Overview

Care co-ordinators help people co-ordinate and navigate their care across the health and care system and can support people to become more active in their own health and care. They work alongside GPs and other Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to provide extra capacity, support and expertise to patients who are having clinical conversations. Care co-ordinators can be an effective intervention in supporting people to stay well particularly those with long term conditions, multiple long-term conditions, and people living with or at risk of frailty. Some Care co-ordinators have specialisms in areas such as cancer or frailty.

Some examples of things they might help with:

  • Offer information about local activities, interest groups or day centres
  • Signpost to transport help for appointments and other activities
  • Arrange support for the patient or for someone they care for
  • Signpost to bereavement support
  • Signpost to organisations that can help with aids and adaptations to the home
  • Help find a volunteer friend
  • Signpost to debt, benefits and financial support

The Community and Care Co-ordinator will proactively identify patients and link them to volunteers and networks within the community. Their second key function is to support the community, community groups and networks to grow and develop.

Career Pathway

There is no set career route or pathway into becoming a care co-ordinator. People who choose to become a care co-ordinator could be from a health and care background or a different sector, where they have gained the transferable skills to meet the core competencies required for the role.

Training and Development

Employers should have an awareness of their care co-ordinator’s previous experience and what additional training and support is needed, particularly for care co-ordinators who are new to the NHS. A community Health and Wellbeing Apprenticeship is one route into the role. It is a minimum requirement that care co-ordinators undertake a two-day training course There are numerous training providers listed for this. See links below.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/workforce-development-framework-for-care-co-ordinators/

Accredited Training Menu – Care Coordination NEW – Personalised Care Institute

NHS England » Care co-ordinators

Care Coordinators – Personalised Care Institute

Arrs roles training requirements – Personalised Care Institute

Contact

Claire Wagner, Personalised Care Roles Facilitator stw.traininghub@nhs.net