Senior Social Worker - Mental Health (Older People & Adults)

Senior Social Worker - Mental Health (Older People & Adults)

MAIN PURPOSE:

• To work as part of a combined, Older People and Adults Social Care mental health service.
• To liaise with staff who are Care Coordinators or equivalent, in the mental health Trust. Responding to request for Social Care interventions under the Care Act and other relevant legislation
• To offer Health or other staff advice and guidance for statutory MHA work and the social care agenda with regards to this service.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To undertake holistic strengths based assessments under the Care Act
• Following this, formulate Care and Support plans, which evidence Person Centred approach
• Ensure that appropriate care is delivered; regularly review the care plan, and adjust services where appropriate.
• Implement Department Practice Model, evidence choice and promoting independence, Encouraging Residents to engage with their recovery.
• Initiate relevant initiatives including those promoted by Public Health ,to support residents in having healthy lifestyle and relapse prevention.
• Competent use of Mosaic
• To carry out risk assessments and demonstrate risk management and positive risk-taking and regular review.
• To demonstrate effective communication with a range of agencies and professionals.
• To support residents to commission services they require through Self Directed Support and arrange appropriate statutory services.
• Provide required written and verbal evidence to funding Panels in order to seek funds for costed services.
• Present to housing panels with a view to obtaining sheltered accommodation, residential care or part purchased accommodation for service users.
• To have sufficient knowledge and awareness of the impact of medication and its associated side effects and be able to monitor and raise concerns
• To have sufficient knowledge and awareness of Cognitive change and impact on mental and physical wellbeing and to document and raise concerns as necessary
• To have sufficient knowledge and awareness of Neurodiversity
• To have sufficient knowledge and awareness of physiological change that takes place in older age, and impact on mental and physical wellbeing and functioning and to document and raise concerns as necessary
• To have sufficient knowledge and awareness of different functional mental illness to enable appropriately support to those experiencing these conditions and to document and raise concerns as necessary
• To work with residents when they are in crisis, including Psychiatric. Working collectively with Health Colleagues expertise.
• To write social circumstances reports on allocated service users for Mental Health Review Tribunals and managers hearings.
• Ensuring that resident's social care needs, as related to their mental health are met under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act.
• To participate in the team duty rota
• To have a sound working knowledge of safeguarding, and be able to undertake duties of an Enquiry Officer - write reports and follow through protection plans and close cases. Where required, to be able to demonstrate the above for child protection. Ensure evidence trail for this work is in the required documents in Mosaic
• To complete Carers assessments and implement packages of care where required.
• Work alongside the department's contracted Carer agencies
• To ensure that their work is consistent with the London Borough of Merton policies, which apply to their practice.
• To liaise with other agencies both statutory and in the private and voluntary sector
• To attend both management and professional supervision on a regular basis, and to participate actively in the supervision process.
• To attend team meetings, both Practice and Business, on a regular basis.
• To ensure that equal opportunities are embedded in all areas of work.
• To work with residents and carers in the assessments process and implement services to help keep residents living at home as long and safely as possible
• Undertake functions of a Social Supervisor, under the Mental Health Act, as required
• To participate in the Duty AMHP Service, as qualified AMHP.
• To build a good working relationship with providers of services and be involved in regular reviews of placements that are funded by LBM
• All social workers are expected to maintain their continuing professional development and keep their registration with the Health and Care Professionals Council up to date.
• All AMHPs are responsible for keeping their AMHP practice and Refresher training up to-date and provide written reports for all assessments.
• To build and develop good working relationships with third sector services that operate in LBM
• Identify residents appropriate for Breathing Space initiative and implement as directed
• Carry out functions under the Menal Capacity Act. This would include being Best Interest Assessor, regards Deprivation of Liberty.