Adults Senior Practitioner Specialist Lead

SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 53,000; Full time

Job summary

Surrey County Council is seeking a Senior Practitioner Specialist Lead for a hybrid role. This position involves managing complex cases in Continuing Health Care, collaborating with health professionals, and supporting social workers. Ideal candidates are self-motivated with substantial experience and qualifications, keen on delivering person-centred care.

Benefits

26 days' holiday, rising to 31 days after 5 years

Option to buy up to 10 additional leave days

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Generous local government pension

Lifestyle discounts

2 paid volunteering days per year

Learning and development resources

Qualifications

• Practising Qualified Social Worker with current SWE registration.
• Significant post-qualifying experience in Health and Social Care environments.
• Strong knowledge base for safeguarding vulnerable adults.

Responsibilities

• Support and advise staff on Continuing Health Care.
• Handle complex cases and disputes.
• Collaborate with Health colleagues for person-centred assessments.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Management experience

Knowledge of Care Act

Knowledge of Mental Capacity Act

Education

Social Work Degree

Registered with SWE

Qualifications in Nursing or Allied Health Professions

Job description

This role has a starting salary of £52,942 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week (pro-rata for part-time staff).

We are hiring to the following Senior Practitioner Specialist Lead vacancies:

• 1 x full-time position (36 hours per week)
• 1 x part-time position (18 hours per week)

This role is suitable for a Social Worker, qualified nurse or other Healthcare professional and is currently based at Fairmount House in Leatherhead (although we will shortly be moving in the Summer of 2025 to Dakota in Weybridge). The role is hybrid, with a mixture of working in the office and from home. Further details can be discussed at interview.

We are a small and close-knit team and are currently looking for individuals who are interested in developing their practice in this specialised domain. This role will cover both adults and children's continuing health care assessments.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependants leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Team

We are a team with a mix of professional registrations and experience, passionate about achieving positive outcomes for the residents of Surrey and supporting front line teams in delivering excellence within the legal framework that we all operate within.

About the Role

This role offers the chance to collaborate with Health colleagues on person-centred joint assessments, empowering individuals to maximise their independence.

You will handle core duties, complex cases, and NHS Continuing Health Care disputes. Your main role is to support and advise staff and managers on Continuing Health Care and s117, providing coaching and training to maintain high standards and improve efficiency.

You will offer professional advice on NHS Continuing Health Care/s117 and related legal frameworks, assisting with dispute rationales and briefings. The role involves working in community and hospital settings across Surrey, with regular support and supervision, and providing supervision to social workers.

We seek confident, motivated, and enthusiastic individuals who prioritise person-centred care, supporting individuals to make their own choices about their lives and support.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• You are a practising Qualified Social Worker with SWE registration and have a social work degree (or are a Senior Social Care Practitioner with a recognised nursing or other Allied Health Professions Qualification) having completed any post qualification practice or training requirements.
• You have significant post-qualifying experience, including some degree of management experience in a variety of Health and Social Care environments, demonstrating good understanding of both the Health and Social Care agendas.
• A high level of understanding and commitment towards the personalisation agenda along with an applied knowledge of Adult Social Care legislation, including the Care Act, the Mental Capacity Act, and NHS Continuing Health Care for adults and children.
• That you are an enthusiastic, self-motivated and flexible person who has excellent interpersonal skills and proficient IT skills.
• You have the ability to use your initiative and excellent organisational skills to coordinate various work streams relating to the development of our professional staff.
• A strong knowledge base for the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and an understanding, and commitment to supporting carers and demonstrable commitment to delivering support and management in accordance with the Councils Equality and Diversity Policy is required.

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and locality based social care workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK and access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 22nd June 2025 with interviews planned for 11th July 2025.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Local Government Reorganisation

Surrey County Council is preparing for Local Government Reorganisation which will allow us to implement the Government led policy of devolution, which is all about giving more powers to local areas.

Currently, Surrey has a two-tier council system, with 11 district and borough councils and a county council, all responsible for different services. All these councils will be reorganised into a smaller number of new unitary councils which will come into effect in April 2027. At this point, this role will be transferred, with all existing terms and conditions intact into one of the new unitary councils.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents!