Lead for Safeguarding Adults - Community | East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust; Colchester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare trust in Colchester is seeking a highly motivated Safeguarding Practitioner to join their safeguarding team. You will provide specialist knowledge and clinical expertise to staff and support local authorities in safeguarding responsibilities. The ideal candidate will have experience in safeguarding adults and be capable of leading initiatives and training. This role offers a supportive working environment with numerous benefits, including 27 days annual leave and flexible working options.

Benefits

Generous pension scheme

Unsocial hours payments

27 days annual leave

Access to NHS discounts

Health and Wellbeing programs

Qualifications

• Previous experience in safeguarding roles essential.
• Proven ability to work within multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to provide specialist advice and training.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist advice and knowledge for safeguarding adults.
• Lead workstreams and initiatives to safeguard adults.
• Support local authorities in safeguarding responsibilities.

Skills

Experience in safeguarding adults

Strong communication skills

Clinical expertise

Ability to provide training and support

Job description

We are currently recruiting to our safeguarding team and are looking for an enthusiastic, highly motivated and innovative individual with experience of safeguarding adults.

Our team offers a Mon‑Fri 9‑5pm service.

You will be a highly visible experienced practitioner, providing specialist knowledge, advice and clinical expertise to North East Essex Community Services (NEECS) staff in all areas of Safeguarding Adults.

You will be a member of the ESNEFT Safeguarding Families & Complex Health Team and will enable a holistic approach to the care of adults at risk of abuse/neglect in delivering safeguarding advice, support, training and supervision.

You will be responsible for providing effective and timely flow of information between the community/hospital and other agencies as appropriate.

The Safeguarding Families & Complex Health Team have a robust audit programme in which you will participate. They will also be assisting in the co‑ordination and contribute to inter‑professional training in safeguarding adults across the Trust and will be expected to deputise for the Head of Safeguarding Families as required.

Responsibilities

• To be a highly visible senior practitioner, providing specialist knowledge and advice expertise to all staff working in North East Essex Community Services (NEECS) for all areas of Safeguarding Adults
• To promote the safeguarding of adults at risk within North East Essex Community Services (NEECS)
• To identify and lead on workstreams and initiatives relating to Safeguarding Adults.
• To promote high quality and evidence based improvements in service delivery
• To overcome staff and public barriers to understanding around the area of safeguarding adults at risk including domestic abuse and the assessment of mental capacity
• To promote the message that ‘safeguarding is everyone’s business’, sharing best practice and lessons learnt.
• To support the Local Authorities and other partners in their delivery of their statutory safeguarding responsibilities and priorities

About ESNEFT

ESNEFT provides hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients’ own homes.

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) & access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

Benefits

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what’s widely regarded as the world’s best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

This advert closes on Tuesday 6 Jan 2026