Advanced Practitioner Social Worker - Health Interface Service

Transform lives, champion rights & support adults to achieve their full potential.

•    Location: Musgrove District Hospital, Taunton & Yeovil District Hospital.
•    Ideal opportunity for an experienced practitioner looking for their next step
•    30 days annual leave entitlement

We are a hospital-based team supporting Somerset residents to return to their gloriously ordinary lives following a hospital admission. Our ethos throughout our practice means we’ll aim to return people to their homes if they are able to.

As an Advanced Practitioner, you will;

•    Have managerial and performance oversight of a team of staff who will be tailoring solutions around individuals’ needs when they no longer require an acute hospital admission by working with the individual, their families and our health and community partners
•    Proactively support timely discharge processes by working with Discharge Liaison Services
•    Maintain pace and focus on the individual and their discharge.
•    Be able to use performance and hospital related data to prioritise resource as and when required to accommodate periods of escalation.
•    Utilise the intermediate care model to assess services with NHS and care providers on a locality basis so that individuals remain in their own homes wherever possible
•    Under direction from the Service Manager provide social care challenge to health colleagues regarding decision making, planning and legal requirements.
•    Work closely with community, health and the third sector, through the neighbourhood hubs to provide better outcomes for people, develop plans and reduce the need for readmission
•    Liaising with key partners to facilitate improved provision of services, team training and recruitment
•    Support admission avoidance work

Our Team Philosophy

Our philosophy is hopeful social work, Clark and Hoffler lay claim to social work/social care being the ‘profession of hope’.  They describe Social Workers as being the holders of hope for individuals and that we should dispense hope wherever we go.
Robert Ludlum, “ Hope is the only thing stronger than fear”

We challenge where we see pessimism about a person’s future and ask but why not home?  We think outside the norm and are demanding of our commissioning colleagues.

We have;

•    A positive, optimistic outlook
•    An understanding of the reality of oppression and help to advocate for the person
•    A belief in the possibility of change
•    An ability to imagine a different way of doing things.

We offer ongoing support, training and guidance to help you be the best you can be. But to be successful in this role you will:
•    Be a registered social worker with Social Work England with an enhanced continuous development record.
•    Have experience of working to an advanced social work level
•    Be autonomous in your decision making of adult safeguarding situations.
•    Have a strong sense of social justice and of working from a strengths based social work perspective.
•    Have a sound knowledge of the legal literacy within social care
•    Have access to/use of a vehicle is an essential requirement for this role

At Somerset Council, we work hard to attract the best staff, and we want to make sure that once you are on board, you are well supported and rewarded for the work you do.

We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

•    This grade offers 30 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) and the option to request to buy up to 2 weeks additional annual leave pro rata.
•    Hybrid working options where the role allows.
•    A clear career pathway with apprenticeships, professional, leadership and academic programmes and qualifications, regular CPD opportunities and a corporate coaching and mentoring scheme
•    A new comprehensive induction programme supported by Practice Development Advanced Practitioners, plus a confidential and impartial welcome call to ensure your induction goes smoothly.
•    Ongoing support & development opportunities – regular CPD events arranged and delivered by our dedicated Adult Social Care Learning and Development team, including an annual Carnival of Practice event with key speakers such as the Chief Social Worker, a team of Advanced Practitioner – Practice Development roles to support our workforce, personalised personal development plans, a corporate coaching and mentoring scheme.
•    Local Government pension scheme
•    Employee support networks that acknowledge and celebrate the richness of diversity and equality within our workforce.
•    Guaranteed Interview Schemes – Disability Confident, Veterans, Care Leavers
•    Employee assistance and support offering a variety of wellbeing services and events to support a healthy work/life balance inc. a free online gym offer, dedicated Mental Wellbeing Ambassadors and much more!
•    Relocation of up to £8,000, subject to meeting eligibility requirements.
•    Access to the Blue Light Card which offers thousands of discounts online and on the high street.
•    My Staff Shop which offers a variety of discounts including cinemas, shopping, restaurants, gym discounts and more!
•    Discounted lease car options via salary sacrifice, along with discounts on fuel
•    Cycle to work scheme

This is a Grade 9 post with a current salary of £40,476 to £44,711 per annum. Appointments are normally made at the bottom of the salary scale.

Got a question about becoming an Advanced Practitioner Social Worker with Somerset Council? Give Helen Readdy, Recruitment & Engagement Officer a call on: 01823 355166 / 07977410483 or email: Helen.Readdy@somerset.gov.uk

We are a socially active council and run many webinars and events, team away days, volunteering opportunities plus, hold regular staff Q&A sessions. We encourage professional development and training to support your learning and aspirations. And there are also a variety of networking groups and activities that you can join.

We’re proud to be here for the people of Somerset. And that means everyone in Somerset. An important part of this is ensuring we are as diverse and inclusive as the people and communities we serve so we will always welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our teams. You can always contact the hiring manager for a chat if there’s anything you want to talk about before you apply.

When completing your application/CV please provide your full employment history and ensure that any gaps in employment are explained. Please start with your current or most recent employment.

If you have all the information you need, just hit the apply button - we can’t wait to hear from you.
Please note we reserve the right to close this advert early if we have received a sufficient number of applications, so don't delay, apply today!

We are reclaiming narratives about social work and believe in the power of lived experiences of people (including workers) and sharing stories. To get a sense of this, listen to Social Work Sessions podcast: Social Work Sessions

Somerset is situated in a beautiful, rural county in a central southwest location but with good city links. With scenic countryside, historic sites, charming towns and villages, family-friendly attractions, beaches, festivals (Glastonbury!) and events, outdoor activities, zoos, water parks and plenty of local produce to try, there’s something for everyone!

This post requires a criminal background check via the Disclosure procedure.