Wakefield Hospice

Hospice Senior Social Worker

This job is now closed

Job summary

At Wakefield Hospice we are Caring, Professional and Aspirational. We aim to provide the highest quality care and support for our patients with life-limiting conditions and their loved ones.

Are you someone who cares about our community and shares our vision and values? Do you want to make a difference in your local community?

Find out more about us www.wakefieldhospice.org

You will be part of our family care team working alongside a multidisciplinary team based at Wakefield Hospice. You will utilise your professional skills and knowledge to deliver high quality person centred psychosocial care to patients and their loved ones. You will provide clarity to the service, assess individual needs and participate in the discharge planning process , including referral and signposting to outside agencies as appropriate. This is an excellent opportunity you can make a difference.

Main duties of the job

To provide the social work function within the multi professional team, ensuring the delivery of high quality psychosocial care to patients, families/carers and children as appropriate.

About us

Wakefield Hospice, is committed to providing the highest level of symptom management and care for people who have advanced active, progressive and life threatening illness.

Wakefield Hospice is a purpose-built specialist palliative care unit that opened in April 1990 providing 8 single ensuite bedrooms and 2 four bed ward areas, a day therapy unit, bereavement support and education. Over the years the day care unit developed initially into a day therapy unit and ultimately into a drop-In centre providing therapies, information and care for patients, carers and bereaved families.

Date posted

19 September 2023

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£35,000 to £42,618 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours

Reference number

B0314-23-0007

Job locations

Wakefield Hospice

Aberford Road

Wakefield

West Yorkshire

WF1 4TS

Job description

Job responsibilities

To assess the social, emotional, spiritual, psychological, practical and financial needs of patients, together with, as appropriate, their relatives and families through the family assessment process; and to facilitate the understanding of these needs within the multi professional team.

As appropriate to facilitate and refer patients and their relatives and carers to other agencies for specialist assessment.

To assess strengths and coping strategies and to create opportunities for patients and their relatives and carers to express and discuss their feelings individually and together as appropriate.

To participate in the discharge planning process of patients in conjunction with the Family Care Nurse and the multi professional team.

To work directly with patients, families and children using individual, group or family techniques and involving other members of the multi professional team as appropriate.

To contribute to the bereavement needs assessment of hospice families and carers.

To be the first point of contact for guidance and advice for patients and relatives and carers in relation to entitlement of appropriate benefits, or accessing charitable trust funds to assist with financial hardship.

With or on behalf of patients and their relatives and carers, to liaise with a range of service providers, e.g. schools and housing providers, employers in respect of issues related to service users.

To participate in the range of hospice multi professional and organisational meetings.

To act as a core member and occasional chair of Wakefield Hospice Specialist Palliative Care MDT meetings with a minimum annual attendance of 66%.

To contribute to and lead on the delivery of internal and external education and learning in respect of social work care, including adults who have care and support needs, child protection, mental capacity and safeguarding.

To be responsible for the production, monitoring and review of operational policies and procedures and standards in relation to the provision of the social work service provided to service users, relatives and carers.

To maintain a record of patient care within the multi professional paper record and on the patient data base.

To be involved with the work associated with the Care Quality Commission Inspections and audit information requirements in respect of patient, family and social work support provision.

To become a member of the Association of Palliative Care Social Workers and attend network meetings to assist in the further development of specialist social work practice at the Hospice.

To comply with all requirements of Social Work England (SWE)

To access regular professional supervision from an appropriately qualified person.

To work with Service Users to involve them in the Hospices services through relevant forums, such as the Service User Group

To offer support to patients and families to claim the relevant welfare benefits and financial entitlements

To support patients with advance care planning information provision in relation to lasting power of attorney, making wills & funeral planning

To hold or work towards the Practice Educator Award in order to be able to offer social work student placements

To work flexibly to meet the needs of the patients and families, including working patterns that may involve evenings.