Acute Liaison and Frailty Assessment (ALFA) Practitioner Band 5 | Croydon Health Services NHS Trust

The Acute Liaison and Frailty Assessment (ALFA) Team provides a responsive, safe, and effective service commissioned to reflect the needs of the local community. The team’s aims include urgent case management, proactive case management, supporting self‑care, and adopting a co‑produced approach with patients and service users.

The Band 5 Frailty Practitioner will spend most of their time in direct clinical practice, supporting patients living with frailty under the guidance of senior practitioners. The post‑holder will contribute to patient assessment and care planning, and support service delivery within an evolving frailty pathway.

The role involves supporting the delivery of high‑quality, person‑centred care for older people living with frailty within the Emergency Department (ED), Frailty Same Day Emergency Care (FSDEC), and other front‑door areas where frail patients may present. The post‑holder will take part in early frailty identification, assessment, and care coordination to improve outcomes, reduce avoidable admissions, and enhance patient flow across the acute setting.

They will provide a supportive and responsive clinical role within the ALFA Front Door Frailty Service, working flexibly to meet patient and service needs. The post‑holder will be an active team player in the implementation of quality improvement initiatives and audits within the team. They will supervise students and other more junior staff as required. They will participate in maintaining an overview of the standards of care being delivered, instigating remedial action to improve practice as necessary.

Under supervision, they will begin to develop the skills and competence required for autonomous practice as a Frailty Practitioner, including acting up in the absence of a Band 6 colleague where appropriate.

Croydon Health Services NHS Trust provides hospital and community services from a number of community and specialist clinics throughout Croydon. The Trust was formed on 1st August 2010 through the integration of Croydon Community Health Services and Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust. Around 4,100 staff provide services for a population of over 360,000 people who are relatively young with a high level of ethnic diversity.

Our main hospital site, Croydon University Hospital is one of the busiest in London. We’re also leading the way in providing more healthcare outside hospitals at clinics, specialist centres and in people’s homes. Our experienced district nursing teams, Allied Health Professionals and community matrons look after people of all ages across Croydon and our Children’s Hospital at Home cares for children with long‑term conditions without them having to come to hospital.

Across the NHS everybody is working hard to meet growing demand and we’re no exception. But with the right people on board, we are rising to this challenge, putting our people in the driving seat, encouraging innovation and transforming our services to give local people the quality of care they deserve.

Croydon Health Services puts a great deal of importance on education and training throughout the careers of all of our staff. As well as offering access to a range of core skills training and professional development. Croydon University Hospital plays an active role in training the clinicians of the future and works in partnership with major London universities.

If you want the opportunity to have a real impact, challenge yourself and be part of an NHS Trust that’s making a real difference then a career at Croydon Health Services could be just what you’re looking for.

Please see the attached supporting documents Job Description and Person Specification which contain more information about the role.

This advert closes on Thursday 5 Feb 2026.