Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 7 Social worker to join the Specialist Autism Team, a unique and continuously developing service which works closely with secondary mental health care services to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions for autistic individuals.
This role is to lead within the discharge and intervention pathway bring expert knowledge of social work issues relating to the discharge of autistic adults from acute mental health services.
This post is an opportunity for a creative and innovative practitioner with a passion for delivering person-centred care, which is driven by the individuals whom we support.
The Specialist Autism Team adopts a multidisciplinary team approach to working which supports the evolutionary scope of the service. The MDT is made up of Occupational Therapists, Nurses (RMN & RLD), Speech and Language Therapists, Social Workers , Therapy Assistants & Clinical Psychologists. Through such an approach we are continually learning, developing and findings different ways of working in order to meet the needs and wishes of the individuals we work with. For this reason we have regular team development sessions and each team member plays a vital role in sharing knowledge and information.
We work as a tertiary service between the core hours of 9am until 5pm (Monday-Friday), with some flexibility required on occasion to meet individual need and preferences.
Main duties of the job
The Service aims to deliver innovative, high-quality services through effective collaboration with partner agencies. In addition to supporting individuals with autism and their families, the team is committed to promoting public health, safeguarding, and risk management through ongoing service development and training initiatives. The team comprises experienced and dedicated professionals.
The successful candidate will be a registered Social Worker with current knowledge of health policies and legislation relevant to autistic individuals. Adaptability, excellent communication skills, and self-motivation are essential attributes. The role requires an experienced clinician with proven expertise in working with individuals presenting complex health needs, challenging behaviours, and autism, employing evidence-based and innovative practice approaches.
The post holder will manage a caseload of service users, supporting them in achieving timely discharge from mental health hospitals. Additionally, they will provide autism-specific interventions, offer guidance and advice to clinical teams supporting the individuals, and share relevant information with key stakeholders involved in the patient’s care.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Specialist Social Worker with Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust in Preston, North West, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Healthcare support worker role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 pa. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 23 Jun 2026.
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