Palliative Care Social Worker


Company:	NHS Jobs
Salary:	£24,481
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Backford, CH2 4DG
Job type:	Contract
Posting date:	22 Aug 2026
Closing date:	3 Sept 2026

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Summary

Clinical Work across all hospice services, including Inpatient and Living Well Services. Hold accountability for a caseload of complex patients and those important to them. Collaborate with patients and their families to assess and address social circumstances, including concerns about finances, housing, and practical care needs. Support patients and families in managing interpersonal relationships, emotional distress, and challenges associated with illness and palliative care needs. Assist patients and families in accessing, identifying, appraising, and interpreting complex information to enable informed decision-making, as part of the wider multidisciplinary team (MDT). Utilize advanced communication skills to deliver complex or highly emotive information clearly, sensitively, and unambiguously, whether face-to-face, via telephone, or through electronic means. Take a leading role in advance care planning, supporting patients and families in making decisions about end-of-life care. Guide and support the MDT in appropriately applying the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Care Act 2014, ensuring the rights and autonomy of patients are safeguarded. Assist in the facilitation of Mental Capacity Assessments, Best Interests Decisions, and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards processes. Use patient-identified goals and an understanding of psychosocial needs to contribute effectively to multi-professional care and discharge planning, including:o Liaising with care funding bodies, voluntary organizations, and community agencies.o Assessing and negotiating for community-based services to support families and carers upon discharge. Lead on the discharge planning for complex cases and support nursing staff in ensuring safe and appropriate discharges. Provide and maintain comprehensive knowledge of community service provision, acting as a resource for discharge planning advice and information. Offer immediate support and information to families and carers following the death of a patient. Stay current with legislation, welfare rights, and reforms that impact advocacy and practice, ensuring the best possible outcomes for patients. Conduct home visits, as appropriate, to support effective discharge planning. Management, Supervision and Training To engage in regular 1 to1 meetings with Direct Line Manger, working towards personal and relevant organisational objectives To develop, plan, implement and evaluate formal and informal safeguarding training and education programmes related to palliative care for all health and social care professionals To provide informal education to patients/carers and other groups at appropriate levels To maintain and develop professional knowledge and skills meeting annual CPD requirements in line with the professional competencies framework. To develop and maintain relationships with colleagues from the wider specialist palliative care team and other Hospices in their social work networks. To keep and maintain accurate patient records as per hospice and professional guidelines To participate in regular clinical supervision As one of the leading members of the Clinical Team and the MDT, the Hospice Social Worker will bring significant clinical expertise, strategic insight, and a collaborative approach to patient care. To contribute to complex case planning. Represent the social work function at internal and external forums and ensure that social care is integrated into the wider model of hospice and palliative care. The role involves being a member of the clinical management team and oversee service planning, policy development. Evaluation, Research and Audit Regularly evaluate the quality of own work and that of the wider team, encouraging a culture of continuous improvement. Actively participate in clinical audits as indicated, responding to identified needs by developing or modifying practice as required. Engage with and participate in research activities as needed to support and enhance the clinical service. Professional Maintain compliance with the standards, code of conduct, and professional practice requirements of the relevant professional body, ensuring ongoing expertise and knowledge through continuous professional development (CPD). Foster positive working relationships with the local safeguarding board and other hospices within the Northwest region. Participate in reflective practice and access in-house training opportunities, including compliance with all hospices mandatory training requirements.

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