Advertised role location: ROYAL VICTORIA HOSPITALOfficial document: Job Description Senior Practitioner – Sept 2026 (pdf)Belfast Health and Social CareSenior Social Work PractitionerBAND 7JOB DESCRIPTIONJOB TITLE Senior Social Work PractitionerBAND Band 7Home Liaison/ Point of Contact for Care HomesDIRECTORATE Adult Community Older Peoples ServicesLOCATION Acute teams, base to be determined on appointmentREPORTS TO Assistant Service Manger Hospital Social WorkRESPONSIBILITY TO Service Manger Hospital Social WorkDATE Sept 2026JOB SUMMARYThe post holder will be responsible for the delivery of the professional social work roleat Senior Practitioner level within the hospital social work service.The Senior Practitioner will work alongside the Senior Social Worker to identify complexand challenging cases and provide focused work alongside the social worker to identifyassessed needs and secure the necessary and appropriate supports for discharge fromhospital.They will provide cover for the Senior Social Worker when necessary including reviewand update of daily complex delays, allocation of cases and supervision of staff.The Senior Practitioner will play a key role in the discharge of statutory functionsincluding: Adult Safeguarding, Child Protection, Mental Capacity Act work, CareAssessments and assessment of needs.The post holder will work closely with the Community Discharge Service HubCoordinator and the social work team within the acute and community sector ensuringhigh quality person-centred service for safe, effective and timely discharges.The post holder will ensure that patients’ Human Rights are upheld throughout thedischarge planning process and will have a key understanding of the “Home First”principle. The post holder will also support the social work practitioners in exploringalternative discharge pathways such as care home placements or exploring communityand voluntary sector services.The post holder will work in partnership with the senior social worker and social workpractitioners to ensure that governance frameworks and protocols are in place toensure safe discharge and high quality care.The post holder will be responsible for providing service performance data that willillustrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the service, highlight areas forimprovements, and take responsibility for implementation.The post holder will where required undertake flexible working that will include extendedand seven day working and will carry a restricted caseload.The post holder will undertake Designated Adult Protection Officer duties when requiredand support development of Investigative Officers in the role.The post holder will undertake a mentor role for social work practitioners within theteams supporting the senior social worker by undertaking a supervisory role whererequired.The post holder will be expected to support the senior social workers in quality assuringcase files, coupled with supporting them to close case files.MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES.The post holder will provide support as the Senior Practitioner across thehospital site including the Emergency Department and will ensure effective socialwork assessment, care and discharge planning and reporting of challenges inthe delivery of social work services in hospital;Contribute to the development of multi-disciplinary partnership working betweenHospital Social Work and other teams including the Community DischargeService and community-based services providing follow-up care and support todischarged patients;Identify specific cases alongside the Senior Social Worker that require focusedwork to identify assessed needs and then to secure the necessary andappropriate supports for discharge from hospital. The Senior Practitioner mayhold case responsibility or co-work these cases with social work staff;The post holder will provide a supportive/mentoring role to staff in their AssessedYear of Employment and to those who are joining the service including induction,orientation, observation and support of practice, identifying learning anddevelopment opportunities. This role may also extend to support other moreestablished staff when necessary;The post holder will support in the service’s audit process to identify learningneeds on an individual and service wide basis;• The Senior Practitioner will promote the social work role within the service areain the assessment of need as part of discharge planning and play a lead role inthe professional response to statutory functions;• To highlight and identify Quality Improvement projects within the service areaand take these forward;• To assist in the implementation, management and review of effectivemanagement and communication systems within and between teams to ensurethat targets for patient discharges are being met;• Delegation of appropriate tasks/duties to relevant staff including social workpractitioners and social care assessors;• Contribute to the ongoing systematic review of admission and discharge policiesin relation to care pathways to ensure the optimum use of clinical andcommunity-based resources;• To undertake evidence-based audit and research projects to establish the team’sefficiency and effectiveness and where necessary implement any changes topractice or service protocols and thereafter measure effectiveness;• Contribute to the development and implementation of comprehensive systemsfor Clinical and Social Care Governance, including training, standard setting,monitoring, quality assurance and quality improvement;• Ensure safe practice under the Health & Safety at Work Order. Implementpolicies that may be required to improve the safety of your work area, includingthe prompt recording and reporting and acting upon of accidents/incidents;• Undertake the role of Designated Adult Protection Officer (DAPO). If not yetqualified, the successful candidate will give an undertaking to complete thistraining as soon as possible;• Provide guidance on cases requiring worked under the Mental Capacity Act andas a Suitably Qualified person under eh Act will complete Form 1 Statements ofIncapacity. If not Suitably Qualified, compete this training at the earliestopportunity upon appointment;• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with Social Workers andSenior Social Workers within the Hospital Social Work Department and withCommunity Discharge Services across the Region.• Develop and strengthen links with both hospital and community services whichincludes Nursing, Primary Care and Community Groups and other agencies asappropriate.• Engage with other care providers for out of HSC Trust referrals.• Attend local and regional meetings when required to represent the HSC Trust.• Build effective partnerships with individuals and carers to ensure that their views areevident in influencing the delivery of services. Report on issues raised by careproviders, individuals and families about the quality of discharge, working closelywith relevant partners, such as ward teams and discharge teams, to improve futuredischarges.• Keep accurate and contemporaneous records to comply with HSC Trust standardsand contribute to and submit reports as requested.• To work with relevant I.T systems such as Encompass and NICER (this is not anexhaustive list).The post holder will support the Senior Social Worker when quality-assuringcase files via the audit process and I the closure of case files with the service.• Be prepared to work flexibly over 7 days;Professional Specific ResponsibilitiesTo be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of their work,including the management of patients in your care;Ensure that their practice is in keeping with the professional registration bodyand meets the required, national and local professional standards for theirspecific profession;To liaise with the multi-disciplinary team to identify hospital inpatients fit fordischarge and link with a range of statutory/non-statutory community services todetermine capacity to respond through provision of on-going care andrehabilitation needs;To support social work practitioners to undertake assessments in line with theMental Capacity Act (2016)Support social work practitioners and the patient to ensure smooth transitionfrom the acute hospital to community-based services including discharge to theirown home, an Interim Bed/Additional Bed/Extraordinary Funded Bed for onwardcare at homePost holder to support social work practitioners to liaise with relatives and carersto ensure that they are aware of discharge plans including arrangements for careprovision and equipment required and arrangements for ongoing management athome.Identify presence of any carer/family stress associated with hospital discharge –provide advice and liaise with other professionals/services as required, forexample, social work re: day sits/respite/Macmillan/Helpline/Social Issues –liaise with Community Psychiatric Nursing/ICT if requiredAssess patient understanding of discharge proposals, gain valid informedconsent and work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity toconsent.Give relevant advice to patients/relatives/carers on home management, liaisingwith other staff groups as appropriate.Be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive records in line withyour professional body.Be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice through activities /attendance of training, and maintaining a portfolio, which reflects personal andprofessional development as well as updating their PIPParticipate in the Trust’s KSF Review Process. Also be responsible forcomplying with the agreed Staff Development Review to meet set objectives andcompetencies.Undertake evidence-based audit and research projects to develop improvementsto service delivery and clinical practice. Make recommendations for change tothe operational and professional managers.Actively contribute to in-service training programmes by attendance at andparticipation in, in-service training programmes, tutorials, individual trainingsessions, external courses and peer review.General ResponsibilitiesEmployees of the Trust are required to promote and support the mission and vision ofthe service for which they are responsible and:At all times provide a caring service and to treat those with whom they come intocontact in a courteous and respectful manner.Demonstrate their commitment by their regular attendance and the efficientcompletion of all tasks allocated to them.Comply with the Trust’s Smoke Free Policy.Carry out their duties and responsibilities in compliance with the Health andSafety Policies and Statutory Regulations.Adhere to Equality and Good Relations duties throughout the course of theiremployment.Ensure the ongoing confidence of the public in-service provision.Maintain high standards of personal accountability.Comply with the HPSS Code of Conduct.FINANCIAL AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT• The post holder will ensure service needs are met and that care provided is costefficient. They will work within HSC Trust processes when approval is required tofacilitate above regional tariff rate care provision, in order to meet enhanced careneeds.• Identify any problems with financial resource use/availability and makerecommendations which are consistent with directorate / divisional objectives andorganisational policies.• Support senior management in the development and delivery of capital investmentstrategies ensuring these reflect and contribute to meeting targets set by the HSCTrust Corporate Plan in proportion with the role.LEARNING AND MANAGEMENT• The post holder will contribute to the development, delivery and evaluation ofeducation and learning activities including learning from incidents.• The post holder will be expected to work within their experience and capabilities,ensuring timely escalation to Senior Managers when guidance and support isrequired.• Be responsible for their own continuing professional development and themaintenance of professional competence, registration and standards.• Identify gaps in service provision and participate in service improvement projects,training and education programmes and facilitate and develop a research andquality improvement culture.• Ensure that the voice of individuals and their families/carers are listened to,developing a mechanism for recording and sharing learning from feedback, whilsttaking an opportunity to facilitate individual/carer involvement in relation to thedevelopment of care and services in line with the HSC Trust’s corporatecommitment to Personal and Public Involvement (PPI).• Demonstrate appropriate care values including: compassion, respect, empathy,treating people with dignity, integrity, courage, responsibility and adaptability.• Promote a collective leadership model through acting as a role model and changeagent in leading and managing services.• Delegate, supervise and support others within the scope of each individual’s rolethrough the provision of supervision, mentorship and reflective practiceopportunities and facilitation of annual performance appraisals and ensuring staffaccess to both operational and professional supervision.• Facilitate the supervision /Staff development Review meetings and assessment ofpre and post registration students.• Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff processes.• Ensure processes are in place to manage sickness absence and take appropriateaction in line with HSC Trust policies and procedures.• Participate in Grievance, Capability and Disciplinary procedures in line with HSCTrust policies and procedures.• Establish and promote a supportive, fair and open culture that encourages andenables all parts of the team to have clearly aligned goals and objectives, to meetthe required performance standards and to achieve continuous improvement in theservices they deliver.• Promote a culture of openness and honesty to enable shared learning.• Provide clear leadership and support the implementation of all relevant regional andHSC Trust policies, to ensure policy translates into practice.GOVERNANCE• Contribute to the development of clinical guidelines, agreed policies protocols andprocedures ensuring these are embedded within the service and communicated torelevant personnel.• Report complaints, near miss incidents and accidents, and undertake investigationsand reporting relating to these incidents as required. Take responsibility forimplementation of action plans, monitoring and reviewing of outcomes within theremit of this role.• Support the Division in investigating complaints and ensuring feedback is sent to therelevant areas.• Work in a way which aims to prevent complaints and promote information andunderstanding of enhanced care among individuals, relatives and staff.• Contribute to the HSC Trusts Clinical Governance and Health and Safetycommittees as appropriate.• Contribute to the HSC Trust’s overall corporate governance processes to ensure itscompliance with public sector values and codes of conduct, operations andaccountability.Records ManagementAll employees of Belfast Health & Social Care Trust are legally responsible for allrecords held, created or used as part of their business within the Belfast Health andSocial Care Trust, including patient/client, corporate and administrative records whetherpaper based or electronic and also including e-mails. All such records are publicrecords and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under theFreedom of Information Act 2000, the Environment Regulations 2004 and DataProtection Act 1998. Employees are required to be conversant with the Belfast Healthand Social Care Trust policy and procedure on records management and to seekadvice if in doubt.RAISING CONCERNS – RESPONSIBILITIES• The post holder will promote and support effective team working, fostering a cultureof openness and transparency.• The post holder will ensure that they take all concerns raised with them seriouslyand act in accordance with the HSC Trust’s ‘Your Right to Raise a Concern(Whistleblowing)’ policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable.Sept 2026PERSONNEL SPECIFICATIONJOB TITLE Senior Social Work PractitionerBAND Band 7DIRECTORATE Adult Community Older Peoples ServicesLOCATION: To be confirmed on appointmentDATE: Sept 2026Notes to applicants:1. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how youmeet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.2. Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please notethe HSC Trust reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined in Section 3 atshortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet thedesirable criteria.3. Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer ofemployment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.ESSENTIAL CRITERIASECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured atshortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selectionstage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not youmeet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage inthe process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.Factor Criteria Method ofAssessmentQualifications/ RegistrationA professional qualification in Social Work,AndRegistered or willing to register with NISCC, underPart 1 of the register as a professional social worker.Shortlisting byApplicationFormExperience 3 years’ post-registration experience with olderpeople/adults, 2 years of which must be completedworking at Band 6 (equivalent) or above.Shortlisting byApplicationFormOther Hold a current full driving licence which is valid for usein the UK and have access to a car is essential. Thiscriteria will be waived in the case of applicants whosedisability prohibits driving but who have access to aform of transport approved by the HSC Trust whichwill permit them to carry out the duties of the post.Ability to work flexibly over 7days (on rota basis asrequired)Shortlisting byApplicationFormShortlisting byApplicationFormSECTION 2: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will be measured during theinterview/ selection stage:Skills /Abilities• Excellent planning and organisational skillsincluding self-management and ability to prioritiseworkload and delegate tasks as appropriate.• Ability to work under pressure and on owninitiative.• Work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.• Ability to work collaboratively and constructivelywith other professionals and other disciplines,internal and external to the organisation.• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal, verbal andwritten communication skills.• Experience and confidence in supervision of staffand oversight of complex casework.• Experience and evidence of leading servicedevelopments / new initiatives to achieve serviceimprovements.• Competent computer skills for communication,data collection and report writing.InterviewKnowledge Knowledge and understanding of;• HSC Trust Policies and procedures includinghospital discharge protocols and haveawareness of Care Management standards,including statutory regulations governingdomicilary care agencies, Nursing andResidential Care Homes, and role of theRegulation and Quality Improvement Authority(RQIA).Interview• Budget and resource management.• Knowledge of current legislation and health andsocial care direction; strategic and localdevelopments in Health & Social care within thecommunity, hospital and the role of otheragencies.• Be Suitably Qualified to complete a Statement ofIncapacity (Form 1) under the Mental CapacityAct, with practice experience of working withpersons who lack capacity. (If not SuitablyQualified, compete this training at the earliestopportunity upon appointment).• Be Designated Adult Protection Officer trained(DAPO) or give an undertaking to complete thistraining upon appointment.• Ability to manage and advise on complex cases.• Provide evidence of continuous personal andprofessional development which impacts onclinical practice.Competency based interview orValue based interview tobe determinedby individualHSC Trusts.Candidates who are shortlisted for interview willneed to demonstrate at interview that they have therequired competencies to be effective in thisdemanding leadership role. The competenciesconcerned are set out in the NHS HealthcareLeadership Model, details of which can be found athttp://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/resources/healthcare-leadership-model.Particular attention will be given to the following:• Inspiring shared purpose• Leading with care• Evaluating information• Connecting our service• Sharing the vision• Engaging the team• Holding to account• Developing capability• Influencing for resultsInterviewIf this post is being sought on secondment then the individual MUST have thepermission of their line manager IN ADVANCE of making application.As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for the HSC Trustto carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointmentto this post can be confirmed.Successful applicants may be required to attend for a Health AssessmentTHE HSC TRUST IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYERAll staff are expected to display the HSC Values at all times
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