Senior Support Worker

Job summary

If you are passionate about helping other and eager to advance in the care industry, consider joining our team as a Senior Support Worker. We believe in growing talent from within and offer our staff opportunities like NVQ apprenticeships, providing you with a solid foundation for career progression.

Main duties of the job

Our Support Workers are the unsung heroes, providing crucial assistance to customers in the comfort of their homes post-hospital discharge. Collaborating hand-in-hand with dedicated occupational therapists, we co-develop personalised reablement plans, helping customers achieve their goals in the comfort of their homes. Operating on a rotating schedule, the team is available between 7 am to 10 pm, 365 days a year, ensuring continuous and dedicated support.

As a Senior Support Worker, you will monitor, support, and supervise our dedicated Support Workers, ensuring the delivery of the highest standard of services for our valued customers.

We would like to welcome candidates with either an NVQ Level 3 or equivalent substantial experience in a related field to apply, and we also welcome those who show an interested in pursuing a relevant qualification.

About us

Wiltshire Council is a friendly, welcoming place to work, with a 'One Council' ethos. Thats why we focus on getting the things that matter to our people right.Explore more benefits here

Job description

Job responsibilities

To be the lead in a team of reablement workers within a defined geographic area. Provide ongoing monitoring, support and supervision to reablement support workers. The post holder will ensure that services are delivered to the highest standards, providing robust quality assurance, compliant with all legal and statutory requirements and within an effective and efficient performance management and budgetary framework.Specific duties and responsibilities:

Work closely with occupational therapy staff creating person centered and CQC compliant reablement support plans.

Attend the customers first visit from the reablement service to introduce the service and support the customer in understanding the reablement approach.

Be able to undertake risk assessment and encourage positive risk-taking approach. Complete risk assessments which may include environmental, medication and mobility, working with customers and support workers to manage risk and record actions and strategies agreed.

Work collaboratively with partners this may include, Health Teams, Care Homes, Care Agencies and Hospitals. Have a good understanding of the discharge process and the management of cases transferring into the reablement service, take responsibility for ensuring that relevant information (health conditions and medication) is gathered and systems are in place to ensure the customer and staff remain safe and risks are managed appropriately.

Assist in the provision of appropriate safe care, in accordance with the regulations and quality standards. When leading out of hours cover, initiative will need to be taken to ensure the team are following correct procedures. This will also include having a thorough knowledge of CQC regulations and how they enforce them through the inspection process.

Complete, distribute and monitor paperwork required by CQC registration, and held in the customers home, for the provision of a reablement service, such as medication administration records. Paperwork needs to be thorough and well-maintained to ensure theservice is inspection ready.

Drive effective and consistent communication between professionals and the customer and their family to ensure all agencies are working in partnership and the risk of duplication and repetition is reduced.

Provide customers (and where appropriate their representatives) with information about the reablement service including expectations and contact details, advising how customers can raise concerns.

Record all reablement contacts accurately and in a timely way. Keep all information about customers and their families secure and confidential. Capture and record relevant actions, events and decisions in accordance with case management principles.

Monitor customers progress and achievement of reablement goals. Provide timely feedback to occupational therapists and the wider team during team meetings and directly to the reablement case manager.

Working under the direction of the Team Leader/Registered Manager ensure that the reablement service runs smoothly and efficiently. You will have good organisational skills and a flexible approach to support the team through any disruptions/changes within the daily routine.

Report changes in reablement support plan visits to the allocator as soon as practically possible.

Liaise with the allocator/co-ordinator to match reablement support workers with customers, when necessary support in the electronic rostering of the service.

Provide information, support and guidance to reablement support workers to enable them to safely and effectively provide reablement support as agreed in the reablement support plan.

Ensure that reablement workers are working to the support plans and those services are delivered in accordance with the identified needs of customers.

Deal effectively with on-call/emergency issues, for example covering reablement visits directly or indirectly when reablement support workers are sick or absent. Provide timely feedback to the reablement team of issues arising out of hours. As the Senior reablement worker, decisions will need to be made with authority.

Participate in transfers of customers requiring further support to another internal team and alternative provider.

Positively engage in regular supervision sessions, preparing appropriately and ensuring agreed actions are undertaken in an agreed time frame.

Monitor and provide support to a small group of reablement workers ensuring that their performance in the delivery of the service and behaviours meets the required standards. Promote continued professional development, reflective practice and evidence-based learning. Alert the Team Leader/Registered Manager to any concerns. Participate in the appraisal of a staff.

Where improving work performance or HR procedures are implemented support and work under the direction of the Team Leader.

Provide additional support where development needs are identified, undertake in service 1:1 training where appropriate, participate in the delivery of in service training to small groups of staff.

Under the direction of the Team Leader/Registered Manager participate in the Induction of new staff, this may include arranging, mentoring with another staff member, shadowing and in the field training.

Monitor the of the delivery of reablement support, in line with the service policy this willinclude the following tasks:

o Reviewing daily communications

o Observation of reablement visits

o One to one supervision

o Spot-checks of practiceo Audit files.

Have an expert awareness of safeguarding in line with Wiltshire policy, including making referrals and participating in safeguarding investigations.Using experience, knowledge and skills to identify the signs of abuse and neglect and follow agreed local protocols to ensure customers are protected from harm/risk of harm.

Be an ambassador for the Council and the department at all times, always representing the Council positively, professionally and appropriately at meetings with customers, external partners and agencies.

Be able to respond to civil emergencies under instruction

Take a lead in challenging practice to make improvements to service.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

HNC, NVQ level 4 or equivalent experience/skills. Working towards relevant professional qualification Licence / certificate / qualification required for the role.

Experience

Essential

NVQ Level 4 or equivalent significant experience in a relevant field (or a commitment to undertake qualification) Health, social care, adult education etc. Experience of supporting with adults within a care environment HSE recognised First Aid at Work qualification or willingness to achieve a qualification in first aid. Previous experience of contributing to the supervision of others or ability to demonstrate the required skills Up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance in relation to working with, and the safeguarding of, adults. Experience and current up-to-date knowledge of moving and handling procedures. Well-developed interpersonal skills and ability to effectively communicate with people in a variety of ways and levels. Good organisational skills. Ability to prioritise tasks and work on own initiative against deadlines Ability to utilise a range of software including electronic social care records. Physically fit and able to perform all requirements of the job role Ability to work in a person-centred way to meet individual outcomes Fully fluent in spoken and written English

Desirable

Experience of working with in a reablement service. Experience of working within a CQC registered service Understanding of the Care Act 2014; Health and Social Care Act 2008 Able to demonstrate an ability to work as part of a team and provide/ implement instructions Qualification as a trainer.

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