Job summary
We are delighted to advertise the role of Head of Social Work and Social Care across Local Services in West London NHS Trust.
West London NHS Trust wants to be an excellent employer for social workers and attract and retain the highest quality social workers. The Head of Social Work and Social Care post, working closely with the Head of Forensic Social Work and Head of CAMHS Social Work will drive forward the Trust social work strategy, supporting the professional development of the social workers and ensuring that there are systems and processes in place to ensure professional social work standards are promoted and enhanced throughout the organisation.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will lead effective partnership working within and outside of the organisation, creating a culture that promotes meaningful participation of individuals, communities, families and carers and co-production of services and solutions. Key partners include the 3 Local Authorities covered by West London NHS Trust (London Borough of Hounslow, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and the London Borough of Ealing), the Police, Higher Education Institutes (HEIs), local voluntary organisations and service user and carer groups.
We are looking for someone who can provide expert professional social work opinion and knowledge within a strategic context and someone who can support systemic approaches to improve service user and carer experience throughout the care pathway by promoting the principles of independence, choice and wellbeing - ensuring a person-centred, strengths-based approach is embedded in practice.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse providers of mental health, community and social care in the UK.
Our 3,982 staff care for people in hospital and in the community, helping them to recover and go on to lead full and productive lives. We aim to be the best organisation of our kind in the country.
We provide care and treatment for more than 800,000 people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow, delivering services in the community (at home, in GP surgeries and care homes), hospital, specialist clinics and forensic (secure) units.
We'rerated good overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Together, we're committed to promoting hope and wellbeing, working with patients, service users, carers, families and partners across the communities we serve.
We are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves, particularly in terms of ethnicity, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ and experience of mental illness.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This role provides excellent exposure to cross system working, problem solving within a wide partnership and an ability to influence the interventions provided to service users and carers accessing out services. If you have the drive, passion for social work, enthusiasm and vision to lead our ongoing expansion of the social work workforce we can offer support and robust handover will be available to the successful person.
For more information or an informal discussion please contact Helen Mangan; Deputy Director of Local Services, by emailing helen.mangan@westlondon.nhs.uk or Karen Cook; interim Head of Social Work and Social Care by emailing Karen.Cook@westlondon.nhs.uk
Job description
Job responsibilities
This role provides excellent exposure to cross system working, problem solving within a wide partnership and an ability to influence the interventions provided to service users and carers accessing out services. If you have the drive, passion for social work, enthusiasm and vision to lead our ongoing expansion of the social work workforce we can offer support and robust handover will be available to the successful person.
For more information or an informal discussion please contact Helen Mangan; Deputy Director of Local Services, by emailing helen.mangan@westlondon.nhs.uk or Karen Cook; interim Head of Social Work and Social Care by emailing Karen.Cook@westlondon.nhs.uk
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential
- oProfessional Social Work Qualification
- oCurrent Social Work England registration
- oMasters or equivalent CPD portfolio
Desirable
- oFormal leadership training
- oProject Management qualification
- oASW/AMHP qualification
Experience
Essential
- oExtensive post qualifying experience
- oSignificant experience of professional social work leadership
- oSignificant experience at a senior management level within a mental health or community health setting.
- oExperience of transformational and change management
- oExperience of working across complex organisational boundaries
- oExperience of complex service delivery models including multi-agency working
- oExperience of working at a strategic level
- oExperience of applying regulatory and professional standards in practice
- oExperience of complex risk management
- oExperience of effective use of resources
- oTrack record of forging relationships with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
- oExperience of delivering significant improvements in the service user and carer experience. oExperience in corporate level understanding of the overall operational management functions within a large complex health environment.
Desirable
- oExperience of working in or with the NHS
- oExperience of reporting to a Trust Board or elected members
- oWell networked with leaders and experts in social work and social care
- oRecent experience in Social work practice
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- oDetailed knowledge of professional and regulatory standards and skills in applying them in practice including complex situations
- oExtensive knowledge of leadership theory and highly developed practical skills including leading with shared purpose, leading with care, sharing the vision, engaging teams, developing capability and holding to account.
- oDetailed knowledge of health and social care policy and the ability to apply it in practice
- oDetailed knowledge of the legislative requirements for health and social care and the ability to share that knowledge across the Trust
- oKnowledge of innovation and how to apply it in practice
- oKnowledge of workforce issues
- oBe able to gather complex and/or contradictory information, analyse it from different perspectives as a strategic leader and professional social worker, and use it to inform organisational and professional decision-making
- oAbility to work with a high degree of autonomy and ability to apply this in practice.
- oAbility to communicate effectively with a range of audiences, chair high level meetings and produce high level presentations and reports
- oAbility to produce, interpret and utilise data effectively
- oAbility to undertake clinical and professional supervision, Case reviews and make decisions regarding Fitness to Practice.
- oKnowledge of relevant outcome measures and proven ability to utilise tools effectively
- oAn understanding of strengths and asset based approaches in social work
- oAbility to influence a range of stakeholders including commissioners
- oExtensive understanding of social work education (e.g. new models, developing curriculums)
Desirable
Personal Skills
Essential
- oHighly developed and effective interpersonal and influencing skills
- oAbility to maintain empathetic compassionate relationships with strategic leads, other professionals, people who use services and those who care for them
- obe able to work with and contain the anxiety of other people in complex and highly charged situations, ensuring that there is a proportionate and legally sound response, taking account of self-determination, perceived risk and protection from harm
- oA credible and inspiring role model and champion for social work professionals
- oEmbodies social work values
- oAbility to travel across the trust as required
- oAbility to manage competing demands and prioritise
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential
- oProfessional Social Work Qualification
- oCurrent Social Work England registration
- oMasters or equivalent CPD portfolio
Desirable
- oFormal leadership training
- oProject Management qualification
- oASW/AMHP qualification
Experience
Essential
- oExtensive post qualifying experience
- oSignificant experience of professional social work leadership
- oSignificant experience at a senior management level within a mental health or community health setting.
- oExperience of transformational and change management
- oExperience of working across complex organisational boundaries
- oExperience of complex service delivery models including multi-agency working
- oExperience of working at a strategic level
- oExperience of applying regulatory and professional standards in practice
- oExperience of complex risk management
- oExperience of effective use of resources
- oTrack record of forging relationships with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
- oExperience of delivering significant improvements in the service user and carer experience. oExperience in corporate level understanding of the overall operational management functions within a large complex health environment.
Desirable
- oExperience of working in or with the NHS
- oExperience of reporting to a Trust Board or elected members
- oWell networked with leaders and experts in social work and social care
- oRecent experience in Social work practice
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- oDetailed knowledge of professional and regulatory standards and skills in applying them in practice including complex situations
- oExtensive knowledge of leadership theory and highly developed practical skills including leading with shared purpose, leading with care, sharing the vision, engaging teams, developing capability and holding to account.
- oDetailed knowledge of health and social care policy and the ability to apply it in practice
- oDetailed knowledge of the legislative requirements for health and social care and the ability to share that knowledge across the Trust
- oKnowledge of innovation and how to apply it in practice
- oKnowledge of workforce issues
- oBe able to gather complex and/or contradictory information, analyse it from different perspectives as a strategic leader and professional social worker, and use it to inform organisational and professional decision-making
- oAbility to work with a high degree of autonomy and ability to apply this in practice.
- oAbility to communicate effectively with a range of audiences, chair high level meetings and produce high level presentations and reports
- oAbility to produce, interpret and utilise data effectively
- oAbility to undertake clinical and professional supervision, Case reviews and make decisions regarding Fitness to Practice.
- oKnowledge of relevant outcome measures and proven ability to utilise tools effectively
- oAn understanding of strengths and asset based approaches in social work
- oAbility to influence a range of stakeholders including commissioners
- oExtensive understanding of social work education (e.g. new models, developing curriculums)
Desirable
Personal Skills
Essential
- oHighly developed and effective interpersonal and influencing skills
- oAbility to maintain empathetic compassionate relationships with strategic leads, other professionals, people who use services and those who care for them
- obe able to work with and contain the anxiety of other people in complex and highly charged situations, ensuring that there is a proportionate and legally sound response, taking account of self-determination, perceived risk and protection from harm
- oA credible and inspiring role model and champion for social work professionals
- oEmbodies social work values
- oAbility to travel across the trust as required
- oAbility to manage competing demands and prioritise
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
