Senior Practitioner

Newcastle City Council; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Flexible working scheme

Defined benefit pension scheme

Vehicle leasing scheme

Home/office hybrid working

Post-qualifying education partnership

Job summary

Newcastle City Council's Adult Social Care and Prevention Services seeks a Senior Social Work Practitioner to lead and influence practice at Freeman Hospital. You will deputise for managers, supervise staff, and manage complex cases with a focus on safe discharge planning and post-discharge independence.

The role offers a flexible working pattern between hospital and home-based settings, with development partnerships and a strong emphasis on continuous improvement and professional judgment.

Qualifications

• Visible practice leadership within Adult Social Care
• Deputising for team managers across operational duties
• Supporting and directing team members in daily practice
• Contributing to a culture of excellent practice, accountability and improvement
• Nurturing and developing social workers and social care assessment officers
• Holding a caseload of complex work including risk and court proceedings

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction to the team in day-to-day operations
• Deputise for team managers when needed
• Support and develop team members in everyday practice
• Contribute to continuous improvement and accountability
• Manage complex cases including risk and court proceedings

Skills

Practice leadership

Team supervision

Decision making

Independent working

Analysing performance data

Court proceedings

Caseload management

Mentoring/Developing staff

Job description

Adult Social Care and Prevention Services

Senior Social Work Practitioner (Newcastle City Council working into Newcastle Hospitals)

• 1 permanent post (Freeman Hospital)
• 37 hours per week
• N9: £47,665 - £50,908 per annum

At the Freeman Hospital, our job is to help people get home or where they need to be as quickly and safely as possible and then work with them after discharge to maximise their independence. The work is short-term in nature, intensive and very rewarding.

Working closely with the team managers, the senior social work practitioner will provide visible practice leadership and help shape the team’s day-to-day work. The role will involve:

• Deputising for the team managers in a range of operational duties
• Supporting and directing team members with their daily practice
• Contributing to an existing culture of excellent practice, accountability and continuous improvement
• Nurturing and developing social workers and social care assessment officers, both formally and informally
• Contributing to efficient operational practice and analysing performance data
• Holding a caseload of complex work both beforeandafter discharge from hospital, including situations involving serious risk and court proceedings

We are looking for an accomplished and compassionate social worker who can exercise sound judgement, work confidently and independently, and inspire excellent practice in others. You will have a proven track record of high-quality work with adults and carers, together with the curiosity and ambition to continue developing as a practitioner and leader.

This post offers:

• The opportunity to join a mature but evolving team that values excellent practice, constructive challenge and continuous development. You will work alongside experienced and attentive managers who set high standards, invest in their staff and trust and support them to exercise professional judgement.
• Post-qualifying education partnership with local university and other opportunities for professional development
• Generous annual leave in addition to bank holidays with the ability to buy additional leave
• Access to a generous, defined benefit pension scheme
• Access to a flexible working scheme between 7.00 am and 7.00 pm by negotiation (depending on operational requirements)
• Access to vehicle leasing scheme
• Combination of home-based and office working based at the Freeman or RVI site, with IT equipment and mobile phone for work duties provided

We are committed to protecting and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all staff to share this commitment. This post is working in regulated activity. If you are successful, we will undertake additional recruitment checks which will include a check to see if you have had any criminal convictions, a check of police information and we will check the relevant barred list(s). It is a criminal offence for a barred individual to apply for a job in regulated activity.

As this post involves working with children, vulnerable adults or dealing with sensitive information, written references will be taken up and made available to interviewers before the final selection stage, even if you indicate otherwise.