Bank, Band 6, Social Worker, Watford - SW1458-SW1460

Job overview

We are currently seeking an experienced Social Worker, at Band 6 to work via a Bank Contract, based in Watford for our Community Adult Mental Health Team. You will be joining our Temporary Staffing Team within HPFT - Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.

As a Social Worker, you will work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team, providing high quality social care services to adults of all ages experiencing mental ill-health. The core functions of the role will be to provide assessment, care planning and coordination of care from a social perspective to adults accessing the service. You will delivery recovery-focused care and support to service users and their carers that is focused on the principles of choice, control, and independence, as well as ensuring safety. You will act as a champion of social care and safeguarding in your locality.

HPFT provides services for service users with mental health, learning disability and children’s and adolescent mental health problems. Applicants should have some experience of working in a healthcare setting. HPFT has a range of healthcare settings across the County and therefore access to a car would be beneficial unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 which prevents you from driving

All applicants need to hold a valid Social Worker England Registration and can evidence this.

Main duties of the job

You will actively address adversity and will support adults at risk of social inclusion and assist adults accessing support to deal with a range of adverse circumstances. You will actively champion equality and diversity and be expected to challenge discrimination in all its forms as part of your role.

You will hold a caseload which may comprise of adults experiencing a wide range of mental health and social care needs. You will ensure that you maintain constant reflection and development of your practice and will ensure your continuing professional development in line with the standards set out by the professional regulator, Social Work England.

You will be expected to work in partnership with service users and carers, so that they can feel empowered, and services can be improved because of feedback of their experiences. Partnership working is a key component of this post, both within and outside of the Trust, and you will need to be innovative in ensuring that there is a range of appropriate services locally to support individual recovery journeys.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

If you are not already an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP), you will be prepared to undertake the training required to undertake the AMHP role as your career progresses. If you are already an AMHP, you will contribute to the Trust’s countywide AMHP rota.

• Be a champion of social care with a comprehensive understanding of legislation and statutory guidance.
• Take a lead in the promotion of adult safeguarding practice and undertake safeguarding enquires and contribute to the provision of care plans that protect both adults and children from abuse.
• Undertake comprehensive assessments and reviews, for people who may present with a high risk, or those with significant interpersonal, social, legal and/or environmental complexities, ensuring people are assessed appropriately against social care eligibility criteria as defined by The Care Act 2014.
• Offer direct support to service users and their carers, and to colleagues, through information and advice, to ensure that those who do not meet social care eligibility are appropriately signposted and supported.
• Ensure that appropriate health and social care services are commissioned with and on behalf of service users, including the duty to offer direct payments, and that processes are in place for service users to be charged by the local authority for the social care services they receive, if applicable.
• Ensure that commissioned services allow choice to service users and carers and focus on people living in the community with appropriate support and access to universal services.

Please see JD attached for further information and responsibilities required