End Of Life Coordinator

Purpose of the Post

The End of Life Care Coordinator’s role will be to lead on, support and coordinate all activities associated with the hospital End-of-Life Care Quality Improvement Plan designed to implement the Hospice Friendly Hospitals Quality Standards for End-of-Life Care in Letterkenny University Hospital.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

The post holder will support the principle that care of the patient comes first at all times and will approach their work with the flexibility and enthusiasm necessary to make this principle a reality for every patient to the greatest possible degree.

Maintain awareness of the primacy of the patient in relation to all hospital activities.

Performance management systems are part of the role and you will be required to participate in the Group’s performance management programme.

1. To support Letterkenny University Hospital in developing capacity to meet and sustain the Quality Standards for End-of-Life Care in Hospitals in accordance with the hospital Quality Improvement Plans (QIP).

2. To work closely with the chair of the End of Life Care Committee and the assigned lead responsible for Quality Improvement.

3. To ensure the effective functioning of the End of Life Care Committee by supporting the related work groups tasked with coordinating aspects of the QIP(s)

4. To engage with the End of Life Care Committees in the other hospitals within the Saolta University Health Care Group to support group-wide end-of-life care initiatives and quality improvement projects

5. To ensure that the End of Life Care Committee in Letterkenny University hospital is representative of all key hospital disciplines and perspectives and stakeholder interests, including representatives of the public/patient engagement groups

6. To support the development, implementation and evaluation of comprehensive guidelines, policies and procedures to inform and guide the management of all aspects of dying, death and bereavement informed by international best practice.

7. To ensure the continued development and delivery of induction and in-service awareness, education and training on end-of-life care issues (including: ‘Final Journeys’ and ‘Dealing with Bad News’).

8. To actively engage with the Hospice Friendly Hospitals programme to include attendance at HFH events, and to avail of support and training relevant to the role of an End-of-Life Care Coordinator.

9. To work across the hospital to enable staff to (a) recognise their personal and collective responsibility for the quality of care for people at end of life and (b) continually improve this quality through collaboration and team effort.

10. To work with the End of Life Care Committee in preparing quarterly progress reports for review, identifying appropriate key performance indicators and reporting to the Executive Management Team.

11. To ensure the implementation of measures to enhance the quality of the physical and sensory environment in so far as it impacts on patient dignity and safety and the needs of patients, families and care staff for privacy and confidentiality.

12. To support the development of systems to identify and facilitate, to the greatest extent possible, the preferred place of care for patients at end-of-life.

13. To ensure participation in ongoing auditing, evaluation and review of the quality and organisation of end-of-life care in all areas of the hospital.

14. To promote an ethical approach to end of life care informed by hospice philosophy and principles that seeks to maximise the quality of life, at end of life, in accordance with the wishes and preferences of patients and their relatives.

15. To maintain necessary confidentiality relating to the work, and regarding patients, staff and the partnership organisations.

KPI’s

• The identification and development of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which are congruent with the Hospital’s service plan targets.
• The development of Action Plans to address KPI targets.
• Driving and promoting a Performance Management culture.
• In conjunction with line manager assist in the development of a Performance Management system for your profession.
• The management and delivery of KPIs as a routine and core business objective.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING GENERAL CONDITIONS:

· Employees must attend fire lectures periodically and must observe fire orders.

· All accidents within the Department must be reported immediately.

· Infection Control Policies must be adhered to.

· In line with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Acts 2005 and 2010 all staff must comply with all safety regulations and audits.

· In line with the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act 2004, smoking within the Hospital Buildings is not permitted.

· Hospital uniform code must be adhered to.

· Provide information that meets the need of Senior Management.

· To support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

Risk Management, Infection Control, Hygiene Services and Health & Safety

· The management of Risk, Infection Control, Hygiene Services and Health & Safety is the responsibility of everyone and will be achieved within a progressive, honest and open environment.

· The post holder must be familiar with the necessary education, training and support to enable them to meet this responsibility.

· The post holder has a duty to familiarise themselves with the relevant Organisational Policies, Procedures & Standards and attend training as appropriate in the following areas:

o Continuous Quality Improvement Initiatives

o Document Control Information Management Systems

o Risk Management Strategy and Policies

o Hygiene Related Policies, Procedures and Standards

o Decontamination Code of Practice

o Infection Control Policies

o Safety Statement, Health & Safety Policies and Fire Procedure

o Data Protection and confidentiality Policies

· The post holder is responsible for ensuring that they become familiar with the requirements stated within the Risk Management Strategy and that they comply with the Group’s Risk Management Incident/Near miss reporting Policies and Procedures.

· The post holder is responsible for ensuring that they comply with hygiene services requirements in your area of responsibility. Hygiene Services incorporates environment and facilities, hand hygiene, catering, cleaning, the management of laundry, waste, sharps and equipment.

· The post holder must foster and support a quality improvement culture through-out your area of responsibility in relation to hygiene services.

· The post holders’ responsibility for Quality & Risk Management, Hygiene Services and Health & Safety will be clarified to you in the induction process and by your line manager.

· The post holder must take reasonable care for his or her own actions and the effect that these may have upon the safety of others.

· The post holder must cooperate with management, attend Health & Safety related training and not undertake any task for which they have not been authorised and adequately trained.

· The post holder is required to bring to the attention of a responsible person any perceived shortcoming in our safety arrangements or any defects in work equipment.

· It is the post holder’s responsibility to be aware of and comply with the HSE Health Care Records Management/Integrated Discharge Planning (HCRM / IDP) Code of Practice.

Risk Management, Quality, Health & Safety

· Adequately identifies, assesses, manages and monitors risk within their area of responsibility.

· Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc. and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.

· Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

Education & Training

· Engage in the HSE performance achievement process in conjunction with your Line Manager and staff as appropriate.

The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

The salary scale for the post at (01/08/2025) is:

€60,013 - €61,479 - €63,192 - €64,911 - €66,636 - €68,176 - €69,745 - €71,272 - €72,788 - €75,397 - €78,015 LSIs

New appointees to any grade start at the minimum point of the scale. Incremental credit will be applied for recognised relevant service in Ireland and abroad (Department of Health Circular 2/2011). Incremental credit is normally granted on appointment, in respect of previous experience in the Civil Service, Local Authorities, Health Service and other Public Service Bodies and Statutory Agencies

Salary Scales are updated periodically and the most up to date versions can be found here: https://healthservice.hse.ie/staff/benefits-services/pay/pay-scales.html

New appointees to any grade start at the minimum point of the scale. Incremental credit will be applied for recognised relevant service in Ireland and abroad (Department of Health Circular 2/2011). Incremental credit is normally granted on appointment, in respect of previous experience in the Civil Service, Local Authorities, Health Service and other Public Service Bodies and Statutory Agencies.

As per HR Circular 012/25 Please note that previous experience working in the public service counts only where the individual was employed directly by the relevant Civil Service/Public Body. It does not apply for temporary assignments with those bodies while engaged as an agency worker and employed by a private sector employment agency. Exemptions can be found at the following link.

HSE Guidelines on Terms and Conditions of Employment provides additional information. https://www2.healthservice.hse.ie/organisation/national-pppgs/guidelines-on-terms-and-conditions-of-employment/