Suffolk County Council Address: Ipswich Hospital, Heath Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP4 5PD, Onsite working Salary: £28,598 per annum (pro rata) Hours: 25.5 hours per week, Flexible working options available Contract: Permanent When you join the Adult Social Care Team at Ipswich Hospital as an Independence and Wellbeing Practitioner, we’ll support your development from the start. We’ll help you to play to your strengths, diversify your skills and build an influential and impactful career. With a variety of career paths and learning opportunities to explore, if you’re motivated and passionate there’s no limit to how far your ambition could take you. Reimagine the possibilities. Your role and responsibilities This is an exciting opportunity to work as an Independence and Wellbeing Practitioner (IWP). The role will require you to represent Adult Social Care and work alongside the people of Suffolk, their families, and advocates as well as other professionals and agencies. You will be reviewing people in hospital and facilitating their hospital discharges. You will work as part of the Adult Social Care hospital team using the discharge to assess model alongside our health partners in Ipswich Hospital. In your role, you will: work closely with Social Workers, other IWP's, health colleagues and staff from across the locality to seek the best outcomes for people be involved with using Digital care solutions to assess and support people actively contribute to the ongoing development of the service have the opportunity to progress your career, including through applying to the social work apprenticeship scheme or occupational therapy apprenticeship scheme, when available. You will need: excellent communication skills to engage with the people we are working alongside, their families and/or advocates as well as other professionals enthusiasm to contribute to a multi-agency team approach for responding within urgent timescales resilience under pressure and the ability to remain positive when challenged to work one Saturday a month. You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (Word). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application. The team Ipswich Hospital Social Work Team work is based within the Ipswich Hospital site using the Discharge to Assess model alongside our health partners in Ipswich Hospital. As an Independence and wellbeing practitioner you will work within the Adult Social care hospital team attending multi-disciplinary team meetings, supporting with safeguarding enquiries, discharge planning and advocating for the person whilst in hospital. You will be reviewing people within hospital, facilitating their hospital discharges, using creative and digital solutions to assess and support people. You will need excellent communication skills and enthusiasm to contribute to a multi-agency approach for responding within urgent timescales. This post requires you to work one Saturday a month, and the work is based at the Ipswich Hospital site (not hybrid). Empowering Everyone We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report. For more information For further details and an informal discussion about this role please contact Anna McLean on 01473 296692. How to apply Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word). Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application. Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement indicating how you meet each of the criteria in the ‘Person Profile’ section of the JPP. You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word). Please use Arial font size 11 and keep your statement to a maximum of two sides of A4. For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page. We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences, so we encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the process. You can also read our Using AI in Your Application and Interview guidance to understand acceptable and unacceptable use of AI. If AI is used inappropriately, your application may not be progressed. Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages. If you're invited to the next stage, you’ll have another chance to request adjustments. Closing date: 11.30 pm, 6 April 2026. This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. This role will be worked on-site from a fixed base. The job details above list the location. If you want to discuss how that might affect your work, please talk to the contact in the advert. LI-Onsite. As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities. In return, you’ll enjoy: up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase training and encouragement to expand your knowledge a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation diverse and active staff networks flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day Plus lots more! If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk) .