Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust

Social Work Assistant

The closing date is 20 May 2025

Job summary

To have delegated responsibilities for the safe and effective delivery of a social work service to service users within Home Treatment Team Service.

To support the delivery of support and social work interventions as agreed with service users/carers and under the direction of the Social Work Team/MDT to meet the needs of individuals using the service.

What is High Cost Area Allowance?

The High-Cost Area (HCA) allowance, also referred to as London Weighting is a payment made to employees who work in London and the surrounding areas.

As this post is based in Dartford the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month.

5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,258 per year and a maximum payment of £2,121 per year (the agreed annual amount will be divided into 12 equal amounts and paid monthly)

The salary listed is inclusive of the High-Cost Area Allowance.

Main duties of the job

To undertake certain specified tasks with service users as agreed with the Social Worker/MDT
To liaise with a range of partnership agencies, both statutory and voluntary on behalf of service users as well as the wider MDT.
Encourage feedback from service users/carers and other professionals about our service delivery
Be aware of the need to report any safeguarding issues as a matter of urgency and complete the necessary paperwork
Contribute to safeguarding investigations
Contribute to risk assessment and risk management planning
Support our Child Protection policy in completing and recording contracts with SSD and Persons with PR
Support the undertaking of capacity assessments where appropriate and when advice is available
Developing skills and ability to work effectively with service users who are experiencing severe and enduring mental health problems and may be in crisis
Keeping abreast of changes in legislation, policy and practice guidance

About us

Come and work with us in the Garden of England where we combine exceptional professional development opportunities with a tremendous quality of life.

We are Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), providing mental health, learning disability and specialist services, serving 1.8 million people in Kent and Medway, as well as specialist services for adults in Sussex and Surrey. We are rated Good overall by the CQC.

Each year we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 people in the community.

We are proud to employ over 3,800 people from 66 nationalities, and to serve an increasingly diverse range of communities across rural and urban areas.

You will be joining friendly, passionate colleagues, rich in their diversity, who are committed to providing excellent care to our service users and their loved ones.

The nature of our work attracts kindness and compassion as standard and everyone from our cleaners and porters to the chief executive and chairman are recognised as playing a vital role in providing an exemplary service.

Our strategyOur mission is what we set out to do every dayWe deliver brilliant care through brilliant people

Our vision is where we want to be in the futureTo provide outstanding care and to work in partnership to deliver this in the right place, for every service user, every time.

Check out our recruitment videos Recruitment - YouTube

Date posted

07 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

380-NK182-A

Job locations

Little Brook hospital

Bow Arrow Lane

Dartford

DA2 6PB

Job description

Job responsibilities

To support the delivery of a competent level of social work to assist service users with their health and wellbeing needs.
To assist in the assessment of service users mental well-being and community support and care needs under the supervision of a qualified social worker.
To work as a member of the MDT, to liaise and share information with social work and nursing/health colleagues.
To ensure that accurate and reliable documentation of patient records are maintained in accordance with local and Trust standards.
To liaise and work closely with outside agencies as required.
Develop networks with other organisations and key staff

Job description

Job responsibilities

To support the delivery of a competent level of social work to assist service users with their health and wellbeing needs.
To assist in the assessment of service users mental well-being and community support and care needs under the supervision of a qualified social worker.
To work as a member of the MDT, to liaise and share information with social work and nursing/health colleagues.
To ensure that accurate and reliable documentation of patient records are maintained in accordance with local and Trust standards.
To liaise and work closely with outside agencies as required.
Develop networks with other organisations and key staff

Person Specification

Training, Qualifications and Registration

Essential

NVQ Level three

Desirable

NVQ Level four

Experience

Essential

Experience of working in a caring environment, including the undertaking of initial assessments and risk assessments and the drafting of support plans.
Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
Experience of working and liaising with other partnership agencies

Desirable

Experience of working within mental health services

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Knowledge of mental health conditions
Good awareness of social issues and knowledge and experience of the problems relating to particular service users
Understanding the Social Work task
Knowledge of Adult/Children Safeguarding procedures
Ability to work as member of a team
Effective communication skills, both orally and written, in order to communicate effectively with service users and their families, colleagues and external agencies
Ability to record and maintain written notes
Able to prioritise workload and work effectively on own initiative and undertake delegated tasks
To be self aware and recognise appropriate boundaries in client relations
demonstrate a sensitive, and empathetic response to service users and carers

Desirable

A good understanding of local facilities and resources
Able to use RiO
Competent IT skills (Word, Excel, Outlook)
Good self-awareness
Reliable
Non-judgemental

Person Specification

Training, Qualifications and Registration

Essential

NVQ Level three

Desirable

NVQ Level four

Experience

Essential

Experience of working in a caring environment, including the undertaking of initial assessments and risk assessments and the drafting of support plans.
Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
Experience of working and liaising with other partnership agencies

Desirable

Experience of working within mental health services

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Knowledge of mental health conditions
Good awareness of social issues and knowledge and experience of the problems relating to particular service users
Understanding the Social Work task
Knowledge of Adult/Children Safeguarding procedures
Ability to work as member of a team
Effective communication skills, both orally and written, in order to communicate effectively with service users and their families, colleagues and external agencies
Ability to record and maintain written notes
Able to prioritise workload and work effectively on own initiative and undertake delegated tasks
To be self aware and recognise appropriate boundaries in client relations
demonstrate a sensitive, and empathetic response to service users and carers

Desirable

A good understanding of local facilities and resources
Able to use RiO
Competent IT skills (Word, Excel, Outlook)
Good self-awareness
Reliable
Non-judgemental

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust

Address

Little Brook hospital

Bow Arrow Lane

Dartford

DA2 6PB

Employer's website

https://www.kmpt.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust

Address

Little Brook hospital

Bow Arrow Lane

Dartford

DA2 6PB

Employer's website

https://www.kmpt.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)