Social Worker

Job summary

This is an exciting and unique opportunity to join the newly developed Forensic Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (FIND) Community Team in South-West London & St George's Mental Health Trust (SWLSTG).

The FIND Team will work closely with the newly developed Oak Unit, a Learning Disability and Autism (LDA) Ward, one of the four inpatient wards, which comprise the South-West London & St George's Forensic Service. Providing a safe transition for inpatients discharged from the Forensic Service is the Forensic Outreach Service (FOS) and the FIND Team will sit within FOS in order to provide specialist assessment, treatment and consultation to the Forensic Service in order to ensure a smooth, safe and clinically justified pathway to individuals with mental illness, offending history and learning disability with or without neurodevelopmental disorder.

The three forensic services of SWLSTG, South London and Maudsley (SLaM) and Oxleas together comprise the South London Mental Health and Community Partnership (SLP). The FIND provision is one such development and the SWLSTG FIND Team will therefore work closely with the FIND Teams in each of the other Trusts in order to expedite service-user's transition through inpatient settings to community provision.

Main duties of the job

We are seeking to employ a senior social worker provide social work input within the FIND Team for SWLSTG. This team provides care and support to service users in the community and with transition from hospital into the community - this role will provide an important part of this team to ensure the smooth running of the service. This includes acting as point of contact for CPA, monitoring discharge and providing care coordination.

The post-holder will have a responsibility, in conjunction with the team, to ensure that the relevant policies and procedures. This is a fulltime position. We are proud to offer agile and flexible working opportunities as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage.

About us

We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.

This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. To work as part of the Forensic Community Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental Disability Team with a specific focus on providing a consultation to patients referred to the Service.

2. To have direct management responsibilities (profession specific) of identified registered and non-registered staff within the Service.

3. To be involved in the planning and set up of the Community Forensic LD/ASD Service including the formulation of local policy and procedures as well as being able to provide ongoing strategic input to the development and running of the project.

4. To have an enhanced understanding of the needs that women who are diagnosed with Learning Disabilities have when discharged from forensic services. The post holder must be experienced in the complexities that this client group brings, especially in a community setting.

5. The post holder will provide a highly specialist service to an agreed caseload of service users and their carers, which will include care co-ordination and social supervision.

6. To maintain a clear understanding of the patients who are placed in secure and specialist services throughout the SLP partnership by acting as a point of contact to attend CPAs, assertively manage discharge pathways and reduce risk of delayed discharge.

7. To monitor and review patients who are in conditions of medium to low security within the SLP as well as out of area. The post holder will be expected to ensure timely and personalised pathways in the least restrictive care/support settings, in line with the persons recovery goals whilst building on their strengths.

8. The post holder must be able to demonstrate their ability to carry out comprehensive health and social care needs assessments, liaising closely with other health providers, placement providers and other key stakeholders.

9. To support and develop step down pathways, with personalised packages of care which support and build on peoples strengths and secure timely discharges.

10. To work with the Community Care Coordinators to facilitate transfer from out of borough service provision, liaising with local health care and commissioning teams, negotiating between different directorates.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Post qualifying experience as a social worker
Experience of working autonomously within a multi-disciplinary environment
Experience of working with people with complex mental health needs
Experience of working with people with LD and ASD needs
Ongoing evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

Experience of working with service users in forensic services
Experience of working with adults with substance misuse or dual diagnosis
Demonstrate experience or skills to develop a positive leadership for social work profession in a MDT setting, as well as across wider Trust

Training & Qualifications

Essential

Relevant professional qualification Social Work, educated to masters level, or have other relevant experience
Registered with Social Work England

Desirable

AMHP training
BIA training

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

Specialist knowledge of social work practice in severe and enduring mental illness and/or forensic setting
Specialist knowledge of social work practice when working with service-user who have complex needs because of having LD and ASD needs.
Knowledge and understanding of current mental health legislation and associated guidance
Knowledge of counselling skills, group skills, cognitive skills, and behavioural skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills at all levels in both Social Services and Health
Ability to work with considerable autonomy as a solo social worker in a multidisciplinary team

Desirable

Specialist clinical skills in relation to engaging with people with mental disorder who have committed an offence.
Providing consultation with regards to the management of people with LD and ASD.
Teaching skills including training others.