Social Worker

at  South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

To be accountable for a social work role and function within the multidisciplinary team. To play a lead role in facilitating understanding, and clear communication between all relevant parties concerned with safeguarding adults and children procedures as they apply in the ward setting. In conjunction with the responsible clinician and multidisciplinary team, to take responsibility for liaison and ensure that adult and child protection concerns are reported in accordance with the Care Act & any additional Social Services Department and Department of Health guidelines. To communicate complex and sensitive information to clients and their carers requiring empathy, negotiation and persuasion skills.
To be responsible for ensuring that issues relating to carers, families and social networks of patients are properly addressed in care planning for inpatients and during transitions e.g. during moves to lower security environments. To be responsible for carrying out social work assessments in conjunction with local authority in relation to assessments of need, discharge planning, referring to local host area funding panels and responsibilities with regards to s117 of the Mental Health Act. To prepare comprehensive social histories on all new admissions in order to enhance the MDTs knowledge and understanding of the patient and see them in their social context.
To be responsible for planning and organising complex activities, in association with other members of the multidisciplinary team, which include participating in therapy groups and social activities for patients and their carers/families. To plan ahead and proactively plan for a range of areas, such as planning for patients discharge, planning and preparing comprehensive reports such as social history reports, tribunal and hospital managers reports, CPA and s117 meetings. ] To contribute to assessment procedures and to assist other agencies in the performance of their statutory duties as appropriate, e.g. under the Children Act 1989, Care Act 2014, Mental Health Act 1983, Human Rights Act, Mental Capacity Act and the Criminal Justice Acts (various).
To provide assessment and social reports as required in these instances. To provide advice and information on the above to colleagues within the multidisciplinary team. To take responsibility for ensuring that child care and safeguarding practices and procedures are adhered to with respect to all in-patients, day and out-patients with responsibilities for approving child visits to the service. To promote anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practice and to work towards providing an equal opportunities service in line with South West London and St George’s and/or Social Services policies.
To represent the views of the multidisciplinary team at external meetings where appropriate. To participate actively in multidisciplinary team meetings and to contribute to the development of team identity To contribute to and develop policies and procedures as appropriate. To undertake reasonably flexible hours and working patterns to accommodate increased client access

Please refer the Job description for details