Best Interest Assessor – Senior Social Worker

We are currently recruiting a full time Best Interest Assessor/Senior Social Worker to join our Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Team based within Adult Social Care. Working in collaboration with the Team Manager and other senior colleagues, the successful candidate will be required to manage the day-to-day delivery of the DoLS Service to Medway residents who are currently in hospital, nursing, or residential care.

You will be required to practice as a Best Interests Assessor to support Medway Council as a Supervisory Body to fulfil its statutory duties in relation to the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, as prescribed by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 & Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards 2007 Codes of Practice, and in line with relevant guidance. You will also need to maintain an awareness of changes in theories, legislation, and Medway Council policies, local and agency practices, in order to disseminate knowledge and contribute to the delivery of a high standard DoLS service.

The successful candidate will need to develop and maintain a high level of skill, expertise and up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation, policy and good practice in order to provide support and advice to others in relation to statutory interventions. They will need to work alongside Medway DOLS team colleagues and support other ASC staff with complex cases, providing both co-working and support and advice.

You will be required to undertake the triaging and authorisation of DoLS assessments, applying due professional care and consideration to ensure these are in line with statutory guidance and other relevant protocols. You will also be required to initiate and develop effective partnerships and joint working arrangements with other professionals and agencies, in order to ensure the comprehensive assessment of need, and the planning and delivery of appropriate services.

The successful candidate will need to support the development of knowledge and skills across Medway Adult Social Care in relation to Mental Capacity work and support the development of internal procedures and policies in order to enhance professional knowledge and development to impact upon the overall quality of practice.

You will be required to work autonomously within the role, demonstrating expert and effective practice in complex situations managing higher levels of risk.

In return we offer you:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Generous local government pension scheme package
• Access to wider training and development qualifications
• Flexible working scheme
• Travel plan discounts
• Car Benefit Scheme from Tusker
• Access to CAREFIRST advice & counselling service
• Employee discount scheme for national and local retailers
• The Government has introduced new ways of supporting parents with childcare costs. Further details are available here: – https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

We’re committed to making Medway carbon neutral by 2050. We have developed an action plan to ensure we play our part in addressing the climate emergency. Our declaration fits into our Council Plan priority of making Medway a place to be proud of. The main outcome being a ‘clean and green environment’. All Medway Council staff can access an additional day’s paid leave to undertake a volunteering activity which supports climate change.

Our organisation:

Medway is a unitary authority in the South East of England, made up of the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham and more rural areas, including the Hoo Peninsula.

Situated in Kent in the South-East of England, the area has plenty of green spaces, excellent facilities and easy access to the national motorway and rail networks, facilitating superb transport links to London.

We provide all local Government services for a quarter of a million people, looking after education, environment, social care, housing, planning, business and much more – everything from frontline services such as rubbish collection and events like the Dickens Festival to work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure services in Medway run smoothly and cost effectively.

Working at Medway Council means that you get to be part of this journey working alongside talented, professional colleagues to drive forward change to transform the lives of our residents and the communities they live in.

If you would like to have an informal discussion with the recruiting manager, please e-mail Susan Fuller on susan.fuller@medway.gov.uk or Laura Sowkhee on laura.sowkhee@medway.gov.uk

Important Information-

Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job profile

Equal Opportunities Commitment Statement

Medway Council is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All appropriately qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, family commitments, sexual orientation, age, HIV status, religious or political beliefs, social class or trade union activity or irrelevant spent conviction.

For further information please refer to the Medway information pack available as a download or to view online.

Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted. All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email.

Please visit http://www.mindfulemployer.net/ for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.