Professionally Qualified Social Worker

at  St Patricks Hospital

Applications are now invited for the following positions:

St Patrick’s Mental Health Services is seeking applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill the following posts, which are multidisciplinary team-based and are concerned with provision of social work interventions to mental health service users and their families:

• Professionally Qualified Social Worker (1.0 WTE/5 days per week; Permanent contract)
• Professionally Qualified Social Worker (1.0 WTE/5 days per week; Permanent contract)
• Professionally Qualified Social Worker panel, members of which would be employed to fill any Fixed term/Specified Purpose vacancies at Professionally Qualified Social Worker grade that may arise within 12 months after the appointments above has been made.

Successful applicants will be able to clearly appreciate the needs of adults and of adolescents with mental illness and how mental health service users and their families may be helped in relation to the challenges they face; and must be able to demonstrate how their social work experience can be beneficially applied and developed as a Professionally Qualified Social Worker in the context of service provision for adults and for adolescents that is made by St Patrick’s Mental Health Services.

Successful applicants for the posts:

• Must have a professional qualification in social work - NQSW or equivalent - and be registered with CORU as a Social Worker; or, must reasonably be expected to receive a professional qualification in social work - NQSW or equivalent - and to be registered with CORU as a Social Worker before July 31st, 2024, at latest.
• Must possess a clear appreciation of the needs of adults and of adolescents with mental illness and how mental health service users and their families may be helped effectively in relation to the challenges they face. (While it will be an advantage for applicants to have recent experience of professional practice in the field of adult mental health, it is appreciated that social workers operating in various fields of social work must deal professionally with persons who are experiencing mental health difficulties of different kinds and that knowledge and skills gained in that regard can be valuable to practice as a Professionally Qualified Social Worker for St Patrick’s Mental Health Services.)
• Must be able to demonstrate how the professional experience they have acquired through direct clinical practice as a professionally qualified social worker can be beneficially applied in the context of service provision for adults and for adolescents that is made by SPMHS.

Informal Enquiries only to:
Elaine Donnelly, Head of Social Work
Tel: (01) 2493392
Email: edonnelly@stpatricks.ie (APPLICATIONS SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS)
Please note that if you are viewing this advert via Irishjobs, the contact details for informal enquires above are not visible as irishjobs do not allow telephone numbers or emails to be present in adverts. However, these details are visible in the advert on the St Patrick’s website in the career vacancies section.
Applications must take the form of (i) a letter of application addressed to Elaine Donnelly - Head of Social Work, SPMHS - that includes stated reasons for both the application and one’s suitability to perform the role of professionally qualified social worker with SPMHS (the letter concerned should state which post the applicant is interested in or whether the applicant wishes to be considered for both posts); and (ii) a Curriculum Vitae, which must include the applicant’s CORU registration number. Those items should be uploaded as one document by Monday, April 1st, 2024.
Panels may be formed from which future positions may be filled.
St Patrick’s Mental Health Services is an equal opportunities employer.

QUALIFICATIONS AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Candidates must:

• Must have a professional qualification in social work - NQSW or equivalent - and be registered with CORU (the regulatory body for Health and Social Care professionals in the Republic of Ireland) as a Social Worker at the time that application is made.
• Must possess a clear appreciation of the needs of adults and of adolescents with mental illness and how mental health service users and their families may be helped effectively in relation to the challenges they face. (While it will be an advantage for applicants to possess recent experience of professional practice in the field of adult mental health, it is appreciated that social workers operating in various fields - not only that of mental health care per se - must deal professionally with persons who are experiencing mental health difficulties of different kinds and that knowledge and skills gained in that regard can be valuable to practice as a Professionally Qualified Social Worker for St Patrick’s Mental Health Services.)
• Must be able to demonstrate how the professional experience they have acquired through direct clinical practice as a professionally qualified social worker can be beneficially applied in the context of service provision for adults and for adolescents that is made by SPMHS.

Skills, competencies, and knowledge

• Possess relevant professional knowledge and skills for effective practice as a Social Worker in the field of adult mental health - a role that includes provision of due care and attention to the protection and welfare of children and of vulnerable adults.
• Have demonstrable ability to competently carry out essential tasks of social work practice in the field of adult mental health, including tasks associated with the protection and welfare of children and of vulnerable adults.
• Possess excellent communication skills.
• Have strong organisational ability.
• Be able to work effectively as a team member and to work without daily supervision and within defined parameters.
• Possess sound administrative skills.
• Be self-motivated and have willingness and ability to assume an appropriate level of responsibility.
• Have developed ethical awareness for best practice.

RESPONSIBILITIES

In carrying out any and all duties, the Social Worker must ensure at all times that due regard is given to relevant legislation, to the policies and procedures of St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, and to CORU and best practice standards. The main duties of the Social Worker are as follows:

• participation in the overall care of service users as a member of a multidisciplinary team/s, by acting as a resource to the team/s and by providing specialist knowledge and skills in the field of social work.
• assessment of each service user with a view to addressing their needs, and contribution of relevant information and its analysis to overall multidisciplinary assessment and care planning in cases.
• performance of the lead role in child protection and welfare within the multidisciplinary team – a role that includes determining the nature and extent of child protection and/or welfare concerns, working in conjunction with St Patrick’s Mental Health Services’ Designated Liaison Person for the Protection and Welfare of Children and of Vulnerable Adults, liaising with the Child and Family Agency and other community services to determine whether they are involved with the mental health service user and his or her family in relation to child protection and/or welfare matters, and identifying appropriate supports;
• performance of the lead role, within the multidisciplinary team, in dealing with mistreatment of older persons and with safeguarding of vulnerable adults at risk of abuse , in accordance with St Patrick’s Mental Health Services’ policies regarding these matters - this role involves collaborating with the Designated Liaison Person for the Protection and Welfare of Children and of Vulnerable Adults to ensure that all cases of suspected or alleged mistreatment of older persons and all cases of vulnerable adults of any age who are at risk of abuse are taken seriously and dealt with through defined procedures of the organisation;
• performance of the role of key worker as required.
• acceptance of service user referrals from colleagues on the multidisciplinary team/s (both in-patient and out-patient service users) and ensuring that the relevant consultant/s and other involved multidisciplinary team members are updated – by attendance of regular team meetings and by phone or in writing as may be appropriate – about the nature and outcome of social work involvement.
• maintenance of up-to-date records on each service user in receipt of social work assessment or intervention, by making timely typed entries to relevant clinical record charts within the electronic record system and by ensuring that social work reports and letters are copied to same.
• provision of information, psychoeducation, advice and/or counselling to service users and to involved significant others as may be appropriate.
• facilitation of family meetings and family work, as may be appropriate, to address relevant matters.
• engagement in group work practice to facilitate a process of education, support, or therapy for service users or for their significant others, as may be relevant.
• provision of information, advice, and advocacy, as may be appropriate, towards enabling service users to access potentially beneficial services and resources relevant to various aspects of life, such as rehabilitation, social care, income maintenance, accommodation, legal assistance, and welfare rights.
• participation in and contribution to social work team meetings, towards enhancing the function of the Department of Social Work within and on behalf of the organisation.
• commitment to continuous professional development, by availing of relevant training opportunities and by contributing to social work learning initiatives such as peer supervision and journal review and discussion groups.
• participation in working groups and membership of relevant committees within the organisation.
• maintenance of records and statistical data about matters relevant to management of the Department of Social Work and to the organisation.
• performance of all other duties relevant to the role as may be required.

The roles

• Professionally Qualified Social Worker (1.0 WTE/5 days per week; permanent contract)
• Professionally Qualified Social Worker (1.0 WTE/5 days per week; permanent contract)
• Professionally Qualified Social Worker panel, members of which would be employed to fill any Fixed term/Specified Purpose vacancies at Professionally Qualified Social Worker grade that may arise within 12 months after appointment to 1 above has been made