Closing in 8 days (14 August, 2025)

Job details

Department: Social Care

Working pattern: Full Time

Location: Somerset

About the job

Some key information

• Locations: Musgrove Park Hospital (Taunton) & Yeovil District Hospital
• Great opportunity to join the path to becoming a fully qualified Social Worker
• Starting salary £28,598 rising annually to £32,061
• 28 days leave
• Must have access to/use of a vehicle

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this position as it does not meet the requirements of the home office.

What will I be doing?

We are a hospital-based social work team supporting Somerset residents to return to their gloriously ordinary lives following a hospital admission. Our ethos throughout our practice means we’ll aim to return people to their homes if they are able to. Your duties will include;

• Admission avoidance and prevention ensuring people are safe.
• Person centred discharge planning using a strengths-based approach.
• Multi-disciplinary working (Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and other medical professionals).
• Advocating – making sure people’s voices are heard.
• Advocating for the carers unpaid carers.
• Encouraging people to be independent, helping them grow their confidence and make the most of the support available to suit their individual needs.
• Identifying what people and families are worried about or what they want to achieve, exploring what support they already have and what they need.
• Developing great knowledge of your local area and working in partnership with local agencies and the village agents.
• Providing creative solutions – out of the box thinking.
• Progressing to a seven-day service (currently six)
• Implementing a brand-new transfer of care hub (government initiative).
• Making evidence-based decision in a fast-paced environment.
• Being a critical part of developing our new and exciting Adult Social Care service.

What kind of experience or qualifications do I need?

We offer ongoing support, training and guidance to help you be the best you can be. But it will really help if you:

• Hold or would be willing to work towards an NVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent (equivalent must be health and social care related).
• Have experience of working in a caring or supportive role.
• Are not afraid to do things differently to create support that is better for people.
• Are passionate about advocating for others.
• Are innovative, creative and solution focused in supporting people to be independent.

What's in it for me?

At Somerset Council, we work hard to attract the best staff and we want to make sure that once you are on board, you are well supported and rewarded for the work you do.

We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• This grade offers 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) and the option to request to buy up to 2 weeks additional annual leave pro rata
• Hybrid working options where the role allows
• A clear career pathway with apprenticeships, professional, leadership and academic programmes and qualifications, regular CPD opportunities and a corporate coaching and mentoring scheme
• A new comprehensive induction programme supported by Practice Development Advanced Practitioners, plus a confidential and impartial welcome call to ensure your induction goes smoothly
• Ongoing support & development opportunities – regular CPD events arranged and delivered by our dedicated Adult Social Care Learning and Development team, including an annual Carnival of Practice event with key speakers such as the Chief Social Worker,a team of Advanced Practitioner – Practice Development roles to support our workforce, personalised personal development plans, a corporate coaching and mentoring scheme.
• Employee support networks that acknowledge and celebrate the richness of diversity and equality within our workforce
• Guaranteed Interview Schemes – Disability Confident, Veterans, Care Leavers
• Employee assistance and support offering a variety of wellbeing services and events to support a healthy work/life balance inc. a free online gym offer, dedicated Mental Wellbeing Ambassadors and much more!
• Access to the Blue Light Card which offers thousands of discounts online and on the high street
• My Staff Shop which offers a variety of discounts including; cinemas, shopping, restaurants, gym discounts and more!
• Discounted lease car options via salary sacrifice, along with discounts on fuel
• Cycle to work scheme

Anything else I should know?

Although we can offer some flexibility with hybrid working, you will be expected to travel to the hospital locations as this is where the people we support are mainly based.

This role is part of our grow your own scheme – once you’ve been in post for 12mths or more, we can look to sponsor you to become a fully qualified social worker. You will receive tailored support for your personal development thanks to our new practice development leads. We believe in growing our own and supporting professional development and Somerset could be the start of your journey!

This is a Grade 12 post with a current starting salary of £28,598 rising annually to £32,061 per annum. Appointments are normally made at the bottom of the salary scale.

Got a question about becoming an Adult Social Care Practitioner with the Health Interface Service at Somerset Council? Please contact Maxine Walton - maxine.walton@somerset.gov.uk

We are a socially active council and run many webinars and events, team away days, volunteering opportunities plus, hold regular staff Q&A sessions. We encourage professional development and training to support your learning and aspirations. And there are also a variety of networking groups and activities that you can join.

We’re proud to be here for the people of Somerset. And that means everyone in Somerset. An important part of this is ensuring we are as diverse and inclusive as the people and communities we serve so we will always welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our teams. You can always contact the hiring manager for a chat if there’s anything you want to talk about before you apply.

When completing your application/CV please provide your full employment history and ensure that any gaps in employment are explained. Please start with your current or most recent employment.

If you have all the information you need, just hit the apply button - we can’t wait to hear from you.

Please note we reserve the right to close this advert early if we have received a sufficient number of applications, so don't delay, apply today!

A bit more about Somerset Council

We are reclaiming narratives about social work and believe in the power of lived experiences of people (including workers) and sharing stories. To get a sense of this, listen to the Social Work Sessions podcast.

Somerset is situated in a beautiful, rural county in a central southwest location but with good city links. With scenic countryside, historic sites, charming towns and villages, family-friendly attractions, beaches, festivals (Glastonbury!) and events, outdoor activities, zoos, water parks and plenty of local produce to try, there’s something for everyone!

DBS information

This post requires a criminal background check via the Disclosure procedure.

Supporting documents and information

Please read any attached documents before applying for this job