Your keyworker

Your key worker is the health professional responsible for making sure that you and your multi-disciplinary healthcare team work to your individual agreed Care Plan. Your key worker may be a nurse, doctor, social worker, occupational therapist, psychologist, therapist or counsellor. Your key worker keeps in contact with you and acts as a link between you and the other members of your multi-disciplinary healthcare team while you are in hospital.

You will be assigned your key worker when the multi-disciplinary healthcare team looking after your care meets. He or she will arrange to meet you within 72 hours of this team meeting to discuss your care plan and your recovery.

You will also be allocated an associate key worker who will take over responsibility for carrying out your key worker role, at times when your key worker is on leave.

What is the role of my Key Worker?

The role of your key worker is to:

  • Co-ordinate the planning of your care with the healthcare team

  • Liaise with you and your family or, if appropriate, your carer or chosen advocate (i.e. with your consent or in the case of a young person under 18)

  • Liaise with other healthcare professionals within the Hospital and with your general practitioner/primary care team, community mental health team and any other relevant outside agencies;

  • Co-ordinate your discharge from Hospital

Your key worker will involve you, and with your permission, your family, carer or advocate, with other members of your multi-disciplinary healthcare team in discharge decisions. They will ensure that your multi-disciplinary healthcare team have filled in any relevant paperwork and will also make sure that the team talks with the GP, primary care team, community mental health services or other agencies outside the hospital when this is appropriate.

Your key-worker is responsible for co-ordinating your care when you are an in-patient in Hospital.

St Patrick’s University Hospital is committed to your recovery. In order to facilitate this, discharge planning begins soon after admission to help you focus on getting well and leaving hospital.

What happens when I leave Hospital?

When you leave Hospital your key worker will have ensured that the necessary supports and contacts have been put in place to manage your care.