Senior Social Worker

Highfield Healthcare is highly regarded for the provision of acute mental health treatment and care for adults and older persons with acute, serious and enduring mental health disorders and complex mental health issues associated with neuropsychiatric disorders and dementia. Highfield Healthcare has a long-established history of providing care that is values driven and underpinned by person-centredness and quality.

H ighfield Healthcare incorporates both a mental health and care of older persons service. The hospital is registered and regulated by both the Mental Health Commission and HIQA. Highfield Healthcare provide a comprehensive suite of services including an acute inpatient unit, nursing home, long-term mental health facility, day hospital, hospital in the home and a specialized psychiatric rehabilitation service.

Role Summary: Full-time, permanent, Senior Worker with clinical responsibility for patients in long-term care both in mainstream nursing home and long-term mental health units.

Highfield Healthcare have a strong commitment to the Safeguarding of Vulnerable Persons at Risk of Abuse. The Senior Social Worker will join a team of Designated Officers in the hospital and will provide leadership and expertise in maintaining high standards of safeguarding practice.

The enactment of the new Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 has meant renewed challenges for Highfield Hospital. Highfield Healthcare are particularly impacted by this new legislation given the significant proportion of residents who are elderly and have reduced capacity.

The post holder will provide expertise in supporting the hospital with the changes brought about since the enactment of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015.

Reporting Relationship: The post holder reports to the Social Work Manager / Team Leader

Duties / Responsibilities:

• Provide Social Work assessment, support & advice for the Alzheimer’s Care unit, nursing home & long-stay mental health units.
• Take direct responsibility for a defined caseload.
• Assess where social conditions are a major factor in health and social wellbeing, consult and plan with the service user/ relevant team/ service and arrange appropriate social services for those who need them.
• Ensure the delivery of Social Work services in accordance with CORU’s Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for the Social Work profession, relevant legislation, policies, procedures, guidelines and protocols.
• Work in accordance with the principles and values of recovery as described in the National Framework for Recovery for Irish Mental Health Services 2018-2020.
• Incorporate Social Work values and ethical principles in planning, developing, implementing and reviewing interventions.
• Identify service user’s needs in partnership with them and co-create early interventions and / or social action strategies to meet those needs.
• Provide supportive counselling, emotional and practical support, develop strategies to support service users based on their presenting needs as well as providing information and advice appropriate to service users and their family’s needs.
• Ensure anti-discriminatory practice and cultural competence, at individual and service levels.
• Preliminary assessment of child protection concerns and fulfilling statutory and mandatory reporting obligations under Children First: National guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017 and the Children First Act 2015.
• The delivery of a high-quality social work service including advanced clinical knowledge of the Fair Deal scheme, the Mental Health Act 2001 and the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015.
• The role involves providing support to the hospital with maintaining high standards safeguarding practice. The post holder will have designated officer responsibility, provide leadership to a team of designated officers and chair the Safeguarding Committee.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to human rights and the empowerment of older persons.
• Provide guidance and support to the hospital on matters related to the new Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. This will involve applying to the circuit court to be appointed Decision-Making Representative in particularly complex circumstances. This will include navigating changes to both ‘specified person’ and ‘care representative’ when making Fair Deal applications. The post holder will also support the hospital in due course with changes to the ward of court system.
• Deputize for Team Lead as required.
• Supervision of Professionally Qualified Social Worker
• Cross cover for the Social Work department
• Groupwork
• Delivery of training as required by the Social Work Manager.
• Expertise in the Fair Deal scheme including recent changes to the ‘specified person’ category and Care Representative process.

Education & Training

• Maintain standards of practice and levels of professional knowledge by participating in continuous professional development, in collaboration with Line Manager and in meeting CORU expectations.
• Actively disseminate specialist knowledge to social work staff.
• Act as a resource by participating in the induction, education and training of Social Work colleagues, other health professionals and service user groups as required.
• Provide a mentoring role to other workers /support colleagues as required.
• Foster an understanding of the role and contribution of social work by providing professional consultation and education to other members of the service.
• Take an active role in professional clinical supervision and engage in reflective practice in accordance with CORU requirements and the local / national Supervision Policy.

Health & Safety

• Comply with and contribute to the development of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations and standards.
• Have a working knowledge of the Mental Health Commission (MHC) and the Judgement Support Framework, as well as a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role.
• Document appropriately and report any near misses, hazards and accidents and bring them to the attention of designated individual(s) in line with best practice.
• Work in a safe manner with due care and attention to the safety of self and others.
• Be aware of risk management issues. Adequately identifies, assesses, manages and monitors risk within their area of responsibility.
• Promote a culture that values diversity and respect.

Management

• Contribute to service developments by monitoring and evaluating emerging needs and trends / identifying unmet needs and service requirements into the future and recognising and replicating successful interventions.
• In consultation with Line Manager, develop the role of the social worker and the service through, for example, planning, audit, production of standards, continuing education, quality improvement initiatives and research.
• Contribute to a range of reports as required.
• Take responsibility for clinical supervision of staff as required.
• Maintain a high standard of documentation, including service user files in accordance with local guidelines, the Freedom of Information (FOI) and GDPR Acts.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of information sharing protocols and audit systems. Submit activity data as required.
• Assist in ensuring that the social work service makes the most efficient and effective use of developments in IT.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be registered with CORU.
• Demonstrate sufficient clinical and professional knowledge to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the role.
• Hold a National Qualification in Social Work (N.Q.S.W.) or Certificate of Qualification in Social Work awarded by the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work, U.K. or an equivalent qualification recognised for appointment to the post of Senior Social Worker in Ireland.
• Have at least 3 years’ experience of working in Care of Older Persons, Psychiatry of Old Age and or HSE Safeguarding Team.
• Advanced clinical knowledge of the Fair Deal scheme, the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015 and the Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults at Risk of abuse – National Policy and Procedures 2014.
• Have Excellent communication skills.
• Special interest in Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults
• Additional qualification in Human Rights or training in the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015.

Highfield Healthcare is an equal opportunities employer.

All posts are subject to satisfactory references, medical and Garda vetting.

Highfield Healthcare is committed to providing the highest standard of care and support to all our residents. Our patients are cared for in an environment appropriate to their needs, where the priority is to preserve their dignity and promote their independence.