Forensic Inpatient Social Worker - Oxford

NHS; Oxford; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 45,000

Job description

Forensic Inpatient Social Worker - Oxford

This role includes an RSU allowance of £1,446 per annum on top of your salary

The Thames Valley Forensic Mental Health Service is a forward-looking and progressive service providing high-quality care to service users on their wards, through effective in-patient multi-disciplinary team-work, with ward-based Social Workers playing a pivotal role.

The forensic wards include Medium-secure Acute wards, Medium-secure Rehab wards, Low secure Units, and a Pre-discharge Unit, located across three sites - Littlemore, Oxford; Milton Keynes; and Aylesbury, Bucks. This role is based at Kennet Ward, our acute medium secure ward in the Oxford Clinic in Littlemore, and you'll be working on other wards when required.

We are looking for a highly motivated and resourceful, qualified and registered Social Work professional who is keen to utilise their skills and experience to bring the social care perspective into the forensic mental health in-patient setting, supporting service users in their recovery journey. This is a six month fixed term contract until September 2025 and can be offered as a secondment opportunity.

This role is ideal for an experienced candidate who is resilient, enjoys working as part of an MDT, and is sensitive to the recovery goals and needs of service users and the team in a busy ward environment.

Main duties of the job

• Work within an inpatient ward as part of a multi-disciplinary team (MDT).
• Contribute to pre-admission assessments, particularly focusing on identifying any social issues that are relevant to the person's recovery and general circumstances.
• Identify any potential barriers to discharge at the earliest possible stage, and work with others to help overcome these.
• Provide support to the wider ward team in regard to both children's and adult safeguarding responsibilities.
• Contribute to ongoing care planning for in-patients, and work with partner organisations and the wider MDT to ensure risk is managed effectively.
• Contribute to various statutory forums including Mental Health Tribunals and Mental Health Act Hospital Managers' Hearings.
• Demonstrate the skills to maintain their Social Work professional identity and ability to assert the social perspective when working within an inpatient environment.

Please refer to the job description attached for a comprehensive list of duties.

About us

Oxford Health is a great place to work and to be able to showcase the best of yourself when making an application please read the "candidate guide to making an application" and ensure your supporting statement is tailored to the role you are applying for and addresses any essential criteria.

As a Trust, we provide physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and Northeast Somerset. Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible. Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: "Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"

Our values are: "Caring, safe and excellent"

We offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:

• Excellent opportunities for career progression
• Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
• 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
• NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
• Competitive pension scheme
• Lease car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists apply)
• Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team

Job responsibilities

• Contribute to pre-admission assessments of patients referred to the Service.
• Following admission, identify social care issues and ensure ongoing liaison with relevant agencies.
• Have a working knowledge of relevant legislation such as the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and Care Act.
• Function effectively across a variety of environments including contributing to home risk assessments.
• Work independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team to assert the social perspective and assess, plan, and implement patient centred programmes of care/interventions.
• Maintain contact with families and carers where appropriate.
• Compile both non-statutory and statutory reports and present at the Hearings and meetings.
• Lead on Safeguarding issues and attend MAPPA meetings where required.

We hope that the advert has given you a clear understanding of the skills we are seeking and the opportunity at hand. You will need to use the supporting statement element of your application form to demonstrate your suitability for this role and you should refer to the job description, person specification and the guidance notes attached to this role to help you tailor your application.

The essential and desirable criteria will be used to shortlist for interview and you should ensure that you refer to these within your application to increase your chances of being selected for interview.

Person Specification

Qualifications - Academic/Skills/Professional

• Professional Qualification (Degree or equivalent) in Social Work
• Professional Registration with Social Work England
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development
• Post graduate education specifically relating to client group
• AMHP, BIA, or PEPS Qualification

Knowledge Requirements

• Knowledge of relevant legislation, e.g. Mental Health Act, Care Act, and the Mental Capacity Act
• IT literate
• Good English verbal and written communication skills
• Knowledge of Risk Assessment/Management procedures
• Aware of national and local policy relating to mental healthcare
• Aware of the Criminal Justice System

Experience

• Relevant experience working with adults with mental health or learning difficulties.
• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of Risk Assessment and Risk Management
• Experience of statutory and non-statutory report writing
• Experience of safeguarding vulnerable adults or children
• Experience of assessing care needs
• Experience of working with the Criminal Justice System
• Experience of attending Mental Health Tribunals and/or MHA Managers' Hearings
• Experience of working in a healthcare, in-patient setting

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.

£37,338 to £44,962 a year plus an RSU allowance of £1,446 per annum | pro rata