Social Worker

Job responsibilities

To seek to improve and maximise the psycho-social quality of life of patients and families, in order to ensure that they experience a coherent and integrated system of social support matched to their personal circumstances.

To provide the social care aspect in the multidisciplinary team, ensuring the care provided by the Hospice is holistic and fully integrated into statutory and other external services.

Support the protection of vulnerable adults and children accessing our services coordinating safeguarding cases, completing referrals to local authority safeguarding teams and liaising with local authority as part of their investigations.

Work within the Family Support Team that provides practical emotional bereavement care and support to Hospice patients, their families and carers to support the efficient and effective running this service.

Communication and relationships

Work collaboratively with other members of the Family Support/Bereavement Service, Hospice team, external professionals and organisations including relevant social services, health, education and voluntary organisations to enable the best possible continuity of services and support for clients.

Attend both internal and external multi professional meetings and build partnerships with external organisations to ensure the highest standards of care and support is delivered to the local community.

Establish and sustain good working partnerships with the local authority to assess patients in the community, to facilitate rapid access to services and ensuring their continued support in the community

Establish relationships with patients, their families and carers pre and post bereavement in order to assist with the uncomplicated grief level 1-2 support as appropriate.

Work with the Day Services team to assist in the organisation and provision of support to volunteers involved with the Family Support/Bereavement Team.

Participate in MDT meetings to share specialist expertise to facilitate a holistic approach of palliative care from social work perspectives

Co-ordinate safeguarding cases involving information which may be highly complex and or highly sensitive, and which may be difficult to convey to those affected by this.

Produce, non-judgemental written skills in documentation and report writing

Analytical and judgemental skills

Assess patients, families & carers emotional, financial and practical needs within a holistic approach and social context in order to devise an appropriate empathetic action plan, recognising the need to seek support in more difficult and complex situations.

Assess patients mental capacity on-going and specifically when concerns relating to lack of capacity and deprivation of liberties (DOLs) are raised.

Assess patients, families and situations when concerns are raised requiring safeguarding referrals. Referral to local authority safeguarding team and associated liaison regarding investigations.

Negotiate options with the patient, family and multi-disciplinary teams to ensure that patient choice is central to decision making processes

Critically assess situations, prioritise needs and plan appropriate care in order to facilitate rapid access to services and discharges as appropriate.

Anticipate the changing needs proactively of patients, their families and carers in order to assist with facilitating appropriate levels of care required.

Planning and organisational skills

Work in partnership with the local authority and undertake the assessment of patients in the community with life-limiting illnesses, to gain access to the required services more quickly as well as ensuring continued support of patients and carers in the community.

Working with the hospice multi-disciplinary team to support decision making regarding MCA/DOLs and safeguarding referrals and input.

Ensure that all the needs of patient, carer and family have been identified and co-ordinating the implementation continuing healthcare required in order to contribute with the discharge planning from the Hospice of patients with complex needs and arrange case conferences.

Liaise with and understand referral processes with internal colleagues and external agencies concerned with Welfare Rights, Social Care and Health, and the Department of Work and Pensions to provide optimal support for patients, families and their carers.

Manage and prioritise their own work time and contribute to that of volunteers

Support the day to day operations of the Family Support Service to ensure efficient and effective service

Participate in the delivery of training to other colleagues and volunteers in relation to own specialism of practice.

Plan and organise home visits where appropriate which may involve lone working practises

To contribute to the supervision of students as deemed appropriate.

To contribute to the training of volunteers involved in the Family Support Team

Patient/Client Care

Ensure that the social care needs of individual patients and carers referred to the Hospice are identified and addressed in timely and appropriate ways

Assist the FST to ensure that practical and financial support is available to patients, families and carers by providing basic guidance related to benefits, home care, finance and family issues and referring on to other members of the MDT and/or external agencies where appropriate.

Support and help patients their families and carers through timely access to services

Provide patient-centred model of care

Maximise quality of ...