Main duties and responsibilities
The job holder is required to work effectively within the MDT and hold strong risk management and safeguarding knowledge/skills. Excellent working knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983/2007 as well as other statutory legislation such as the Children Act 1989, Care Act 2014, child protection, protection of vulnerable adults and multi-agency public protection arrangements is required. Experience of working with children and young adults within a mental health setting is advantageous. The role is within an inpatient service but liaison with community teams and understanding of community mental health services is vital.
Responsibilities
- Safeguarding
- Assessments of and meeting with carers and families
- Liaison with community services to secure transfer of care as required
- To act as link between inpatient services and receiving community teams
- Discharge planning
- liaising with/assessing advocacy services
- Overseeing patient rights
- Providing holistic social circumstances reports for tribunal
- Supervision of junior staff
- Establish and maintain effective links and working relationships with key internal and external colleagues
- Ensure records and information systems are kept accurately including the inputting and updating of information on the centre computerised information systems
- Taking a share of supervising any staff allocated to them and as appropriate supervise students from professional or other courses who are on placement and participate in teaching and training of self and others
- To act in a professional manner at all times, attend all mandatory training, keep abreast of changes in legislation, maintain CPD, maintain and act within the boundaries of your professional registration
- To participate in other duties, which will be of benefit to the application of professional skills, e.g. working parties and specialist service developments and policy formulation
- To provide consultation/in house training as required in relation to child protection, safeguarding etc, to adhere and contribute to the review of policies and procedures
- To inform managers of individual case issues which may have implications for others, policy or departmental strategy generally. To support with auditing processes
- To ensure records and information systems are kept accurately including the inputting and updating of information on the centres computerised information systems and in patient written notes
- To adhere to policies and procedures particularly health and safety legislation and report incidents
- To ensure that all patients are safeguarded from potential harm and to conduct activities in a manner which is consistent with professional practice, policy and legislation
Specific tasks
- To be responsible for the assessments of client social care needs and of carers and participate as part of the MDT within the care programme approach processes.
- Attendance at MDT meetings and update the team on progress from a social service point of view.
- To be a member of the safeguarding group
- To provide leadership and advice in social care issues
- To undertake professional assessments and compile reports in your capacity as social worker
- To liaise with and arrange advocacy as required
- To develop and maintain a carers support group and liaise with families
- To provide advice and support to patients, carers and nursing colleagues around welfare benefits and financial assessments
- Establish and maintain effective links and working relationship with key internal and external colleagues
- Ensure records and information systems are kept accurately including the inputting and updating of information on the centre computerised information systems
- Taking a share of supervising any staff allocated to them and as appropriate supervise students from professional or other courses who are on placement and participate in teaching and training of self and others
- To act in a professional manner at all times, attend all mandatory training, keep abreast of changes in legislation, maintain CPD, maintain and act within the boundaries of your professional registration
- To participate in other duties, which will be of benefit to the application of professional skills, e.g. working parties and specialist service developments and policy formulation
- To provide consultation/in house training as required in relation to child protection, safeguarding etc, to adhere and contribute to the review of polices and procedures
- To inform managers of individual case issues which may have implications for others, policy or departmental strategy generally. To support with auditing processes
- To ensure records and information systems are kept accurately including the inputting and updating of information on the centres computerised information systems and in patient written notes
- To adhere to policies and procedures particularly health and safety legislation and report incidents
- To ensure that all patients are safeguarded from potential harm and to conduct activities in a manner which is consistent with professional practice, policy and legislation