Palliative Care Social Worker

Job responsibilities

Clinical

Work across all hospice services, including Inpatient and Living Well Services. Hold accountability for a caseload of complex patients and those important to them. Collaborate with patients and their families to assess and address social circumstances, including concerns about finances, housing, and practical care needs. Support patients and families in managing interpersonal relationships, emotional distress, and challenges associated with illness and palliative care needs. Assist patients and families in accessing, identifying, appraising, and interpreting complex information to enable informed decision-making, as part of the wider multidisciplinary team (MDT). Utilize advanced communication skills to deliver complex or highly emotive information clearly, sensitively, and unambiguously, whether face-to-face, via telephone, or through electronic means. Take a leading role in advance care planning, supporting patients and families in making decisions about end-of-life care. Guide and support the MDT in appropriately applying the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Care Act 2014, ensuring the rights and autonomy of patients are safeguarded. Assist in the facilitation of Mental Capacity Assessments, Best Interests Decisions, and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards processes. Use patient-identified goals and an understanding of psychosocial needs to contribute effectively to multi-professional care and discharge planning, including:o Liaising with care funding bodies, voluntary organizations, and community agencies.o Assessing and negotiating for community-based services to support families and carers upon discharge.

Lead on the discharge planning for complex cases and support nursing staff in ensuring safe and appropriate discharges.

Provide and maintain comprehensive knowledge of community service provision, acting as a resource for discharge planning advice and information.

Offer immediate support and information to families and carers following the death of a patient.

Stay current with legislation, welfare rights, and reforms that impact advocacy and practice, ensuring the best possible outcomes for patients.

Conduct home visits, as appropriate, to support effective discharge planning.

Management, Supervision and Training

To engage in regular 1 to1 meetings with Direct Line Manger, working towards personal and relevant organisational objectives

To develop, plan, implement and evaluate formal and informal safeguarding training and education programmes related to palliative care for all health and social care professionals

To provide informal education to patients/carers and other groups at appropriate levels

To maintain and develop professional knowledge and skills meeting annual CPD requirements in line with the professional competencies framework.

To develop and maintain relationships with colleagues from the wider specialist palliative care team and other Hospices in their social work networks.

To keep and maintain accurate patient records as per hospice and professional guidelines

To participate in regular clinical supervision

As one of the leading members of the Clinical Team and the MDT, the Hospice Social Worker will bring significant clinical expertise, strategic insight, and a collaborative approach to patient care.

To contribute to complex case planning.

Represent the social work function at internal and external forums and ensure that social care is integrated into the wider model of hospice and palliative care.

The role involves being a member of the clinical management team and oversee service planning, policy development.

Evaluation, Research and Audit

Regularly evaluate the quality of own work and that of the wider team, encouraging a culture of continuous improvement.

Actively participate in clinical audits as indicated, responding to identified needs by developing or modifying practice as required.

Engage with and participate in research activities as needed to support and enhance the clinical service.

Professional

Maintain compliance with the standards, code of conduct, and professional practice requirements of the relevant professional body, ensuring ongoing expertise and knowledge through continuous professional development (CPD).

Foster positive working relationships with the local safeguarding board and other hospices within the Northwest region.

Participate in reflective practice and access in-house training opportunities, including compliance with all hospices mandatory training requirements.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• CQSW, Diploma or BA in Social Work.
• Current Registration with Social Work England
• Evidence of recent CPD in line with
• Professional Competency Framework

Desirable

• Advanced Communication Skills
• Counselling and Family Therapy
• Management qualification

Experience

Essential

• Knowledge of current models, approaches, and issues in palliative care social work.
• Working knowledge of the MCA (2005), Care Act 2014, and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
• Understanding of CQC regulations in relation to safeguarding
• Knowledge of care packages & Continuing Heath Care
• Understanding of the hospice ethos and theories of grief and loss
• Experience of social work assessments for people with complex care needs and of appropriate interventions and care plans based on assessed need.
• Experience of managing and implementing safeguarding procedures
• Experience of working with grief and loss
• Experience of working in partnership with other organisations and health care teams
• Well developed interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• Building rapid rapport with service users in distressing circumstances using advanced communication skills
• Proficient in use of IT to support practice
• Effective time management
• Flexible and innovative in approach

Desirable

• Knowledge of welfare benefits relating to those patients nearing end of life and their families or carers
• Experience of working in specialist palliative care or other health care setting
• Ability to facilitate groups
• Chairing case conferences
• Supervision of students
• Management of staff and or volunteers

Other

Essential

• Demonstrates emotional resilience
• Enthusiastic and willing to learn

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 ...