Job requirements
Requirements from the employer’s person specification. These describe the role, not your personal match.
Essential
12 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Knowledge
Good understanding of the psychosocial impact of serious and life-limiting illness on patients, families, and carers
- Knowledge
Understanding of the principles of palliative and end-of-life care
- Knowledge
Knowledge of relevant health, social care, community, hospice, and voluntary-sector resources
- Experience
Experience working as a qualified social worker within a health, hospital, community, hospice, or similarly complex setting
- Experience
Experience undertaking comprehensive psychosocial assessments
- Experience
Experience contributing to multidisciplinary assessment and care planning
- Qualifications
Recognised professional qualification in Social Work.
- Qualifications
Current registration with the relevant professional regulatory body.
- Qualifications
Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to social work practice.
- Clinical and Professional Skills
Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team
- Clinical and Professional Skills
Ability to prioritise and manage a complex caseload
- Clinical and Professional Skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Desirable
9 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Knowledge
Knowledge of advance care planning and goals-of-care processes
- Knowledge
Knowledge of approaches to supporting people experiencing complex grief or psychological distress
- Experience
Experience facilitating or contributing to complex family meetings and discussions regarding goals of care
- Experience
Experience providing education, consultation, or supervision to colleagues
- Experience
Experience supporting discharge planning and transitions between hospital, hospice, community, and social care services
- Qualifications
Postgraduate qualification in social work or palliative care
- Qualifications
additional training in palliative care, end-of-life care, bereavement, counselling, oncology, or a related field
- Clinical and Professional Skills
Experience delivering teaching or presentations to healthcare professionals
- Clinical and Professional Skills
Experience facilitating family meetings
Job overview
We are seeking an experienced and compassionate Social Worker to join our hospital-based palliative care team. You will provide specialist psychosocial support to patients and their families living with serious or life-limiting illness, helping them navigate the emotional, social and practical challenges of their diagnosis.
You will undertake holistic assessments, provide counselling and emotional support, respond to complex family and safeguarding needs, and support patients with advance care planning, goals of care, discharge planning and end-of-life decisions.
Working closely with the multidisciplinary team, you will help patients and families access appropriate hospice, community and other support services, and provide support through bereavement where required.
This is a rewarding role for a compassionate, skilled Social Worker who is committed to delivering person-centred care and improving the experience and quality of life of patients and their families.
Main duties of the job
The Palliative Care Social Worker will be an integral member of the Specialist Palliative Care MDT, providing expert psychosocial support to patients and families living with serious or life-limiting illness.
The post holder will undertake holistic psychosocial assessments, provide emotional and practical support, and help patients and families navigate complex issues including adjustment, grief, loss, end-of-life care and bereavement. They will advocate for patient and family wishes, support complex discharge and care planning, and facilitate access to appropriate health, social care, financial, community and bereavement services.
The role will involve close multidisciplinary working across hospital and community services, contributing to family meetings, care planning and complex decision-making. The post holder will also provide advice and education to colleagues, contribute to safeguarding and clinical governance, and support service development and quality improvement.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached supporting document which contains more information about the Palliative Care Social Worker role at Epsom and St Helier.
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.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Palliative Care Social Worker with Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust in Carshalton, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Social worker role. The advertised salary is £55,524 - £62,652 pro rata per annum incl HCAS. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 30 Sep 2026.
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