Principal Social Worker

Job summary

To provide professional leadership, governance, professional development and strategic and workforce development for the profession of Social Work across the Trust in all Localities, working in partnership with operational managers and multidisciplinary colleagues.

Specifically, to: Design, develop, implement and evaluate the Trust Social Work strategy and annual action plans.

Main duties of the job

Ensure social work skills, expertise, inter-agency working, and flexible roles are considered as part of service transformation and redesign e.g. in relation to the NHS LTP, Community Mental Health Service transformation, ICS developments, Mental Health Act review, and any other relevant national strategy and policy / guidance.

Advise on how specific Social Work roles could be designed and developed to address identified needs in Trust pathways, e.g. discharge pathway facilitation.

About us

Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.

Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.

Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.

Job description
Job responsibilities

Support and advise on increasing specialist experience in AMHP/BIA/AMCPs within designated posts in the Trust, bringing a higher level of MHA/MCA knowledge and expertise into teams and practice.

Lead on Social Work communications and ensuring a range of CPD opportunities are available to support ongoing registration with the new regulator Social Work England.

Lead on the development of an annual NSFT professional social work forum, promoting engagement and the further development of social work strategy and vision.

Champion the Social Work perspective and contribution across the Trust in line with CQC Single Assessment Framework (SAF), to enhance safety, effectiveness and responsiveness of patient care, providing insights and consultation across the system.

Support with the assessed and supported year in employment requirements (ASYE) so that newly qualified Social Workers can be recruited and supported in their development in line with national requirements.

Support staff retention through focused representation, advocacy, and engagement to help social workers to thrive.

Devise plans to grow our own social worker workforce, as part of, and integrated with, wider workforce planning, including succession planning.

Lead on the development and maintenance of external social work partnerships, including HEI, SWE, experts by experience, DHSC, & Principal Social Work network.

Develop a culture of practice education, bringing in students to support recruitment and succession planning.

Person Specification

Qualifications
Essential

Professional Social Work qualification e.g. Degree, DipSW, CQSW or CSS as relevant

Desirable

Formal qualifications in Leadership / management e.g. MA

Experience
Essential

Broad range of clinical knowledge across the specialties and highly specialist clinical knowledge in own area of expertise.

Desirable

Experience in aspects of operational management

Skills
Essential

Provide effective and consistent professional leadership across the Trust

Desirable

Demonstrate change management skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.