Lead Social Worker - Essex - Colchester
Do you want to make a real difference advocating for people with complex mental health needs within a hospital setting?
Lead Social Worker
Location: EssexStarting Salary: £53,782 - £56,480
Career level C
Hours: full time
12 month fixed term contract
About Us
We are St Andrew's. We are a mental health Charity and our purpose is to inspire hope for those living with complex mental health needs.
We are looking to a future with less stigma, more community support, more research and education, and we aim to be at the forefront of inspiring real change. We want to ensure we can all live in a society where everyone with complex mental health needs is heard, valued and has hope for their future.
Come and join us, and support us to help people transform their lives.
Your role with us
You will be part of the leadership team within the Division and a key contributor to the operational and strategic direction of the division and the social care team.
We’re looking to recruit an experienced Social Worker to lead our Essex Social Care team and ensure the delivery of professional advice, supervision and support to the team. You will undertake on-going review of the delivery of the social work services and service needs to ensure we are delivering the best possible outcomes to patients within our care.
You will hold a protected case load, including complex and high risk individuals. You will develop and define social work roles and tasks, policies and procedures for St Andrew’s Healthcare and set good practice standards benchmarked against Professional Capabilities Framework and Social Work England guidance and incorporate up to date legislation and guidance into practice.
You will provide clinical and management supervision to the social workers and social care assistants and lead regular social work team meetings providing professional expertise and positive role modelling.
As part of the divisional management team you will take an active part in service strategy, governance and management meetings by analysing & providing performance data and ensuring quality assurance activity is in place.
You will support the social care to manage safeguarding incidents and referrals which adhere to local safeguarding board procedures and are within statutory timescales.
You will monitor the quality and administration of paperwork and computer records in line with St Andrew’s Healthcare current policies and will be working in partnership with outside agencies, organisations, patients and carers/families.
You will work in partnership with our multi-disciplinary teams (including Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Nursing and other Allied Health Professions) to provide holistic individualised treatment plans, and work directly with our patients on their recovery journey.Taking the lead with carer engagement and involvement ensuring that families are part of the team. You will become an expert in mental health legislation and practice, giving evidence at Tribunals and taking the lead on safeguarding.
You will have a recognised Social Work Qualification and ideally experience of working in Mental Health and Mental Capacity Legislation; as well as Safeguarding Adults Legislation and practice, to include the undertaking of safeguarding investigations.
St Andrew’s Healthcare Social Workers must be registered with Social Work England and there will be opportunities for training to ensure ongoing registration. In addition, there will be regular clinical supervision, an annual performance review and opportunities for development to stay up to date with the latest research, trends and best practices in psychiatric social work.
As a Charity with a focus on Education, Research and Training, we offer access to ASYE, Practice Educator course, Social Work forums, and have strong links with the University of Northampton and local teaching partnerships.
Our patients and your colleagues will expect you to live the St Andrew’s CARE values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence every single day.
Rewards
We offer an excellent benefits package including: Pension; Sickness policy on par with the NHS; Access to the Blue Light Card and Health Service Discounts schemes; 30 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), increasing to 33 after 10 years' service; Buy and Sell your Annual Leave; Employee Assistance and Wellbeing Programme; Menopause Group; Life cover; Electric car lease scheme; Cycle to work scheme; Free parking; onsite gym and swimming pool facilities; Paid DBS application; Access to free vocational qualifications.
Closing Date: Sunday 23rd March 2025
Interested?
If this sounds like you then we’d love you to apply here.