Overview
Dunstable Community Mental Health Team provides compassionate person‑centred interventions to people experiencing mental ill‑health in the towns of Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard.
Social workers on the mental health team have access to brand new facilities at the newly opened Grove View Health & Care Hub. The new hub strengthens ELFT’s award‑winning social care presence and ethos.
Click on the link below to see our exciting new base for South Bedfordshire social workers:
https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/info/18/health_and_social_care/726/grove_view_integrated_health_and_care_hub_and_grove_view_apartments
At the hub the Team Senior Social Worker provides intensive support to ensure that bespoke professional supervision is readily available for all our social workers. ELFT has a dedicated Social Care Lead locally in Central Bedfordshire, who offers regular reflective practice sessions and Care Act training. The Social Work Learning and Development Project Lead ensures continuous learning is at the heart of Social Work in Bedfordshire.
The Trust offers an established ASYE programme for newly qualified social workers; CPD pathways beyond the ASYE include AMHP/Leadership Academy/AMCP/Practice Educator/ASYE Assessor training structures and bespoke training opportunities as part of your yearly appraisal.
In short, it is a good time to work as a social worker for ELFT in South Bedfordshire!
Key Responsibilities
We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated social worker registered with Social Work England, ideally with one year of post‑qualifying experience in a health or social care setting. With our new ASYE programme we will also consider newly qualified social workers who demonstrate how their pre‑qualifying experience and values would benefit the team.
As a social worker you will be a member of the multidisciplinary team providing high quality social care services to adults experiencing mental ill‑health. Core functions include assessment, care planning and coordination of care from a social perspective for adults accessing the service. You will hold a caseload of adults with a wide range of mental health and social care needs, continually reflect and develop your practice and keep your CPD in line with Social Work England standards.
In this role you will liaise with acute inpatient units, the Crisis Team, Primary Care services, the Voluntary and Private Sector, contribute to a recovery‑focused model of care, support discharge from hospital, and commission health and social care services as required. Partnership working is key; you will innovate to secure a range of appropriate services locally to support individual recovery journeys.
Person Specification
Experience – Essential Criteria
* Experience of working within a multidisciplinary environment/community
* Experience of attending funding panels and commissioning care packages
* Experience of working within an NHS/Local Authority environment and an understanding of the issues, policies and practice within these environments
Experience – Desirable Criteria
* Post‑qualification experience within mental health services
* Previous appointment as an AMHP / Best Interest Assessor (BIA); social workers are expected to train and practice as AMHPs
Knowledge and Skills – Essential Criteria
* Undertake comprehensive Care Act assessments and reviews for people with complex health and social care needs, ensuring assessment against Care Act 2014 eligibility criteria
* Promote adult safeguarding practice, undertake safeguarding enquiries and contribute to care plans that protect adults and children from abuse
* Commission appropriate health and social care services on behalf of service users
* Promote the use of Direct Payments in commissioning service user and carer care and support plans
* Conduct regular risk assessments and keep vulnerable people safe from harm
* Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date records in the service users Electronic Patient Record
* Attend reflective practice sessions and pursue further training to maintain registration with Social Work England
* Provide management and reflective supervision to newly qualified social workers and support workers
* Support newly qualified social workers through the ASYE, with opportunities to train as an ASYE assessor
* Undertake duties as an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) or be willing to undertake AMHP training
* Participate in regular supervision and reflect on practice as a social worker and AMHP
* Undertake other delegated social care responsibilities accepted by the Trust on behalf of Central Bedfordshire Council
* Adhere to Trust policies and procedures
* Undertake additional training as required
* Carry out any other duties as identified by the line manager
Additional Requirements – Essential Criteria
* Car driver essential and able to travel between Trust sites throughout the county
* Full driving licence
* Flexible working to support service needs and work/life balance
Educational / Qualification – Essential Criteria
* Qualified social worker registered with Social Work England
Educational / Qualification – Desirable Criteria
* Educated to degree level
* Relevant specialist post‑qualifying/post‑graduate training
Personal Qualities – Essential Criteria
* Team player able to negotiate and lead other professionals while considering competing views and agendas
* Independent worker with initiative, seeking appropriate guidance and supervision when required
* Self‑motivated, committed and open to new ideas and experiences
* Committed to equal opportunities, equality and diversity issues
* Anti‑discriminatory and anti‑oppressive practice
* Committed to core social work values, recognising that protection is sometimes required and should be carried out in the least restrictive manner, observing human and civil rights
* Commitment to leadership and change management
This advert closes on Saturday 28 Feb 2026.
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