Senior Social Worker

St Andrew’s Healthcare is a charity providing specialist mental healthcare services. We work in partnership with a number of NHS, voluntary, educational and research organisations to deliver a range of specialist inpatient and community mental healthcare services, education and research that helps to improve the lives of people with complex mental health needs. 

St Andrew’s Birmingham is a 118 bedded adult mental healthcare facility comprises of eight units that cover medium and low security for both Men and Women. Located in Stirchley, a vibrant area in South Birmingham, easily accessible by road networks and public transport.

An exciting opportunity has come up within our Birmingham hospital for a Senior Social Worker. You would be joining a high achieving and committed social work team within an inpatient hospital setting. Our division is diverse and supports patients across a wide range of diagnoses offering a variety of specialist services.

You will hold responsibility for a workload for patients in the most complex of circumstance, deputise for the Lead Social Worker and support in this capacity when necessary and provide clinical supervision to less experienced members of the Social Work team.

 The Role 

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 

You will be confident in preparing formal reports, reviews and have experience in giving competent evidence to Mental Health Act Tribunals and other formal meetings. There will be opportunities to engage with families and carers. 

All Social Workers work within the Care Programme Approach and will be expected to lead on particular responsibilities that will include: 

• Assessment of patient needs for social work interventions throughout admission
• Ensuring that patient’s rights are protected under the Mental Health Act 1983, Children Act, Human Rights Act, Safeguarding Adults procedures, and Community Care legislation.
• Advocating for patients or ensuring the involvement of appropriate advocacy services
• Preparation and presentation of Mental Health Review Tribunal reports.
• Working with carers and family members including visits to family homes, completing Core Assessments as needed, liaison with home area Health and Social Care services, other voluntary or statutory agencies, identifying and assessing appropriate community resources.
• Planning for Discharge and recording Section 117 Aftercare arrangements.
• Attendance at Clinical Review meetings and presentation of evidence of social work intervention.

About you
You will be registered with Social Work England. There will be opportunities for ongoing training to ensure re-registration. You will receive monthly clinical supervision and regular CPD events.

Knowledge of Mental Health Legislation including the Care Programme Approach is essential.   

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; 27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), increasing after 10 years' service; Life cover; Electric Car lease scheme; Cycle to work scheme; Healthcare cash plan; Free parking; Paid DBS application; Access to free vocational qualifications..

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.