Social Worker - Hospital Discharge Assessment Team

Hours:  18.5 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

As a result of further service development we have a vacancy for a part-time Social Worker in the Hospital Discharge and Assessment Team (HDAT). 

HDAT provides adult social care support, in line with the Care Act 2014 and with regard to the Mental Capacity Act 2005, to residents of North Somerset who have ongoing social care needs and are: 

• Ready to leave hospital after an in-patient stay,  
• Ready to leave the community-based Discharge to Assess (D2A) service following a recent hospital discharge,  
• Ready to leave the Reablement Service following a recent hospital and D2A discharge. 

The team consists of registered Senior Social Workers, registered Social Workers/Occupational Therapists, and Adult Social Care Workers.  Staff undertake Care Act assessments, mental capacity and best interest assessments, identify eligible needs and produce care and support plans to ensure a person’s needs are met effectively for the longer term. Staff advocate for the individual whilst working positively with family members and carers, together with other professionals involved with the person, for the best outcomes. Staff work proactively in a strengths-based way to ensure people are also able to draw on their own abilities and support networks for a quality of life, in addition to care provision.  

Our team follow the flexible worker model, which involves a mixture of time spent working at home and in our offices in Clevedon. Most of the assessment work is undertaken in the community, in care homes or people’s own homes. Many social care interventions follow on from the Sirona D2A service, and in many cases after Reablement support. HDAT Staff will also in-reach to local hospitals to provide a consultative role to facilitate effective discharges; to assess where needs are particularly complex and unable to be supported through the usual health D2A routes.  

HDAT is also developing its preventative role.  Staff are using skills, knowledge and expertise to help system partners explore the appropriate and timely options; to enable people to return to a maximised quality of life following the disruption of an acute ill health episode and a hospital admission.  

HDAT pride themselves on their commitment to the service users and the service.  They are proactive and take a whole team approach for decisions and developments and actively support staff development in learning and career progression. 

This post is exempt under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

For an informal discussion, please contact Paul Obrey, HDAT Team Manager on 07385 373 117, or Anne Smith, Senior Social Worker on 07917 593 712.

Anticipated interview date:       To be confirmed

North Somerset Council is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all sections of our community regardless of age, disability, sex, race, religion, belief or sexual orientation. North Somerset Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.