Senior Social Worker

Stoke-on-Trent City Council; Stoke-on-Trent; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is recruiting an experienced Senior Social Worker to join the Hospital Social Work Team. The role provides professional leadership across staff and supports safe and timely hospital discharges in a seven-day service.

You will work closely with health partners to promote high-quality social work practices, manage caseloads, safeguard concerns, and contribute to efficient patient flow and positive outcomes for people leaving hospital.

Qualifications

• Provide professional leadership to Social Workers and Wellbeing Assessors to promote high standards of practice.
• Manage team performance, workload distribution, case allocation and capacity planning for safe outcomes.
• Oversee complex casework, safeguarding concerns and risk management, offering expert advice.
• Lead and coordinate Section 42 safeguarding enquiries to meet statutory duties.
• Support hospital discharge planning and patient flow initiatives to reduce delays.
• Contribute to a seven-day service including weekend system calls.

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

Skills

Leadership

Safeguarding

Team management

Discharge planning

Job description

Hours

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

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 exciting 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.

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

About the Employer

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.