Appointment of new Operations Manager for Transfer of Care Hub
Judith Chapman has been appointed as Operations Manager to lead the development and implementation of our newly formed Transfer of Care Hub and takes up her new post on 19 August.
At the heart of the Transfer of Care Hub is an integrated, multi-disciplinary team which includes nurses, therapists, social workers, associate practitioners, administration support staff and the discharge management team co-ordinators. Working together, either physically or virtually, the team links hospital and community services to ensure well planned and coordinated hospital discharges.
Judith will have responsibility for staff employed by both Durham County Council and County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. A key part of her role will be to develop an effective flow of patients between hospital and community settings. Primarily based at the University Hospital of North Durham, she will work across County Durham and with neighbouring NHS Trusts.
I am delighted to have been successful in being appointed as Co-ordinator for the Transfer of Care Hub and am very much looking forward to collaborating with my health and social care colleagues in this joint venture.
“My background is as a social worker, but I have been fortunate to have spent a substantial part of my career as a manager leading multi-disciplinary, integrated, health and social work teams in both the East and the North of County Durham.
“These teams delivered a hospital discharge function and also responded to people experiencing a health crisis in their own homes, delivering both health and social care services, to ensure the person was safe and that their health care and support needs were met. This work gave me a broad perspective across the health and social care system and taught me how essential co-operation, communication and understanding were in integrated working.
“There is much to do to bring together the elements of the Transfer of Care Hub, but I am confident that together we can achieve our goal of delivering a more seamless and efficient discharge pathway for patients with their welfare and best interests at the heart of all we do.”