Job summary
West London NHS Trust is one of the largest providers of mental health care in the country. We are also a leading national provider of secure and specialist mental healthcare. We currently provide community based forensic care to 8 North West London Boroughs and we are seeking new staff to join our teams. Our Forensic Services were recently rated as Outstanding by the CQC.
We have been chosen by NHS England to pioneer a new approach to support forensic service users in the community. The Specialist Community Forensic Team will work to transition service users out of secure settings, and support their ongoing recovery in the community. This can improve quality of life, reduce inequality, and give hope to people who may have been detained for many years.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for applicants for a Forensic Social Worker/ Social Supervisor committed to working collaboratively with individuals and providers in the community to find positive and safe ways of working with people who use these services. In particular: -
You will work as part of the ground-breaking new team that will improve the lives of forensic mental health service users and their carers. This is a rare chance to be part of shaping a new service, providing opportunities to develop your skills and your career. The applicant must have a qualification in social work and be registered with Social Work England.
At WLNHST we don't just accept difference we actively celebrate it and support it for the benefit of our staff, our patients and our community. We are proud to be part of an equal opportunity work place.
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
For the detailed job description and main responsibilities please refer to the file attached to this vacancy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For the detailed job description and main responsibilities please refer to the file attached to this vacancy.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Social Work Qualification
- Registration with Social Work England
Desirable
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working within a forensic or community mental health setting
- Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
- Experience of liaison with external agencies to support care pathway planning
- An ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, with evidence of potential to write authoritative and grammatically correct formal reports by the end of the ASYE period
- Experience of working with mental health patients and their families
- Some experience of analysing information and developing a social work opinion and recommendation to external or independent decision-makers
Desirable
- Experience of working with mentally disordered offenders
Knowledge
Essential
- Working knowledge of relevant legislation including Mental Health Act, Care Act, Mental Capacity Act, and child and adult safeguarding
- Personal commitment to developing the wide range of knowledge about the criminal justice and mental health systems required in order to work at Band 6 level soon after the ASYE period.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the wider Criminal Justice System, including courts, probation service and prisons
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Resilience in working with patients, who may be distressed and acutely mentally unwell
- Demonstrate a potential to work independently (at the end of the ASYE) as the sole social worker on a multidisciplinary team, promoting a social work and social care perspective
- Demonstrate core values of social work, including a commitment to anti-discriminatory practice
- Ability to participate in Breakaway techniques training
- Ability to travel to visit patients' relatives and other contacts in their homes
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Social Work Qualification
- Registration with Social Work England
Desirable
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working within a forensic or community mental health setting
- Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
- Experience of liaison with external agencies to support care pathway planning
- An ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, with evidence of potential to write authoritative and grammatically correct formal reports by the end of the ASYE period
- Experience of working with mental health patients and their families
- Some experience of analysing information and developing a social work opinion and recommendation to external or independent decision-makers
Desirable
- Experience of working with mentally disordered offenders
Knowledge
Essential
- Working knowledge of relevant legislation including Mental Health Act, Care Act, Mental Capacity Act, and child and adult safeguarding
- Personal commitment to developing the wide range of knowledge about the criminal justice and mental health systems required in order to work at Band 6 level soon after the ASYE period.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the wider Criminal Justice System, including courts, probation service and prisons
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Resilience in working with patients, who may be distressed and acutely mentally unwell
- Demonstrate a potential to work independently (at the end of the ASYE) as the sole social worker on a multidisciplinary team, promoting a social work and social care perspective
- Demonstrate core values of social work, including a commitment to anti-discriminatory practice
- Ability to participate in Breakaway techniques training
- Ability to travel to visit patients' relatives and other contacts in their homes
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).
