure learning is translated into improved practice.
Leadership of the Care Navigation and medical team
Provide clinical leadership, support and professional supervision for the Triage Manager. Work with the Triage Manager and to ensure consistent presence in the hub and clear accountability for the 24-hour support line. Foster a positive learning culture within the Care Navigation hub and wider medical team, encouraging reflection, supervision and ongoing professional development. System and partnership working
Build strong relationships with TRFT, GPs, community services, ambulance services and other partners to support co-ordinated care, shared pathways and timely advice and guidance. Represent the hospice in relevant system-level forums, networks and clinical groups, including agreed Trust MDTs (for example oncology, respiratory and frailty) and strategy meetings. Champion equity of access to hospice services, including outreach to under-served communities and groups, working closely with the EDI Manager and Community Outreach teams. Work collaboratively with TRFT in relation to any Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that support the medical model, including on-call arrangements, diagnostics access, education and governance links. Education, supervision and professional development
Contribute to education and training for hospice staff, trainees and external colleagues in palliative and end-of-life care and the Care Navigation model. Provide clinical supervision and mentorship to doctors, ACPs as agreed, supporting advanced practice development.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Degree or equivalent experience in healthcare, health and social care, management, or a related field. Evidence of leadership or management training (e.g., ILM, leadership programme, or equivalent experience). Evidence of continued professional development (CPD) relevant to care coordination, service management, or healthcare leadership. Training in safeguarding adults and/or vulnerable people.
Desirable
Experience of working in a hospice setting. Formal training or qualification in leadership, management or quality improvement.
Experience Essential
Significant experience working within healthcare, hospice, community services, or social care settings. Experience of leading or supervising teams. Experience coordinating patient pathways, referrals, or care navigation services. Experience working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and external partner organisations (e.g., NHS, community services, voluntary sector). Experience of service improvement, pathway redesign, or operational management. Experience of managing sensitive conversations with patients and families. Experience of data monitoring, reporting, and using information to improve services. Experience ensuring services operate in line with governance, safeguarding, and organisational policies.
Desirable
Skills in teaching, supervision and coaching. Skills in quality improvement methodologies.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name The Rotherham Hospice
Address Broom Road
Rotherham
South Yorkshire
S60 2SW
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.rotherhamhospice.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)