Sheffield is a bustling, vibrant, multi-cultural City in the heart of South Yorkshire, known for its green spaces, cultural scene and strong Industrial Heritage. It is a city of contrasts balancing its historic ‘Steel City’ identity with a modern innovative and creative spirit. Sheffield is also known for its proximity to the Peak District National Park, earning it the nickname ‘The Outdoor City’.
The successful individual will be part of a community-based mental health Hospital Discharge Team working within a multi-disciplinary model supporting people between the ages of 18-65. The role involves minimising barriers and improving patient experience across discharge pathways to ensure safe and timely discharges. You will uphold the principles of care closest to home, the principles and values of this is evident in the Home First Programme, the health and social care community are fully signed up to this innovative system programme.
You will engage in the least restrictive environment and be instrumental in reducing delayed discharges from hospital and step-down settings, as well as reducing an over reliance on out of area placements, to promote better outcomes for people and their families.
You will be part of a wider community team working across health and social care, delivering an integrated model of Discharge. The wider Health and Social Care Team consists of a lead social worker, discharge coordinators, nurses and consultants from Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust
You will be supported by a Team Manager, Service Manager and will work closely with various clinical partners including acute staff, commissioning, housing acute staff, local authorities, voluntary agencies and the South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.
You will work as a Discharge Social Worker, representing a social work perspective to adults 18-65 experiencing mental health difficulties.
As a Discharge Social Worker, you will be a champion of the social model of intervention within the discharge process from acute inpatient wards, hospitals and out of city placements and will ensure that social factors contributing towards the persons mental health are recognised and addressed as far as possible.
You will be expected to work in partnership with service users and carers, identifying and utilising strengths and working closely with other agencies and voluntary groups to ensure good outcomes which, as far as possible, maintain independence.
You will have a good working knowledge of the Care Act, Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act/DOLS, Human Rights Act, s117 funding and other social care legislation. Within the team it is vital that Social Workers including the Discharge social worker maintain a social perspective to their work and promote social care issues within the wider team. In addition, you may on occasion, work with the established needs and risk forum to review packages of care.
As part of your role, you will offer expert advice and guidance to inpatient colleagues on adult safeguarding matters, including writing reports and representing/supporting MDT and other relevant meetings.
You will attend post discharge follow up meetings and complete a review between 6-12 weeks, prior to handing case over to the community Social Work Team.
Interviews to be held W/C 8 June 2026
Please contact Barbara Spence or Tanya Boden for further information about the post.
We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.