Job summary
Employer heading
Advanced Social Work Practitioner - Inpatients Pathway
NHS AfC: Band 7
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.
We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.
We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.
The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.
As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.
Job overview
At the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, we believe in providing excellent care which is delivered with pride and compassion. Everything we do is to improve the lives of the people and communities we serve and to promote mental health and wellbeing for all.
We are delighted to be seeking a permanent, full-time Band 7 Advanced Social Worker to join the new multi-disciplinary team on Evans Ward, based at the Ladywell Unit, Lewisham Hospital. This is a newly refurbished 16 bedded acute ward for Adult males with enduring Mental Health issues, ranging in age from 18 – 65 years. The ward is unique in that it will be taking admissions from across all 4 Trust boroughs.
Main duties of the job
As an inpatient social worker, you will provide and coordinate effective adult mental health social work provision for Evans ward, working closely with the ward manager, Adult Social Care, the Trust MCA lead and Lewisham Safeguarding lead to ensure service users, carers and significant others can access appropriate resources from local authorities and a range of external agencies.
You will lead on the understanding and knowledge of the role of social work within mental health, and demonstrate an in-depth understanding of mental health in-patient, discharge and community pathways. You will apply social work knowledge and skills to support MDT colleagues in the delivery of care, assessment, treatment and discharge of service users.
You will be committed to undertake person centred, recovery focused and trauma informed work with individuals and families taking into consideration their strengths, interests and assets in accordance with the Care Act (2014) and will support the MDT with advanced and relevant legal literacy in relevant mental health, social care and housing legislation, and law on mental capacity.
Working for our organisation
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.
SLaM employ around 6000 staff and serve a local population of 1.3 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.
You will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust encourages and welcomes applications from people with lived experience of mental health challenges. We see this as valuable and recognise the positive impact this experience can have on the work we do
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To work in partnership with service users, families and carers to meet social care needs that arise in relation to a range of mental disorders and often highly complex social situations and provide direct work as appropriate to assist recovery.
To work together with the Social Work lead and the directorate Safeguarding lead to provide an effective social work service for service users, their families and carers by ensuring access to appropriate resources from local authorities and a range of external agencies on a national level.
To contribute to the ward’s referral screening and admission processes and to gather information from service users, carers, family members and professionals in order to undertake assessment of social care needs and contribute to complex risk assessment and ongoing risk management and safety planning on the ward and in the community.
To make referrals where appropriate and to provide and access advocacy, information and guidance for service users, carers and agencies.
To coordinate care for service users by undertaking assessments and plans for aftercare informed by specialist knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Care Act 2014, Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004, in accordance with policy guidance and procedures. This includes screening for and / or undertaking Care Act assessments, presenting to funding panels where required.
To support MDT colleagues to trouble-shoot barriers to commissioning/ securing funding for supported accommodation or other packages of care and support; this will include aftercare arrangements under S117, MOJ requirements, and MCA/Court of Protection pathways.
To regularly provide specialist social work and social care contributions to MDT meetings, case conferences, Tribunals, Associate Hospital Managers, CPA planning, treatment and review meetings for service users as required.
To produce complex reports, attend MHA tribunals and complete agreed core tasks for SLAM, undertaking procedural and administrative duties related to the social work function.
To provide social work consultation, training and advice to the ward and community services as needed, with a focus on particular aspects of the Mental Health Act including CTOs, Mental Capacity Act, adult mental health, adult safeguarding and compliance with NICE guidelines.
To promote equality, diversity, and inclusion, maintaining an awareness of the equality and diversity policy and working to create and maintain a safe, supportive and welcoming environment where all people are treated with dignity and their identity and culture are valued and respected.
To ensure information is recorded consistently, accurately and within statutory timescales. To ensure service user confidentiality is maintained and information is shared with the service user, carer, and other agencies in accordance Trust data protection requirements.
To carry out the duties and responsibilities of the post, in accordance with local authority and Trust Health and Safety Policy and relevant Health and Safety legislation.
To undertake the statutory duties of the AMHP on a rota basis as a member of the Lewisham AMHP service (once warranted by that Authority).
To provide practice education for social work placements, where candidate is compliant with Practice Educator Professional Standards. (PEPS 1&2 or equivalent )
To implement adult safeguarding procedures in accordance with inter-agency and trust Procedures for Safeguarding Adults
Person specification
Qualifications and Postqualifying Training
Essential criteria
- To hold a professional qualification in social work
- Have a current registration with Social Work England
- To To hold an AMHP qualification and be prepared to be warranted by Lewisham LA.
- To hold a post qualification certificate in Practice Education (PEPS 1&2 or equivalent) or be prepared to train.
Desirable criteria
- Best Interest Assessor (BIA)
- Qualifications or training in specialist skills e.g., psychological interventions.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of implementing a social work service in a complex multi-disciplinary, multi –agency setting. (A)
- Experience of preparing complex, high quality reports with clear recommendations and presenting these within formal settings (A/I)
- Experience working in the area of adult safeguarding and managing significant risk (A/I)
- Experience of supervision of junior staff or students (A/I)
Desirable criteria
- Experience of providing training and education to other health professionals in field of social work expertise. (A)
- Experience of multi-agency care planning (CPA) for adults with serious mental health difficulties (A/I)
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of in-patient, stepdown and community services.
- Sound knowledge and skills in advanced risk assessment and in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
- Clear understanding of the Mental Health Act, Care Act, Housing Act, Mental Capacity Act / DoLs, Quality & Safety Governance, Clinical audit and relevant national policies.
- Clear knowledge and understanding of the process of supervision and reflective practice.
Skills and Aptitude
Essential criteria
- Excellent IT, organisational and time-management skills
- Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
- Ability to work effectively with service users and families from diverse minority ethnic and cultural backgrounds and with families with a high level of deprivation, social isolation, exclusion and stigma
- Ability to be responsive to change, innovative ideas and a flexible working pattern.
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Jill Sullivan
- Job title
- Professional Social Work Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07971655 902
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