Hospice Social Worker @ Longfield Hospice

Job summary

We are looking for a compassionate and experienced Hospice Social Worker to join our Living Well Team. You will provide specialist psychosocial, emotional, practical, and advocacy support to patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will support patients and carers to navigate the social, emotional, financial, and psychological challenges associated with serious illness, end-of-life care, bereavement, and loss.

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities

• Provide assessments and ongoing support to patients, carers and families.
• Offer emotional support, advocacy and guidance.
• Work closely with healthcare professionals and external agencies.
• Support advance care planning and safeguarding processes.
• Signpost patients and families to appropriate services and resources.
• Maintain accurate records and contribute to service development.

About You

About us

Longfield Hospice provides care for adults in Gloucestershire living with a life-limiting condition and support for their loved ones and carers. We provide this for free, every day of the year and rely on voluntary donations to make it possible

A diagnosis of a life-limiting condition can affect every part of life not only for the person diagnosed, but also for their family and loved ones/carers. Longfields Living Well Services are here to support you and the people close to you, helping everyone feel listened to, supported and more able to live well from diagnosis onward.

Our friendly team offers physical, emotional and practical Living Well support to help you manage your condition, adapt to change and improve your quality of life. Whether you are looking for support for yourself, a loved one or someone you care for, we can talk through what might help, explain what is available and guide you to the right next step.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide specialist psychosocial, emotional, practical, and advocacy support to patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, the postholder will support patients and carers to navigate the social, emotional, financial, and psychological challenges associated with serious illness, end-of-life care, bereavement, and loss.

The role promotes patient-centred care, dignity, choice, and wellbeing, ensuring that patients and families have access to appropriate resources, support services, and interventions throughout their hospice journey.

Main duties and responsibilities

Patient and Family Support

• Undertake comprehensive psychosocial assessments of patients and families.
• Provide emotional support, and crisis intervention for patients and carers and family members. Support patients and families in understanding diagnoses, prognosis, and care options.
• Facilitate discussions regarding advance care planning and future wishes.
• Assist families in coping with grief, loss, changing family dynamics, and end-of-life issues.
• Promote patient autonomy, dignity, and informed decision-making.

Care Coordination and Advocacy

• Act as an advocate for patients and families, ensuring their voices are heard in care planning.
• Liaise with health, social care, housing, financial, and community services to coordinate support.
• Support access to statutory and voluntary sector services.
• Assist with safeguarding concerns and participate in safeguarding procedures as required.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary team meetings and care reviews.

Practical and Financial Support

• Provide guidance on welfare benefits, funding options, and community resources.
• Support patients and carers with practical matters such as housing, social care packages, and legal signposting.
• Assist families in accessing bereavement and community support services.

Bereavement Support

• Participate in hospice bereavement services and referral pathways.
• Identify patients and family members requiring specialist mental health or bereavement interventions and facilitate referrals.

Professional Practice

• Maintain accurate, confidential, and timely records in accordance with organisational policies.
• Work within professional standards, legislation, and ethical frameworks.
• Participate in clinical supervision, reflective practice, and continuing professional development.
• Contribute to service development, audits, quality improvement initiatives, and policy implementation.

Quality and Governance

• To ensure Longfield care services are evidence based and reflective of current research and best practice, reviewing new clinical evidence or models of working and making recommendations for service change and development
• Seeking feedback and participation from service users to guide future development

Health and Safety

The post holder will be aware of and adhere to all hospice policies and procedures, and relevant legislation including Health and Safety at Work Act and agreed practice and policy, and that hazards are observed and reported to the appropriate office. This incorporates all aspects of risk assessment.

Safeguarding Duty

It is the responsibility of the post holder to be aware of and follow the legislations and guidance regarding Safeguarding Adults and Children as stated in the Hospice Safeguarding Policy. This applies to all staff regardless of which member of the family is the primary client. The post holder is responsible for ensuring they have appropriate knowledge and information according to their role.

Scope of Job Description

This job description reflects the immediate requirements and objectives of the post. It is not exhaustive but gives a general indication of the work undertaken which may vary in detail in the light of organisational changing demands and priorities.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience in hospice, palliative care, or related settings
• Experience of managing a caseload
• Experience of evidence-based practice and outcome measures

Desirable

• Experience of working with young people and children
• Experience of working with patients and families pre and post death.
• Experience of diverse communities and understanding the influence that culture and ethnicity have on responses to loss and change.

Qualifications

Essential

• Social Work England, approved degree at Level 6 (BA/BSc)

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Essential

• Evidence of working in a multidisciplinary team (MDT)
• Understanding of partnership working with statutory and voluntary agencies
• Understanding the principles and practice of quality assurance and service evaluation including audit

Desirable

• Proficient IT skills, including in the use of Microsoft Office applications
• Excellent communication, empathy, and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of community resources and social determinants of health
• Innovative, resourceful and resilient
• To work effectively as part of the wider team as well as independently.
• Ability to manage and prioritise own time and caseload.
• Applicants must possess a full, clean driving licence and have access to a vehicle insured for business use.

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

Longfield Hospice

Address

Burleigh Lane

Minchinhampton

Gloucestershire

GL5 2PQ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.longfield.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)