Lead Social Worker

St Catherine'S Hospice (Preston); Rishton; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

36 days holiday

Wellbeing day

Employer pension contributions

Blue Light Card discounts

Life insurance

Cycle to work

On-site meals

Free parking

Job summary

St Catherine's Hospice in Preston is seeking an experienced Lead Social Worker to provide professional, clinical and operational leadership across Social Work, Counselling, Bereavement and Remembrance Services. The role combines safeguarding oversight, team management and service development with direct clinical practice.

You will lead multidisciplinary teams, manage complex caseloads, supervise staff and students, and drive education, quality assurance and partnerships to ensure outstanding

Qualifications

• Degree level qualification recognised by Social Work England.
• Current Social Work England registration.
• Postgraduate professional development where applicable.
• Experience with safeguarding adults and complex caseloads.

Responsibilities

• Social Work Practice
• Safeguarding Lead
• Day-to-Day Team Management
• Counselling, Bereavement and Remembrance Services
• Service Coordination
• Working Relationships

Skills

Social Work

Leadership

Team management

Communication

Education

Degree in Social Work (SW England registration)

SW England registration

Job description

Job summary

At St Catherines Hospice, we help people to have quality of life to the end of life, alongside supporting their families before, during and after bereavement. Our Social Work, Counselling, Bereavement and Remembrance Services provide compassionate, timely and effective support throughout each persons hospice journey.

We are looking for an experienced and values-led Lead Social Worker to provide professional, clinical and operational leadership across these vital services.

This is a varied senior role combining professional leadership, safeguarding oversight, team management, service development and direct clinical practice.

No two days are likely to look exactly the same. You could be:

• leading Social Work, Counselling, Bereavement and Remembrance Services
• managing a specialist caseload and supporting people with complex psychosocial needs
• providing expert safeguarding, mental capacity and risk-management advice
• facilitating family meetings and coordinating care with the multidisciplinary team
• supervising and developing staff, students and volunteers
• overseeing referral, triage, allocation and review processes
• monitoring demand, waiting times, outcomes and experience
• leading service improvement, audit and quality assurance
• delivering education and reflective learning
• building strong partnerships across health, social care and the voluntary sector

Main duties of the job

• Social Work Practice
• Safeguarding Lead
• Day-to-Day Team Management
• Counselling, Bereavement and Remembrance Services
• Service Coordination
• Working Relationships

About us

Enjoy 36 days holiday (including bank holidays), an extra wellbeing day for your birthday, up to 8% employer pension contributions, Blue Light Card discounts, discounted on-site meals, career development opportunities, life insurance, cycle to work scheme, employee assistance programme and great free parking within our fabulous grounds.

If you're ready to combine specialist social work practice with compassionate leadership and service development, we'd love to hear from you. Come and help us ensure people and families receive outstanding psychosocial support when it matters most.

Details

Date posted: 20 October 2026
Pay scheme: Other
Salary: £42,791 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: B0150-26-0013

Person Specification

Essential

• Communicates sensitive information clearly and compassionately.
• Organises workloads, priorities and day-to-day team activity effectively.
• Provides approachable and consistent support to staff and volunteers.
• Maintains accurate records and responds calmly to changing needs.
• Ability to produce clear, accurate reports and presentations for varied audiences.
• Degree level qualification recognised by Social Work England.
• Current Social Work England registration.
• Evidence of postgraduate professional development.
• Supervisory or team management training, or equivalent experience.
• Significant post-registration social work experience.
• Experience of working with people affected by life-limiting illness.
• Experience of supervising staff and coordinating day-to-day workloads.
• Experience of safeguarding adults.
• Experience of managing complex caseloads.
• Experience of multidisciplinary team working.
• Experience of providing supervision and day-to-day team support.
• Experience of maintaining safe and effective working practices.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation, statutory guidance and professional standards relating to social care, safeguarding, mental capacity and human rights.
• Knowledge of end-of-life care priorities and bereavement theory and practice.
• Knowledge of counselling governance and ethical practice.
• Knowledge of clinical governance, quality improvement and relevant regulatory standards.
• Compassionate, professional and values-led approach.
• Flexible and proactive working style.
• Calm and approachable manner under pressure.
• Commitment to personal and professional development.
• Understanding of and demonstrable commitment to the Hospice's values as a framework for decisions, actions and behaviours.

Desirable

• Practice Educator qualification.
• Counselling, bereavement or safeguarding qualification.
• Leadership or postgraduate qualification.
• Hospice or specialist palliative care experience.
• Experience of managing counselling or bereavement services.
• Experience of volunteer management.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer name: St Catherine's Hospice
Address: Lostock Lane, Lostock Hall, Preston, PR5 5XU, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.stcatherines.co.uk

For questions about the job, contact:
Tracy Earley
[e-mail]
01772629171