About this role
Job summary
Job Title: Advanced Practitioner, Mental Health Team
Working Pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week; flexible and hybrid working
Salary: £42,839 to £47,181 - pay award pending
Location: The Vista, Churchgate, Spalding, Lincolnshire
Closing Date: Sunday 23 August 2026
Interviews: TBC
Lincolnshire County Council has an exciting opportunity. This is more than just a role - its a chance to shape the future of adult social care mental health in Lincolnshire.
Here at Lincolnshire County Council, we are building a strong, forward-thinking Mental Health service and we are looking for an Advanced Practitioner to play a pivotal role within it.
Working alongside an experienced Team Manager, you will help lead and influence practice across the team, driving high-quality, strengths-based approaches and supporting colleagues to deliver confident, outcome-focused interventions.
At this exciting time of transformation and growth, youll join a service that is ambitious, values-driven, and committed to continuous improvement. Youll not only make a difference in the lives of individuals but also help shape how our service develops for the future.
If youre ready to step into a role where your expertise, leadership, and passion can have real impact, this is your opportunity.
Be part of something new. Lead practice. Shape services. Change lives.
Main duties of the job
As an Advanced Practitioner within our Mental Health Team, you will play a key role in shaping and driving excellent social care practice. Working closely with the Team Manager, you will provide day-to-day practice leadership across the team while maintaining a complex caseload.
This is a pivotal role where you will bridge frontline practice and leadership, supporting colleagues to deliver confident, strengths-based interventions and ensuring high-quality, consistent decision-making in complex and high-risk situations.
You must have the ability to travel across Lincolnshire in order to meet the needs of the service.
You will:
Manage a caseload of complex and high-risk cases, using a strengths-based, outcome-focused approach Work alongside the Team Manager to support oversight of practice quality and consistency Lead on practice development, supporting colleagues to deliver high-quality assessments, care planning, and risk management in line with the Care Act Provide professional advice, mentoring, and constructive challenge to strengthen practice and build confidence Champion person-centred approaches that promote independence, recovery, and wellbeing Work collaboratively with health partners and other agencies to deliver integrated, holistic support Promote a culture of reflection, learning, and continuous improvement across the teamYou will be instrumental in embedding high standards of practice while helping to shape and influence the future direction of our Mental Health service
About us
Lincolnshire County Council, is one of the largest employers in the county. We are an organisation that embraces diversity, innovation and progress. We value our people and want to ensure that we can support you in joining and growing with us.
We will view you as an integral member of our community and recognise that your well-being is paramount. To show our appreciation, weve crafted a competitive package designed to not only acknowledge your hard work but also foster a healthy work-life balance.
From health benefits and retirement plans, we strive to provide a package that supports well-being and financial stability and that meets the diverse needs of our workforce.
We want everyone who works with us to feel included and celebrate their uniqueness. We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity, eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and promoting good relations for both employee and for the people of Lincolnshire.
People often say every day is a learning day and at LCC a culture of learning is something we really believe in. We recognise the importance of supporting your learning and development and can offer a variety of different learning opportunities depending on what is right for you and the organisation. This could be through your everyday tasks, through hands-on experience, structured programs, formal qualifications, coaching, or informal learning opportunities.
Job description Job responsibilities
As part of the wider Councils objectives your role is responsible for providing statutory professional social work across Adult Care and Community Wellbeing teams that support adults with care and support needs. You work with people with differing needs to promote independent living and to draw on care and support when required. You will support others to know and understand the local community and embed yourself within place-based services.
As an Advanced Practitioner -AP you will hold the most complex cases referred to Adult Services. Given the expertise this role requires you will be an experienced social worker or Occupational Therapist who has been qualified for at least four years, and who has undertaken continuing professional development.
The postholder will be skilled at embedding new ways of thinking and working, developing and maintaining strong, positive working relationships with their teams. You will be expected to work with autonomy and demonstrate a multi-agency approach, integrating your practice with colleagues across the health and care sector.
You will demonstrate through practice experience a commitment to strengths-based practice and skills in supporting people to identify and build support networks to achieve their identified outcomes. You will be responsible for assessment, care and support planning, implementing and reviewing packages of care and support on a varied and more complex case load ensuring people are as safe as possible and adult safeguarding concerns are addressed promptly.
You will provide advice, support and mentoring to other Adult Care practitioners in relation to their cases. You will be expected to work with autonomy managing a caseload.
Work may include travel outside the county.
1.
Work independently to hold and manage a varied and complex caseload with supervision and advice from the Lead Practitioner at a level of complexity appropriate to the post holder's experience, and professional capability and be accountable for their professional practice.
2.
Work with individuals, families, carers and communities to help them make informed choices and decisions, enabling them to clarify and express their needs and contribute to service planning.
3.
Provide reflective supervision, coach and mentor teams - colleagues as appropriate to embed personalisation and strengths and asset based community practice.
4.
Act as a role model to others to help them to manage uncertainty and to respond positively and creatively to changing expectation.
5.
Demonstration at the relevant level of the Council's Core Abilities:
Personal Leadership.
Being Future Focused.
Political and Commercial Astuteness.
Supporting a High Performing and flexible workforce.
Drive for Results.
6.
Provide oversight and decision making in relation to complex cases ensuring that prescribed Safeguarding Policies and Procedures are observed for the protection of adults who are experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect, promoting a personalized safeguarding model that puts the outcomes for the person at the centre of practice.
7.
Deputise in the absence of the Lead Practitioner E.g. Representing the Lead Practitioner at multidisciplinary meetings or Locality Lead in relation to Prisons Team.
8.
Co-work specialist assessments with less experienced members of the team to ensure that they improve and develop.
Community Wellbeing
Social Work Practice Teams
Community Wellbeing
Team Manager
Community Wellbeing Team
Advanced Practitioner
Community Wellbeing
Social Work
Practice staff
9.
Work with individuals, families, carers and communities to help them make informed choices and decisions, enabling them to clarify and express their needs and contribute to service planning.
10.
Supervise / mentor students or act as Practice Educator, where appropriate to Social Work students and mentor newly qualified social workers undertaking the Assessed and Supported year in Employment.
11.
Research resources and services available for people in need or at risk, identifying and reporting any gaps in service provision.
12.
Contribute to the Council's statutory obligations and where appropriate any national and Health and Social Care local performance indicators.
13.
Assist with the implementation of Adult Care quality assurance systems, including the monitoring and review of casework and ensure these comply with the County Councils Equal Opportunities Policy.
14.
Use the law and regulatory and statutory guidance to inform practice decisions. Take into account the complex relationship between professional ethics, the application of the law and the impact of social policy on both.
15.
Deliver excellent customer service, incorporating the Councils equality and diversity objectives and supporting the council to achieve best practice, creating a positive image of the Council in all it delivers.
16.
Remain up to date and compliant with all relevant legislation, organisational procedures, policies and professional codes of conduct in order to uphold standards of best practice.
17.
Take personal responsibility for contributing to review, improvement, organisational
transformation implementing changes in ways of working, maximising the benefits and efficiencies for both internal and external customers, including the promotion and use of self -service to achieve maximum cost effectiveness.
18.
The post-holder may be expected to concentrate on specific areas of work arising from organisational need.
19.
Use reflective supervision, research and other guidance to recognising one's own professional limitations and how and when to seek advice from a range of sources, including Lead Practitioner and Locality Lead. The post holder will work in conjunction with senior staff and managers through available support systems (supervision, appraisal, mentoring, co-working and work shadowing).
20.
Navigate the criminal justice systems in England to ensure Care Act Compliance when working within Prisons Team.
21.
Seek advice and professional second opinion as required in relation to the legal issues, interventions and plans which impact upon service users and carers.
22.
Make realistic person-centred centred plans within a review timeline which will manage and reduce identified risks and meets the needs of the adult. Any plans devised for the Adult need to be evidence informed, demonstrate clear analysis and professional judgement and evaluative decision making skills. This also includes working with multi-agency partners.
23.
Have a good and continually developing understanding of adult behaviours; for example, adult mental health, domestic abuse, mental health, physical health, disability and substance misuse.
24.
Good understanding of working in a complex organisation such as a Local Authority and across various Trusts. Act in ways that protect the reputation of Lincolnshire County Council and the wider Social Work profession.
25.
Maintain and update case notes and other records pertaining to the Adult you have responsibility for. Write reports as required and if needed give evidence in court on factual matters.
26.
Contribute to planning/reviewing the cases of Adults in the Community, Prisons, Hospitals and other settings.
27.
To devise and deliver practice workshops regularly in team meetings and to other Adult Services staff as required. This could also include group supervision and mapping complex cases with less experienced staff.
28.
Support, coach and mentor other members of the team. The post holder is expected to be a Practice Educator to social work students on practice placements in the team, support with onboarding and induction and offer mentoring, work-shadowing/work experience opportunities. The post holder could be expected to take on Team Champion roles such as finance champion and S.117 champion.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Recognised qualification in Social Work (Degree, PGDip or MA/MSc), Nursing or Occupational Therapy. Registered with Social Work England, HCPC or NMC and ensure that registration is maintained and renewed appropriately. Post qualifying Practice Educator Level 1 and/or 2 or other post qualifying specialist award, or commitment to learn within 6 months. Knowledge of relevant legislation and statutory frameworks for the support and provision of adult care. Knowledge of Health and Social Care organisational arrangements including the role of ICBs and other NHS Trusts in relation to Adult Care Services.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Lincolnshire County Council
Address 3rd Floor, Lancaster House
36 Orchard Street
Lincoln
Lincolnshire
LN1 1XX
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://jobs.lincolnshire.gov.uk/home.html (Opens in a new tab)