Senior Social Worker

Stoke-on-Trent City Council; Hempstalls; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid & flexible working

Local authority pension scheme

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is seeking an experienced Senior Social Worker to join the Hospital Social Work Team within Adult Social Care. The role leads a fast-paced, seven-day service, supports safe hospital discharges and provides professional leadership across health and social care colleagues.

You will work to deliver high-quality social work practice, staff development and effective partnerships with health partners to achieve positive outcomes for people leaving hospital.

Qualifications

• Hold a recognised Social Worker qualification and hold a Social Work England registration.
• Demonstrate strong leadership and support to staff.
• Excellent communication and partnership working skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional leadership, guidance and support to Social Workers and Wellbeing Assessors, promoting high standards of practice and service delivery
• Manage team performance, workload distribution, case allocation and capacity planning to ensure safe and effective outcomes
• Oversee complex casework, safeguarding concerns and risk management, providing expert advice and decision‑making support
• Lead and coordinate Section 42 safeguarding enquiries, ensuring statutory responsibilities are met
• Support hospital discharge planning and patient flow initiatives, helping to reduce delays and improve outcomes
• Contribute to the delivery of a seven‑day service including participation in weekend system calls
• Lead quality assurance activities, audits and continuous improvement actions including QPRS initiatives

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Partnership working

Education

Social Worker qualification

Social Work England registration

Job description

Directorate: Adult Social Care & All Age Commissioning

Section: Adult Social Care

Location: University Hospital

Grade: Level 13

Hours: 37 hours per week, working weekends/bank holidays on a rota system, as this is a seven-day service

This advert is open to both internal and external applicants.

We are a city of strengths, with a proud heritage and bright future. Working for Stoke-on Trent City Council is more than just a job, it’s about making, protecting and improving the services for the local population, reducing inequalities and improving independence for the people who live and work in the city. And that’s where you come in. We are always looking for people of the highest calibre with skills, knowledge and experience to help us deliver our compelling vision.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s diverse and talented workforce is its greatest asset and most valuable resource. The skills, knowledge and experience of our c.4,600 employees are essential to delivering our ambitions and vision for our organisation and Stoke-on-Trent. We want to be an employer that people are proud to work for, and where our staff are supported, developed and rewarded in an inclusive way that helps them to excel and to deliver the high-quality services that our residents need.

Further information on the Council and our directorates

The Role

Are you an experienced Social Worker looking to take the next step in your career?

We are seeking an experienced, motivated and enthusiastic Senior Social Worker to join our dynamic Hospital Social Work Team. This is an excited opportunity to play a key leadership role within a fast‑paced, integrated service that operates seven days a week alongside our health partners.

You’ll support the delivery of safe and timely hospital discharges, provide professional leadership to staff, and help drive high‑quality social work practice across the service. As a Senior Social Worker, you will be a visible presence within the hospital, working collaboratively with colleagues across health and social care to support people to achieve the best possible outcomes.

If you are passionate about delivering outstanding social work practice, supporting staff development, and working collaboratively with health partners to achieve the best outcomes for people leaving hospital, we would love to hear from you.

For more information on the role, please contact the Recruiting Manager Ian Mohajer, [e-mail].

Key Responsibilities

• Provide professional leadership, guidance and support to Social Workers and Wellbeing Assessors, promoting high standards of practice and service delivery
• Manage team performance, workload distribution, case allocation and capacity planning to ensure safe and effective outcomes
• Oversee complex casework, safeguarding concerns and risk management, providing expert advice and decision‑making support
• Lead and coordinate Section 42 safeguarding enquiries, ensuring statutory responsibilities are met
• Support hospital discharge planning and patient flow initiatives, helping to reduce delays and improve outcomes
• Contribute to the delivery of a seven‑day service including participation in weekend system calls
• Lead quality assurance activities, audits and continuous improvement actions including QPRS initiatives

About You

• Hold a recognised Social Worker qualification and hold a Social Work England registration
• Have substantial post qualifying experience within adult social care
• Have experience of hospital discharge, safeguarding and complex decision‑making
• Provide strong leadership and support to staff
• Have excellent communication and partnership working skills
• Be confident working in a fast‑paced, integrated health and social care environment
• Demonstrate a commitment to high quality, strengths based social work practice

What we offer

• A competitive salary based on your skills, experience and talent
• Hybrid and flexible working options
• An excellent local authority benefits pension scheme
• Professional development through learning opportunities, regular training sessions and apprenticeship and management schemes

Further information on our Rewards and Benefits can be found here

Pre-Employment Checks

• Right to Work in the UK
• Proof of address
• Satisfactory references
• Occupational Health Clearance
• Evidence of professional qualifications or registrations
• DBS check at the appropriate level (if applicable for the role)

The Council will not accept any speculative CVs from employment agencies.

No agency terms and conditions accompanying any such CVs will be accepted by the Council.

Any unsolicited information sent by an employment agency will be treated as the property of the Council.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all our employees and volunteers to share this commitment. This position is exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the successful applicant will be subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Please note that if an employee who is currently at risk of redundancy within the organisation applies for this vacancy their application will receive priority. If this happens you will be advised accordingly.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Stoke-on-Trent City Council, we believe our strength comes from the diversity of our community, and we want our workforce to reflect that. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences. We understand that some people, especially those from underrepresented or marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply if they don’t meet all the listed requirements. If this role interests you and you think you could be a good fit, we encourage you to apply. We are proud of what makes each of us unique and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels included, can be themselves, and can succeed together.