Specialist Social Worker - Paediatric Kidney Service

Job overview

Paediatric Kidney Service: Specialist Social Worker

An exciting and rare opportunity has arisen in the South West Paediatric Kidney Service. This is a full-time appointment for a Specialist Social Worker. The post holder will provide a social work service to children and young people with kidney disease and their families attending Bristol Royal Hospital for Children (BRHC), working across inpatient, outpatient and community settings.

The South West Paediatric Kidney Service provides specialist care for children and young people with acute and chronic kidney disease, including dialysis, transplantation and long-term renal conditions. The service includes inpatient and outpatient facilities, haemodialysis services and regional outreach provision. The multidisciplinary team includes community nurses, doctors, psychologists, dietitians, pharmacists, play specialists, inpatient and haemodialysis nurses and social work support.

The post holder will work collaboratively with local authority services, educational settings, hospital teams and voluntary organisations to ensure coordinated, patient-centred care. The role will also contribute to service improvement initiatives, family support activities, peer support programmes, educational events and the annual kidney camp.

Main duties of the job

• To provide a specialist social work service to children, young people and families receiving care within the South West Paediatric Kidney Service.
• To promote the wellbeing of patients and families and help achieve the best possible health and social outcomes.
• To support families in managing the emotional, practical, financial and safeguarding challenges associated with kidney disease.
• To contribute to multidisciplinary care planning and service development initiatives within the Paediatric Kidney Service.

(Cont'd under detailed job description and main responsibilities)

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

(Main duties of the job cont.)

• Work as a fully integrated member of the Paediatric Kidney Service multidisciplinary team.
• Deliver a needs-led specialist social work service in accordance with legislation, professional standards and best practice.
• Undertake psychosocial assessments and identify social, emotional, safeguarding and practical needs of children, young people and their families.
• Coordinate psychosocial aspects of care pathways including diagnosis, dialysis, transplantation and transition to adult services.
• Provide emotional and practical support to children, young people and families during periods of illness, treatment and hospital admission.
• Support families experiencing distress, uncertainty, significant life changes or bereavement.
• Assist families with accessing financial support, welfare benefits, grants and charitable funding opportunities.
• Promote treatment engagement and help address barriers to treatment adherence and attendance.
• Act as a source of specialist social work knowledge for the multidisciplinary team.
• Provide advice regarding safeguarding, child protection and social care issues affecting children and families.
• Liaise with safeguarding teams, local authorities and external agencies as appropriate.
• Advocate for children, young people and families to ensure their needs are recognised and addressed.
• Promote anti-discriminatory and inclusive practice throughout all areas of work.
• Act as a link between families and statutory, educational, healthcare and voluntary organisations.
• Participate in multi-agency meetings, Team Around the Child meetings and safeguarding discussions as required.
• Promote awareness among external agencies of the challenges associated with paediatric kidney disease and long-term health conditions.
• Support coordinated discharge planning and community reintegration where required.
• Participate in service evaluation, audit, quality improvement and research activities where appropriate.
• Contribute to service development projects and innovations within the Paediatric Kidney Service.
• Support family workshops, patient education events and peer support opportunities.
• Assist with organisation of family engagement activities including peer-support days and annual renal family events.
• Maintain contemporaneous and accurate records in accordance with Trust policies and professional standards.
• Actively participate in supervision, appraisal and mandatory training.
• Participate in local and national paediatric renal social work networks and peer supervision opportunities.
• Maintain professional registration and continuing professional development requirements.
• Contribute to the performance management process through objective setting and review.
• Undertake any other duties appropriate to the role and grade as agreed with the line manager.

The role is based at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children in central Bristol although the role requires working across the commissioned area and occasional travel. It is also possible for part of the week to be worked from home.

For further details please contact paediatric community nurse lead Jo Woodland on Joanna.Woodland@uhbw.nhs.uk (0117 34 28548) or Clinical Psychologist Dr Claire Semple on Claire.Semple@uhbw.nhs.uk (0117 342 8168).

For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and person specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

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.