Adults Social Worker (Hospital Team)

School Result; Taunton; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days leave

Employee assistance program

Career development

Job summary

Somerset Council is recruiting a permanent Social Worker for adults to join its hospital interface service, based on site at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. The role involves working with health colleagues to support safe, timely discharge and recovery for adults across Somerset.

You must have a recognised social work qualification and current Social Work England registration. The post offers a salary of £38,510 rising to £43,149 with progression, 37 hours per week and a Saturday rota.

Qualifications

• Recognised social work qualification required.
• Current Social Work England registration required.
• Ability to work with health colleagues and partners.

Responsibilities

• Carrying out strengths-based assessments of risk and care needs.
• Managing a varied caseload and responding to referrals and crises.
• Working with health colleagues on admission avoidance and discharge planning.
• Completing care plans, reviews, and accurate records as required by policy.
• Building relationships with adults, carers, families and agencies.
• Contributing to multi-agency decisions and service development.

Skills

Risk assessment

Case management

Interagency liaison

Documentation

Empathy

Education

Social Work degree

Job description

Hospital social work moves quickly, because someone's safe return home often depends on decisions made within days. Somerset Council is recruiting a permanent Social Worker for adults to join its hospital interface service, working on site at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton alongside health colleagues. The salary starts at £38,510 and rises annually to £43,149, for 37 hours a week. Applications close on 25 November 2026.

About the Employer

Somerset Council is the unitary authority for Somerset, and it employs the social workers who work in the hospital team alongside NHS staff. Its adult social care services were assessed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which published its findings on 5 June 2026 after an on-site visit in September 2025. The overall rating was Requires Improvement. The assessment noted strengths in partnership working and the commitment of the workforce, and called for more consistency in people's experiences and outcomes. The advert says you'd be joining the hospital team "at an important point in its development", which fits that picture. This is useful context before you apply, not a reason to rule the job out.

Read Before You Apply

You need Social Work England registration. The role requires a recognised social work qualification and current registration with Social Work England. That's a legal requirement for using the title "social worker" in England.

You must be on site, and you need a vehicle. The post is based at Musgrove Park Hospital. Regular travel across Somerset may also be needed, including to places poorly served by public transport, so the advert requires access to and use of a vehicle for work. Ask about mileage rates and parking at the hospital.

There's a Saturday rota. The advert says rotational Saturday working, typically one Saturday every four to six weeks, depending on service need and staffing. Ask whether time off in lieu or extra pay applies.

Sponsorship is limited to people already in the UK. The council says it may consider Skilled Worker sponsorship for suitably qualified overseas social workers who are already living in the UK, and that sponsorship is assessed during recruitment. It says it can't recruit directly from overseas or provide resettlement support. So if you're abroad, this isn't a route for you. This is general information, not immigration advice.

The service name differs between listings. Your advert calls it the Hospital Interface Service, while the council's careers site calls the team the Health Interface Service. The earlier listing we found on the council's site for a similar post showed as filled, so confirm that the current vacancy (reference 1585/FG) is live on the council's careers page.

The pay is a range with annual progression. £38,510 to £43,149 is described as starting salary rising annually. Ask where you would be placed on entry and how progression works.

The work is demanding. The advert itself describes hospital social work as fast-paced and professionally demanding, balancing risk, rights, independence and timely decisions. Its guiding question is "Why not home?", so expect a strengths-based approach that challenges pessimism about what people can do.

• Carrying out strengths-based assessments of risk, independence, care and support needs, protecting adults from significant harm
• Managing a varied caseload and responding to referrals, crises and changing circumstances
• Working with health colleagues and partners on admission avoidance, hospital stays and safe, timely discharge planning
• Completing carers' assessments, care and support plans, reviews, reports and accurate records in line with legislation and policy
• Building relationships with adults, carers, families, health teams, housing, police and voluntary organisations
• Contributing to multi‑agency decisions, team learning and service development

Pay, Contract & Location

• Pay: £38,510 rising annually to £43,149
• Contract type: Permanent, 37 hours a week
• Posted: 28 October 2026
• Closing date: 25 November 2026 (reference 1585/FG)
• 30 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to buy extra leave
• Health and wellbeing support, including a confidential employee assistance service
• Learning, development, coaching and career support

Who Can Apply

• A recognised social work qualification and current Social Work England registration
• Knowledge of adult social care practice, relevant legislation and the issues affecting adults and carers
• Relevant multidisciplinary social care experience and evidence of working well with other agencies
• Ability to prioritise competing demands, make defensible decisions and keep timely, high-quality records
• Empathy, sensitivity and resilience in a fast‑paced setting
• Access to and use of a vehicle for work
• An enhanced DBS check
• If you're a current Somerset Council employee, apply through the internal careers page instead