Job summary
We are looking for a dedicated, experienced and motivated Social Worker to join ELPS. You will be a senior member of a growing and dynamic service where learning, professional development and a supportive environment are promoted.
The team has a mix of Consultant Liaison Psychiatrists, Trainee doctors, Foundation Year doctors, Liaison Psychiatry Practitioners and Team Administrator. We are keen to expand the skills in the team and to open this role to a social worker. ELPS has office spaces in Ealing Hospital and provides a service to the acute trust primarily. Excellent working relationships have already been developed with both clinicians and managers of EH.
The role has clinical, leadership and managerial elements to it. Critical thinking and motivation for innovation and development are essential, as you will be involved in patient care and experience, team development and service improvement.
We pride ourselves on providing a standard of care that we would be happy for our loved ones and ourselves to receive. If this is your motivation as a practitioner, you will fit well in the team and we will nurture your caring attitude. Wellbeing of team members and team cohesion are high on our agenda as they are essential to providing quality care and improving patient and carer experience.
Main duties of the job
ELPS is commissioned to see patients aged 16 and above. You will undertake biopsychosocial assessments for patients who attend UTC or ED or are admitted on medical wards and have mental health needs. They may present with emotional problems, self-harm or in psychiatric crisis. They may also present with psychosomatic disorder and a variety of psychological issues related to physical disorders.
You will represent ELPS in Ealing Hospital and provide specialist support to referring clinicians and clinical teams. You will offer a person-centred approach to patients' treatment, recovery and well-being. You will make clear autonomous decisions based on an analysis of complex presenting problems. You will promote carer/family involvement and will liaise with colleagues from other areas of health and social care to coordinate safe discharge plans.
You will demonstrate organisational and multitasking skills by effectively prioritising in a fast paced environment and efficiently delegating and allocating workload.
You will offer formal and informal training to ELPS and EH colleagues to promote high quality of care. You will provide clinical and managerial supervision to junior colleagues in ELPS. You will be encouraged to share your views and ideas to enhance and support service improvement. You will take responsibility for projects associated with service provision and development. You will have dedicated management time to fulfil these tasks and develop your leadership skills.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.
The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oProfessional Qualification as Registered Social Worker with professional registration (HCPC)
- Mentorship In Practice (Teaching & Assessing in Clinical Practice) or equivalent teaching qualification
- Assisted Year In Practice (ASYE) if social work qualified
Desirable
- Educated to degree or diploma level nursing
- Other courses/training relevant to Liaison Psychiatry e.g. CBT, Brief Solution Focused Therapy etc
- RGN qualified
- Other qualification in practice teaching or supervision of staff.
- Evidence of recent professional development
Experience
Essential
- oDemonstrable substantive post qualifying experience in psychiatry, with evidence of relevant experience at Band 6
- oExperience of supervising junior staff within own and/or other disciplines
- oExperience of mentoring students through placements
- oExperience of working with people who have experienced serious ongoing mental health problems
- oExperience of assessing and managing crisis with those with a severe mental illness
- oExperience of working within a multidisciplinary team
- oExperience of teaching/ training in a formal or informal setting
Desirable
- oClinical experience of working in Liaison Psychiatry Service(s)
- oExperience of implementing and monitoring standards of care
- oOther relevant post registration experience
- oAudit and research skills
- oExperience of managing outpatient clinics for mental health
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- oSpecialist knowledge of mental health disorders as well as their relationship to physical disorders
- oAssessment and treatment of self-harm
- oRisk assessment/management and crisis intervention skills
- oUse of psychosocial assessment methods
- oKnowledge of counselling skills / cognitive behavioural skills, psychosocial interventions
- oAbility to assess clinical situations quickly and use initiative
- oKnowledge of Mental Capacity Act (2005)
- oClear understanding of the Mental Health Act (1983), and National Policy
- oAbility to engage challenging and/or acutely distressed patients in potentially hostile and/or antagonistic situations and use de-escalation techniques effectively
- oAbility to work as an active member of the multidisciplinary team
- oSufficient clinical knowledge to be able to make autonomous decisions, based on an analysis of complex presenting problems and judgement about available options
- oManagement and organisation skills that enable a number of complex activities and clinical work to be undertaken, revising and adjusting these according to the needs of individual patients and the service
- oClear understanding of the process of supervision
Desirable
- oAbility to interpret research and apply to practice
- oComputer literate
- oSkills in CBT or family work
- oReport writing skills
Personal Qualities
Essential
- oAbility to manage own time effectively through robust prioritising of own and others workloads
- oAbility to frequently work under pressure and maintain intense concentration, particularly in unpredictable situations where there will be exposure to highly distressed and/or disturbed patients, often exhibiting challenging behaviours and the risk of physical violence
- oSelf-motivated, able to work autonomously and independently with confidence
- oExercise initiative, flexibility, tact and self- awareness
- oAbility to meet deadlines
- oTeam/self-management and organisation skills that enable a number of complex activities and clinical work to be undertaken, revising and adjusting these according to the needs of individual patients and the service
- oBe aware of the limitations in own competencies and seek appropriate senior advice and leadership
- oAct as a positive role model, dynamic, motivated caring and supportive
- oAbility to work closely and form excellent working relationships with a wide range of people
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oProfessional Qualification as Registered Social Worker with professional registration (HCPC)
- Mentorship In Practice (Teaching & Assessing in Clinical Practice) or equivalent teaching qualification
- Assisted Year In Practice (ASYE) if social work qualified
Desirable
- Educated to degree or diploma level nursing
- Other courses/training relevant to Liaison Psychiatry e.g. CBT, Brief Solution Focused Therapy etc
- RGN qualified
- Other qualification in practice teaching or supervision of staff.
- Evidence of recent professional development
Experience
Essential
- oDemonstrable substantive post qualifying experience in psychiatry, with evidence of relevant experience at Band 6
- oExperience of supervising junior staff within own and/or other disciplines
- oExperience of mentoring students through placements
- oExperience of working with people who have experienced serious ongoing mental health problems
- oExperience of assessing and managing crisis with those with a severe mental illness
- oExperience of working within a multidisciplinary team
- oExperience of teaching/ training in a formal or informal setting
Desirable
- oClinical experience of working in Liaison Psychiatry Service(s)
- oExperience of implementing and monitoring standards of care
- oOther relevant post registration experience
- oAudit and research skills
- oExperience of managing outpatient clinics for mental health
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- oSpecialist knowledge of mental health disorders as well as their relationship to physical disorders
- oAssessment and treatment of self-harm
- oRisk assessment/management and crisis intervention skills
- oUse of psychosocial assessment methods
- oKnowledge of counselling skills / cognitive behavioural skills, psychosocial interventions
- oAbility to assess clinical situations quickly and use initiative
- oKnowledge of Mental Capacity Act (2005)
- oClear understanding of the Mental Health Act (1983), and National Policy
- oAbility to engage challenging and/or acutely distressed patients in potentially hostile and/or antagonistic situations and use de-escalation techniques effectively
- oAbility to work as an active member of the multidisciplinary team
- oSufficient clinical knowledge to be able to make autonomous decisions, based on an analysis of complex presenting problems and judgement about available options
- oManagement and organisation skills that enable a number of complex activities and clinical work to be undertaken, revising and adjusting these according to the needs of individual patients and the service
- oClear understanding of the process of supervision
Desirable
- oAbility to interpret research and apply to practice
- oComputer literate
- oSkills in CBT or family work
- oReport writing skills
Personal Qualities
Essential
- oAbility to manage own time effectively through robust prioritising of own and others workloads
- oAbility to frequently work under pressure and maintain intense concentration, particularly in unpredictable situations where there will be exposure to highly distressed and/or disturbed patients, often exhibiting challenging behaviours and the risk of physical violence
- oSelf-motivated, able to work autonomously and independently with confidence
- oExercise initiative, flexibility, tact and self- awareness
- oAbility to meet deadlines
- oTeam/self-management and organisation skills that enable a number of complex activities and clinical work to be undertaken, revising and adjusting these according to the needs of individual patients and the service
- oBe aware of the limitations in own competencies and seek appropriate senior advice and leadership
- oAct as a positive role model, dynamic, motivated caring and supportive
- oAbility to work closely and form excellent working relationships with a wide range of people
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).
