Job vacancy: Social Care Specialist, Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, Gloucester

Job summary

Main area: Community Mental Health
Grade: Band 7
Contract: Secondment: 12 months (ending August 2026)
Hours: Part time - 18.75 hours per week (Monday to Friday)
Job ref: 327-25-468-A

Employer: Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Invista - NHS Training Hub
Town: Gloucester
Salary: £47,810 - £54,710 per annum, pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 31/08/2025 23:59

Social Care Specialist

Band 7

We love what we do and we think you will, too!

At Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC), we provide joined-up mental health, physical health and learning disability services to people of all ages across Gloucestershire. We run community hospitals and provide care and support in people’s own homes and in a range of other locations across the county.

We are on a mission to enable people to live the best life they can and we have a vision to work together to provide outstanding care. We put people at the heart of our services, focusing on personalised care by asking ‘what matters to you’.

We’re passionate about making sure that everyone can contribute to achieving our mission and we are continually working to support healthy and happy high-quality teams in all areas of the Trust.

Our application process aims to understand each candidates knowledge, skills and experience. We have found that candidates that use AI to generate their answers can lack specificity and fail to address key criteria outlined in the job description.

It is really important to personalise your application to convey your individual skills, knowledge, and experiences effectively and for us to understand why you are applying for this role with GHC. We discourage over reliance on AI-generated applications as it will lessen your chances of success in securing an interview with us .

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical

· To participate in Approved Mental Health Professional community rota if qualified

· To support Social Workers with complex work and enable application of Care Act 2014, Mental capacity Act 2005, Mental Health Act 1983/2007 and Human rights legislation.

Professional

· To provide professional supervision on a planned basis and contribute to the appraisal of Social Workers located in teams and bases distributed throughout the designated area as agreed with the Social Worker and his / her team Manager.

· To act as a point of local expertise, liaison and resource knowledge, providing advice to professionals of all grades within GHC NHS FT and beyond.

· Working alongside Team Managers, actively participating in the recruitment and selection of Social Workers and other staff undertaking social care.

· To work with the Head of Profession for Social Care, Social Care Specialists, Reassessment Lead and Training Dept to identify training needs, proposals in response to those needs and plans for delivery and participation in training. This will include maintaining an overview of Social Work student placements and ASYE for NQSW.

· To provide all Trust based staff with the opportunity to develop good practice in assessment and resourcing social care needs.

· To maintain own skills knowledge, values and appropriate qualification (ie Social Work England registration and CPD) through regular supervision, literature reviews, peer consultation and identified training opportunities.

Leadership / Management

· To facilitate the panel process, funding decisions and provide support to the Peer Group. The Peer Group will enable case discussions and provide an opportunity to share good practice and learning across the Social Care workforce.

· To link with the GCC Quality Team and support with provider issues relating to Mental Health provision, PIP ( Provider Improvement Plans) and provider meetings.

· To advise and assist the Community Service Manager, Head of Profession for Social Care and Team Managers to address issues arising from Social Work and Social Care practice. This will include work on prioritising post qualification ASYE for NQSW.

· To contribute to the development of Social Care services in appropriate planning, monitoring and reviewing groups.

· To deliver Social Care induction to all professional groups but particularly to Social Workers.

· To link directly with Adult Social Care Commissioning/ Mental Health Commissioning and provide a joint approach to the delivery of services.

· To work collaboratively with the Head of Profession for Social Care and the other Social Care Specialists, taking a lead as appropriate to formulate and update guidance and procedures for Health and Social Care staff on key areas of the Care Act, funding of Social Care for users and carers.

· To oversee the successful input of statutory work, to facilitate the availability and use of appropriate IT systems by administrative and Social work staff thereby ensuring accurate and timely data entry of Care Act assessments, support plans, services and risk indicators.

· To ensure Social Care obligations are met by making sure that Trust Social Workers within the designated area are appropriately registered ( Social Work England) and have relevant development opportunities.

· To undertake other duties appropriate to the post as requested by senior managers.

Please contact Amy Alexander for more information or an informal conversation

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Professional Social Work Qualification (e.g. Dip. S.W., C.Q.S.W.)
Care Management Trained
Social Work England registered

Desirable criteria

Management Qualification
Currently authorised AMHP

Experience

Essential criteria

Providing Social Care Supervision

Desirable criteria

Line Management of Social Workers

When joining us, as well as becoming part of a team that makes a difference, we also offer:

Free car parking at many of our sites
27 days leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to 33 days with long service
A broad range of training and development opportunities, including apprenticeships up to Level 7 qualification.
A multi-professional preceptorship programme for all Newly Qualified; Nurses, Nursing Associates, Internationally Educated Practitioners, Allied Health Professionals and Return to Practice Practitioners.
Generous NHS pension and enhanced pay when if you work unsocial hours
Flexible, family friendly and agile working opportunities
Recognition and long service awards
Fast Track physiotherapy
Our Wellbeing line
Access to discounts and salary sacrifice schemes; including Cycle to Work, Car scheme and discounts on travel, leisure and retailers.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date. Good luck with your application.

For more information please see the attached 'Additional Information for Applicants' document.

Mindful employer. Being positive about mental health.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name: Amy Alexander
Job title: Social Care Lead
Email address: [email protected]
Telephone number: 0300 421 4427
Additional information: Available Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm. Please contact my P.A. Sarah-Jane Joy on 0300 421 4429 to arrange a time to speak with me.

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Job summary

Employer heading

Social Care Specialist

Band 7

Job overview

Main duties of the job

Working for our organisation

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Desirable criteria

Experience

Essential criteria

Desirable criteria

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

Documents to download

Further details / informal visits contact

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