Welfare Benefits Lead

Job description

Job responsibilities

Contract Type: Fixed Term (6 months with the likelihood of an extension of up to 12 months)

Hours of work: 30 - 37.5 hours per week

Responsible to: Social Work Manager

Responsible for:

Welfare Benefits Volunteers (up to 5)

Welfare benefits caseload allocated to Social Work Assistant

Basic Function

To provide a highly specialist service of welfare benefits legal expertise, advice, advocacy, practical assistance and signposting to patients, carers and their families within the hospice and at home to maximize their income. This may include obtaining welfare and health related benefits, financial grants and services to assist them to achieve the highest quality of life possible and to maximize their income.

The Social Work service forms an integral component of the multidisciplinary specialist palliative care team that provides high quality care to patients with advanced, serious or life-limiting illness where disease is no longer responsive to curative treatment. In particular, the social work team provide leadership on all aspects of social care, welfare benefits and carer support with a focus on supporting patients to optimise their wellbeing and independence to maximise quality of life.

Discretion to Act

The post holder is located within the Social Work team under the management of the Social Work Manager and with close links to the Social Work team.

The Social Work team provides palliative care services to a local population, which is culturally diverse and comprises of boroughs, which have high levels of social deprivation. The high demand for financial advice and advocacy will be met or appropriately referred on by this post holder and Social Work team.

Budget

The post holder is not a budget holder however responsible steward ship of the Hospices resources is required

Key accountabilities

1. Clinical

1.1 Undertake complex and specialist financial assessments and on the basis of these advise clients on their entitlement to benefits, credits, other awards and assist with/make appropriate applications.

1.2 Provide expert advice, advocacy and support regarding employment, housing, pensions and other financial concerns for clients.

1.3 Provide expert safeguarding advice as required in relation to suspected or reported financial abuse

1.4 Seek out, make and maintain working links with community resources for the purposes of

1.4.1 professional sharing of information and knowledge

1.4.2. referral of clients

1.4.3 encouraging partnership working in the Hospice (e.g. joint surgeries, Finding Space)

1.5 Promote the service both within the Hospice and in the local community being mindful of cultural issues, which may influence referral rates.

1.6 Work closely with social workers and other members of the multi-professional teams in the Hospice to maximize patient/client care.

1.7 Maintain a database of local services and resources to assist with the work of the welfare benefits team.

1.8 Set and maintain standards, procedures, operational framework and paperwork relating to benefits advice for the welfare benefits service.

1.9 Maintain broad knowledge of national and local sources of charitable and hardship support. Assist clients to access appropriate sources of charitable help and apply for grants on their behalf.

1.10 Produce and maintain appropriate information resources for patients, carers and their families, and for staff and volunteers of the Hospice and colleagues in other agencies.

1.11 Produce reports as required by Head of Supportive Care. Prepare detailed annual impact report for Head of Supportive Care

1.12 Work with the Social Work Manager to develop the welfare benefits service in line with the strategic plan for the Hospice.

2. Education/ teaching

2.1 Lead for the training of new welfare benefits volunteers, and learning and development thereafter

2.2 Provide hospice-wide training to patient-facing staff in basic financial advice and assistance, including trigger-points to alert appropriate referral to the welfare benefits team as necessary.

2.3 Keep abreast of legal and procedural changes in the Department of Work and Pension, Inland Revenue and other statutory agencies, which influence state benefits and related provision and cascade knowledge and information to Social Work team members and other relevant staff across Hospice.

3. Managerial & Leadership

3.1 Designated Hospice expert for enquiries relating to welfare benefits and other awards, and the law relating to these

3.2 Responsible for overseeing a team of Welfare Benefit volunteers who contribute to the delivery of the service at the hospice and in the community.

3.3 Responsible for the recruitment, training and case work supervision of these volunteers in all areas of Welfare Benefits work, ensuring that they are working within current regulations and guidance.

3.4 Support the volunteers to offer advice, advocacy and practical assistance to patients, carers and families.

3.5 Provide regular management supervision to volunteers, and help volunteers manage the emotional impact of working with people at the end of life and their families.

3.6 Responsible for allocating case work and day-to-day workload of the teams part time Social Work Assistant

4. Organisation

4.1 Produce and maintain appropriate information resources and accessible materials for patients, carers and their families, and for staff and volunteers of the Hospice.

4.2 Participate in team meetings and supervision as appropriate and as requested by the Social Work Manager/Deputy Manager.

4.3 Manage own workload, prioritising work, and dealing with conflicting demands in a flexible & professional manner.

4.4 Maintain accurate, up-to-date client records and statistics in line with Hospice policy.

4.5 Record support offered to the patient, as episodes of care, on Crosscare the Hospice patient information database

5. Communication

5.1 Advanced communication with patients in emotionally charged situations using tact and empathy to communicate difficult and challenging information

5.2 Communication with formal/informal carers, external agencies, statutory and voluntary, to ensure effective client care, continuity and discharge

5.3 Be responsible for and proactively initiate effective communication with other members of the Social Work team

6. Professional

6.1 Identify own learning and development needs in order to meet the key requirements of the post.

6.2 Take responsibility for linking own development needs with the Hospice appraisal and objective setting process

6.3 Take responsibility for own continuing development by undertaking specific areas of work/projects to develop new skills.

6.4 Engage in supervision to support personal and professional development

6.5 Participate in team meetings and supervision as appropriate and as requested by the Social Work Manager.

6.6 Set a high standard of practice, maintain up to date knowledge of developments in the field of palliative care, and incorporate these appropriately into practice.

Person Specification

General Requirements

Essential

• Please refer to job description above

Desirable

• Please refer to job description above

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

St Joseph's Hospice

Address

St Joesph's Hospice, Mare Street, London E8 4SA

E8 4SA

Employer's website

https://www.stjh.org.uk/about-us/our-history/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIx-6rn76G9gIVQYBQBh0ftgaxEAAYASAAEgLITPD_BwE (Opens in a new tab)