Newly Qualified Social Worker AYSE - Aylesbury

Are you a newly qualified Social Worker who has completed your social work training and registered with Social Work England? Are you looking for a new opportunity to work with adults and older adult community mental health teams in Buckinghamshire? Are you looking for training and support to develop your existing knowledge and skills within supportive and experienced CMHT teams?

While working closely with, and being based within the multi-disciplinary teams, your line management and direct support sits within the dedicated social care structure. 

As an AYSE, you will have a reduced caseload and dedicated AYSE supervision to support you to consolidate your learning and transition into a professional role! This opportunity is linked with the Buckinghamshire Council AYSE programme as part of our s75 agreement with the local authority.

AYSE Social Workers will carry out a range of social care tasks including assessment of need for people and their carers, and review of existing packages of care for service users and carers under the Care Act and s117 MHA.

You will be required to visit people in their own homes and in placements across Buckinghamshire and in some cases visit people in out of area placements therefore Applicants must have a full valid driving licence and have access to a car for work. If necessary, adjustments can be considered in line with the Equality Act 2010. 

Main duties of the job

Undertake Care Act assessments for adults and their carers  who are ordinarily resident in Buckinghamshire and appear to be in need of care and support. 

Using a strengths-based approach you will help  adults and their families make best use of community resources to support them to live as independently as possible.

Arrange for commissioned services to be put in place where necessary, in line with eligibility and Council policy. 

Review existing packages of care in line with the Care Act and s117 MHA. 

You will develop a good understanding of the Council's charging and top-up and choice policies and give information and advice to adults and their families when assessing and arranging care and support. 

Work jointly with Social Worker and health colleagues to deliver a supportive and empowering service to older adults and their families. 

Working for our organisation

The recent s75 consultation has created a new structure for delivering social care within Oxford Health in Buckinghamshire and streamlined the management and reporting processes. Social care staff remain co-located and work in dedicated CMHT teams, while benefitting from supervision and line-management within the social care framework.

AYSE's within this structure benefit from opportunities to extend and develop their skills and knowledge in mental health Social Work. Training and development opportunities are available from both Oxford Health and Buckinghamshire Council which provide a wide range of options for learning and development. 

Benefits of working for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust include:

• Excellent opportunities for career progression
• 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, with an increase to 33 days with continuous service
• NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
• Staff accommodation
• Competitive pension scheme
• Lease car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To assess and review the needs of clients referred to or already within the service. To develop high quality assessment, reviews and plans which focus on both which focus on both independence for and outcomes desired 
by the individual. To work in partnership with other professionals and organisations.

You will input directly in the Council's electronic information system, LAS as well as having access to health information systems.  There is an expectation for the post-holder to complete their AYSE portfolio within 1 year with progression to band 6 subject to successful completion and ability to practice at a band 6 standard. 

See Job Description and Person Specification

Person specification

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Social work Qualification
• Demonstrate an understanding of the needs of adults experiencing mental health challenges and adults at risk of/experiencing abuse or neglect
• A knowledge of care and support services for adults with mental health needs and vulnerable adults
• Demonstrate an understanding of assessment and support planning.

Desirable criteria

• A working knowledge of local authority electronic recording systems
• A working knowledge of local authority finance and/or commissioning processes (2)

Skills

Essential criteria

• Ability to communicate with vulnerable adults and carers who are experiencing mental health distress
• Be able to work alone and use initiative within boundaries set by the Team Manager/Advanced Practitioner .
• Be able to work effectively within a complex professional environment
• Excellent written and spoken English

Experience

Essential criteria

• Extensive experience of working with adults with mental health needs and vulnerable adults
• Experience of working with a variety of Microsoft Office systems.
• Experience of working with professionals within social care including social workers, nurses and occupational therapists.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in a community mental health setting
• Experience of using the LAS electronic information system
• All new starters have a 6 month probationary period. This, together with the induction process, aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale
• Candidates not currently employed by the Trust who attend an interview for non-qualified Band 1-5 posts are required to undertake numeracy and literacy assessments.
• Appointment to this post is subject to the trust receiving satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment or study. Please ask your referees to respond promptly to reference requests.
• Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.
• We are ambitious in our pursuit of excellence, driven by the belief that a fair, just and fully inclusive organisational culture enables our teams to deliver the best quality of care and services possible and we work hard to ensure that our diverse workforce reflects the communities that we serve.
• We welcome applications from all sections of the community, are an Equal Opportunities employer with a number of internal networking groups to support our employees and where possible will always look to make reasonable adjustments in order that you can fulfil the role to recognise your full potential. All our employees are committed to demonstrating through their behaviour our core values – safe, caring and excellent.
• Oxford Health is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
• Oxford is a world-renowned centre of excellence for research. Oxford Health works closely with the University of Oxford department of Psychiatry and the Department of Primary care, has a Biomedical Research Centre dedicated to improving mental health and the NIHR Clinical Research Facility at the Warneford site. The Trust also hosts the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) which carries out applied research that directly impacts patient health and wellbeing