West London NHS Trust is one of the largest providers of mental health care in the country. We are also a leading national provider of secure and specialist mental healthcare. We currently provide community based forensic care to 8 North West London Boroughs and we are seeking new staff to join our teams. Our Forensic Services were recently rated as Outstanding by the CQC.

We have been chosen by NHS England to pioneer a new approach to support forensic service users in the community. The Specialist Community Forensic Team will work to transition service users out of secure settings, and support their ongoing recovery in the community. This can improve quality of life, reduce inequality, and give hope to people who may have been detained for many years.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for applicants for a Forensic Social Worker/ Social Supervisor committed to working collaboratively with individuals and providers in the community to find positive and safe ways of working with people who use these services. In particular: -

You will work as part of the ground-breaking new team that will improve the lives of forensic mental health service users and their carers. This is a rare chance to be part of shaping a new service, providing opportunities to develop your skills and your career. The applicant must have a qualification in social work and be registered with Social Work England.

At WLNHST we don't just accept difference we actively celebrate it and support it for the benefit of our staff, our patients and our community. We are proud to be part of an equal opportunity work place.

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse providers of mental health, community and social care in the UK.

Our 3,982 staff care for people in hospital and in the community, helping them to recover and go on to lead full and productive lives. We aim to be the best organisation of our kind in the country.

We provide care and treatment for more than 800,000 people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow, delivering services in the community (at home, in GP surgeries and care homes), hospital, specialist clinics and forensic (secure) units.

We'rerated good overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Together, we're committed to promoting hope and wellbeing, working with patients, service users, carers, families and partners across the communities we serve.

We are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves, particularly in terms of ethnicity, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ and experience of mental illness.

Job description Job responsibilities

For the detailed job description and main responsibilities please refer to the file attached to this vacancy.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Qualification in Social Work or alternative Allied Health Professions with SWE / HCPC registration.

Desirable

• Post Qualifying training and development

Experience Essential

• The applicant must have a minimum of two years post graduate experience.
• The applicant must have two years post qualification experience in a mental health setting.
• The applicant must have experience of autonomous working.

Desirable

• Experience of community forensic working practises

Knowledge & Skills Essential

• Demonstrate an ability to undertake assessments of risk using specific risk assessment tools.
• Demonstrate an ability to formulate implement and evaluate programmes of care for those individuals in the Community Forensic Service and those being referred.
• Demonstrate an ability to use a range of therapeutic interventions with clients who have a range of disorders that will include personality disorder dual diagnosis.
• Demonstrate knowledge of actuarial and clinical risk assessment and how this might be applied to the management of clients.
• Demonstrate ability to supervise staff
• Demonstrate ability to lead on projects and audits.
• Demonstrate knowledge of Part 3 of the Mental Health Act and its application to Mentally Disordered Offenders.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the Criminal Justice Act and its implication for the management of Forensic clients.
• Demonstrate an ability to teach.
• Demonstrate a good understanding of CPA and its application.
• Demonstrate an ability to work with a range of organisations including Courts, Police and Probation, ministry of Justice.
• Demonstrate good communication skills, especially listening, empathy, facilitation, persuasion, motivation, negotiation, education, and reassurance.
• Demonstrate ability to lead projects and development of services
• Demonstrate an ability to communicate complex issues to users and carers.
• Demonstrate the ability to understand the role of the Community Forensic Service.
• Demonstrate ability for cross cultural working ensuring whatever the cultural background of clients they are treated holistically.
• Demonstrate an ability to manage stress and competing demands prioritising appropriately.
• Demonstrate skills associated with good documentation.
• An ability to work as part of a team.
• Ability to work in an autonomous manner.

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

222-SF-439-A