Job Title: Specialist Palliative Care Social Worker (IPU / Children and Families)

JOB DESCRIPTION

Hours: 37.5 - flexibility may be required to meet service needs

Reporting to: Senior Social Worker

Accountable to: Head of Family Support Service

Job Summary

Tosupport children and families experiencing anticipatory grief and bereavement, and enabling patients and their families to achieve preferred options for end of life care.The post holder will work in collaboration with other members of the Family Support Team and the wider multi-disciplinary team and will be expected to contribute to the development of specialist palliative care services within St Richard’s Hospice.

Overall Aims

To provide emotional, social and practical support for the patients of St Richard’s Hospice, and those important to them, and to contribute to the multi-disciplinary teams’ understanding of such issues. The post holder will have particular responsibility to provide psychosocial support to the patients and their families assessed as requiring support.

Main Responsibilities

To develop, facilitate and promote a variety of group work opportunities for children, young people and families
To hold a caseload of palliative care patients, children and families with complex needs, providing effective psychosocial support
To help facilitate patient discharge from the in-patient unit in conjunction with the full multi professional team and wider services available through Worcestershire County Council and Health Care Providers, ensuring continuity of care.
To provide effective social work services for carers, including referral to in-house support services and an understanding of the local authority requirements of duty to assess carer’s needs.

To provide guidance and advice,within St Richard’s Hospice, onissues relating to Adult and Child Safeguarding matters, and to ensure that, where appropriate, external agencies are notified including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
To provide advocacy support for patients, and those important to them, and where applicable, refer to external advocacy services.
To work with schools, educational centres and other outside agencies to support children and families faced with loss and grief and work with external agencies to promote hospice services to raise the profile of palliative care within Worcestershire.
To be aware of current research and legislation changes that impact on the specialist palliative care social work services being received through the hospice.
To attend regular supervision sessions (individual and group).
To report regularly to Senior Social Worker and report progress/shortfall in service, and identifying problem areas.
To advise and participate in multi-disciplinary assessment and care planning and liaise with statutory social work agencies or local health agencies
To maintain accurate and comprehensive computerised records which reflect the assessment and intervention process whilst also upholding patient confidentiality in line with Policy set out by St Richard’s Hospice.
To develop professional links with social work teams in hospitals and community teams to keep updated with best practice and to ensure the hospice can access statutory resources
To be involved, where appropriate, in the development, implementation and evaluation of Specialist Palliative Care Social Work throughout St Richard’s Hospice.
To attend and contribute at regular internal and external meetings to represent issues relating to Specialist Palliative Care Social Work.
To provide supportive and educative services to other members of the Family Support Team, other allied health professionals and others involved in the care of those requiring specialist palliative care services.

Personal

Observe all health and Safety regulations in accordance with St Richard’s Hospice Policies and Procedure
Practice equal opportunities in line with St Richard’s Hospice Policy and promoting appropriate services for diverse communities.
Attend annual IPR with Line Manager and fulfil agreed personal development programme.
Maintain strict confidentiality in line with the Data Information Protection Law and St Richard’s Hospice confidentiality policy.
Consistently demonstrate a high level of commitment to professional development.
Maintain HCPC registration and fulfil continued professional development requirements.

This job description is not exhaustive and is subject to review.

Signed...... Date......