JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE:Social Worker Assistant

RESPONSIBLE TO:Social Worker

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Enablement Team Manager/Safegarding Lead

HOURS OF WORK:37.5 hours per week

LOCATION:LOROS Hospice, Groby Road, Leicester

JOB PURPOSE:

  • To provide social care assessments and interventions to support and assist patients and carers to optimise assets and capabilities.
  • To provide advice and support to facilitate patients and carers to access appropriate welfare rights and community support.
  • To liaise with colleagues both within the hospice and externally as part of LOROS Enablement Team

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Under appropriate support to carry out social care assessments for patients, working holistically to address issues through the provision of social work interventions.
  2. To make appropriate referrals to Adult Social Care and support the discharge team to undertake Continuing Healthcare checklists in relation to funding.
  3. To provide welfare rights advice and signposting for patients and families.
  4. To liaise with other disciplines and services regarding patients and their carers.
  5. To assist the social worker with assessments including gathering background information.
  6. With an appropriate level of support, take responsibility for managing a caseload.
  7. Take appropriate action to report issues in accordance with safeguarding, Mental Capacity Assessments and deprivation of Liberty Safeguards applications.
  8. To be responsible for own administration, including the prompt and accurate completion of clinical and statistical records.
  9. To attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary team meetings.
  1. To help establish additional support to patient and carers by way of carers groups and public displays.
  2. To work as part of the Enablement Team supporting safe and effective discharges from the hospice.
  3. To support / signpost patients who are discharged from Day Therapy to find appropriate support as needed.

PROFESSIONAL

  1. To be able to plan and prioritise own workload.
  2. To participate in and actively contribute to departmental meetings including staff meetings.
  3. To liaise with Adult Social Care and other agencies, signposting as appropriate.
  4. To contribute to the MDT decision-making process through attendance at MDT meetings.
  5. To complete mandatory training as necessary.
  6. To participate in in-service training sessions.
  7. To participate in departmental Personal Appraisal system, with new objectives set annually and progress being renewed.
  8. To adhere to the standards, policies, procedures and values of the organisation.

GENERAL

All staff are subject to Equal Opportunities Legislation, the Data Protection Act and LOROS Confidentiality Policy.

To carry out and comply with the prevention and control of infection as per LOROS policies and procedures.

All staff are subject to LOROS policies, procedures and conditions of service, with reference to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.

Co-operate with their employer as far as is necessary to meet the requirements of the legislation.

All staff should be aware of and aim to contribute to LOROS’ Vision and Mission and also strive to exhibit the Values & Behaviours at all times (see attached document).

The contents of this job description are not exhaustive and may be amended in accordance with the needs of the service after discussion with the post holder whose agreement will not be unreasonably withheld.

Signed………………………………………………………… Date…………………………………………

Postholder

Signed……………………………………………………….. Date ………………………………………..Line Manager

VISION

(Ourlongtermaspirationforoursociety)

Everyonewithanincurableillnesshastherighttoexcellentcare.Thisshouldvalueandrespecttheiruniquenessandtheirownchoices.Peopleshouldbeenabledtoliveanddiewithdignityandwithappropriateandcompassionatesupportforthemandtheirlovedones.

MISSION

(OurgoalsandactivitiesinworkingtowardsourVision)

LOROSisacharitywhoseaimistoenhancethequalityoflifeofadultpatientswithcancer,progressiveneurologicalconditionsandend-stageorganfailureforwhomcurativetreatmentisnolongerpossible.Patientsaretreatedatthehospiceandinthecommunitybaseduponclinicalneed,regardlessofbackgroundandtheabilitytopay.

LOROSspecialisesinholistic,multidisciplinarycare,focusedonthewholepersonandincludingfamilyandcarers.Thecaregiventakesintoaccountthepatients’physical,psychological,socialandspiritualneedsaswellas their ownchoices.Familymembersaresupportedinadjusting tolossandbereavement.

LOROScontributestotheeducationandtrainingofitsownandotherhealthandsocialcareprofessionalsandofvolunteers.Thecharityisalsocommittedtoresearchinordertoimprovetheunderstandingandpracticeofpalliativecare.

VALUESBEHAVIOURS

(Howwewillstrivetobe)

P:\PERSONNEL\Job Descriptions\Enablement\Social Work Assistant October 2017.doc

PROFESSIONAL

FOCUSED
COLLABORATIVE

COMPASSIONATE
TRUSTED


in ourattitudeand everything wedo

onpatients,familiesandcarers whilst listening,learningandadaptingtotheirdiverseneeds

inworkingtogetherandwithothers

inprovidingcareandrespondingsensitivelytorequestsforsupport

withinourorganisation andbyour community

P:\PERSONNEL\Job Descriptions\Enablement\Social Work Assistant October 2017.doc

KEY FACTS – JULY 2016

No. of individuals receiving patient care from LOROS p.a. / >2,500
Of whom admitted to Inpatient Ward / 590
No. of beds in Inpatient Ward / 31
Average length of stay (days) / 12
No. of participants in LOROS educational activities p.a. / 2,200
No. of employees / 330
No. of regular volunteers / 1,100
Expenditure on patient care p.a. / £7.7M
Minimum amount of income to be raised p.a. / £5.0M / Excludes the activity of LOROS Education, which is a self-funding service.
Portion of expenditure covered by NHS / 1/3rd
Portion of charity costs directed to care services / 91%
Cost per hour of running the charity / £870
Cost per bed/day including “overheads” / £525
Cost per attendance for Day Therapy / £240 / Day therapy now offers support to patients by a much wider range of professionals including physio, occupational and complementary therapists, doctors and chaplaincy.
No. of LOROS Shops / 28
No. of LOROS lottery members / 24,800

LOROS is a registered charity and also a company limited by guarantee which is governed by a Board of up to 15 unpaid voluntary Trustees. It is regulated by the Charity Commission, Companies House and the Care Quality Commission.

All money raised is spent locally in Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland.