Senior Social Worker

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 6 Senior Social Worker to join the High Volume User (HVU) Service at University Hospital North Midlands (UHNM). The HVU team provides assessment and community-based support to patients who frequently attend A&E and impact hospital flow and waiting times. These individuals often present with complex physical, mental health, and social needs, requiring a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to reduce reliance on urgent care services and improve engagement with appropriate pathways. The post holder will manage a complex caseload, acting as the allocated practitioner. You will undertake comprehensive assessments, develop and implement care and risk management plans, and work collaboratively with health, mental health, social care, and community services to ensure individuals receive coordinated and effective support. You will deliver person centred interventions in patients’ homes or community settings to improve outcomes and quality of life. The role includes maintaining accurate clinical records, effective communication, and acting as an advocate for service users. We are seeking a motivated, flexible, and compassionate practitioner with relevant experience and strong team working skills, committed to delivering high standards of care and upholding Trust values.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be accountable on a day-to-day basis to the Team leader who will monitor and review all work through regular informal and formal supervision.

The role will involve assessing and implementing a range of interventions and providing guidance/advice and information for service users with acute or increasingly complex long-term conditions that could include mental health needs, learning difficulties or physical health difficulties.

The post holder will be required to be an integrated and supportive member of a team, planning, actioning, monitoring and evaluating work with the supervision of the Team Leader/experienced Social Worker.

The post holder will act as an experienced and independent practitioner within the role, assessing, formulating, implementing and agreeing support and intervention for Service Users. The post holder will seek guidance and support as needed and/or in relation to high profile, complex and/or very high cost or challenging cases.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To carry out a range of assessments including holistic assessments. The post holder will ensure that the service user is at the centre of the assessment/care and review.

To participate on the Duty Rota, where appropriate

To be responsible for undertaking assessments, signposting where relevant to other services, including Primary Health Care providing information, advice and guidance across the spectrum of Universal services, voluntary sector etc.

To communicate highly complex assessment information including care and support planning and risk factors, to Service Users, carers, professionals, Emergency Services, MDT and Courts, as appropriate and in line with Information Governance.  Communicate sensitive issues in a skilled and appropriate manner and address any barriers to participation and understanding.

To communicate with a wide range of Service Users, their families, members of multi-disciplinary teams, external agencies including colleagues within the trust, Primary Health Care and the voluntary sector, Commissioners and other Senior Staff.

To coordinate the signposting and/or referral of Service Users in collaboration with multi-disciplinary colleagues and external services.

To uphold the principles of wellbeing and ensure Service Users people can access their rights and entitlements including access to social care resources under a range of relevant statute and eligibility criteria including the Care Act (2014), The Mental Health Act (1983/2007), the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the Human Rights Act (1998).

To organise and chair more complex multi-disciplinary meetings and professional case conferences as required with the appropriate levels of support and guidance from senior staff.  To articulate a wide range of information clearly, often in emotive situations.  Responsibilities as participant/chair may include (but are not limited to) collating assessments from various agencies, ensuring relevant clinical, professional and legal documentation is available.