Principle Medical Social Worker

Location: UPMC Whitfield Hospital Job type: Permanent Overview Of Role The Principal Medical Social Worker is responsible for facilitating the effective delivery of a quality service responsive to the needs of service users and their families that functions effectively as an integrated element of wider Health Services. This will be delivered through policy development, education, advice and guidance to other healthcare providers. This is a permanent, part-time position. Primary Duties And Responsibilities The Principal Medical Social Worker, Principal will: Professional / Clinical

• Deliver a quality service to service users ensuring professional standards are

maintained in accordance with the requirements as set out by CORU https://coru.ie/files-education/swrb-standards-of-proficiency-for-social-workers.pdf

• Ensure the delivery of social work services is in accordance with CORU’s Code of

Professional Conduct and Ethics for the Social Work profession.

• Work in accordance with the principles and values of recovery as described in the

National Framework for Recovery for Irish Mental Health Services 2018-2020.

• Provide clinical and professional leadership in the delivery of a high quality

psychosocial service.

• Contribute to the overall development of a social work service so as to meet current

and emerging trends and unmet needs of Patients and Service users in conjunction with other relevant social and statutory agencies.

• Seek the development of fair and equitable social policy and where inequalities are

identified, lobby for change.

• Contribute, as a member of local and network level management teams, to the

delivery and future development of an effective service that adheres to statutory requirements and meets the emerging needs of service users.

• Facilitate clear channels of communication to relevant management structures in

relation to social work service issues.

• Promote a recovery, approach to Service delivery where the service users and family

members are central to care planning and involved in the design and delivery of services.

• Develop good working relationships with other Heads of Service, professionals,

specialist services, community and voluntary organisations to facilitate the provision of integrated quality care to service users.

• Ensure anti-discriminatory practice and cultural competence, at individual and service

levels.

• Provide professional leadership at meetings, committees and/or other fora as

required.

• Chair and participate in case conferences with the appropriate staff when the need

arises.

• Provide an Occupational Health Counselling Service if deemed appropriate.
• Facilitate critical incident debrief process as required.

Education & Training

• Ensure that the requirements of CORU are met in relation to social work practice,

continuous professional development and adherence to the code of conduct and ethics.

• Maintain standards of practice and levels of professional knowledge by ensuring the

completion of mandatory training (e.g. Mental Health Commission, Child Protection, Safeguarding etc) and attendance at courses and events as appropriate.

• Engage in career and professional development planning and ensure professional

development planning.

• Be responsible, in partnership with local General Management, for the practice

education of student social workers through provision of placements and through support for social workers who are practice educators within their departments.

• Oversee the provision of a framework for the promotion of staff development and

training by making recommendations with regard to the ongoing education, mentoring, training and in-service needs of healthcare professionals.

• Act as a resource by participating in the education and training of Social Work

Colleagues And Other Health Professionals As Required.

• Build and communicate an understanding of the role and contribution of social work

within the service.

• Take an active role in professional clinical supervision and engage in reflective

practice in accordance with CORU requirements and the local / national Supervision Policy.

• Engage in the UPMC engagement and competence process in conjunction with your

Line Manager and staff as appropriate. Quality and Risk, Health and Safety Management

• Contribute to the development of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe

professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations and standards and ensure that staff comply with same.

• Document appropriately and report any near misses, hazards and accidents and

bring them to the attention of designated individual(s) in line with best practice.

• Work in a safe manner with due care and attention to the safety of self and others.
• Be aware of risk management issues, adequately identify, assess, manage and

monitor risks within their area of responsibility and take appropriate action.

• Comply with procedures with regard to assessment, recommendation and / or

manufacturing of all assistive devices.

• Promote a culture that values diversity and respect.
• Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA)

Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc. and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.

• Lead on the development of policies, procedures and education in relation to child

protection, Safeguarding, domestic violence, trust in care, advocacy and other areas of patient safety and protection.

• Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste

initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service. Management

• Participate in and contribute to service planning and development.
• Provide service delivery reports as required e.g. service plan, annual report and

ensure that there are appropriate systems in place to gather relevant information.

• Provide leadership and motivation in optimising service delivery by developing teams

and promoting change management.

• Contribute to the implementation of appropriate induction and probationary systems.
• Contribute to the implementation of an appropriate performance management system

for the delivery of a high-quality social work service.

• Comply with relevant HR and other policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Keep updated on; current and impending legislation and the perceived impact on

practice; developments in national policies, strategies and international best practice to ensure that service delivery complies with same; developments within the Irish Health Service.

• Contribute to the development of policies, procedures and guidelines in relation to the

psychosocial care, engaging staff as appropriate.

• Ensure compliance with a high standard of documentation, including service user

files in accordance with local guidelines, Freedom of Information (FOI) and GDPR Acts.

• Oversee service user and data confidentiality.
• Demonstrate pro-active commitment to all communications with internal and external

stakeholders. Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 5 years post graduate experience
• Bachelor of Social Work or recognised National Qualification in Social Work (NQSW)
• CORU Registration
• Specific experience in oncology, vulnerable populations, child protection and safeguarding standards
• Management experience and leadership skills in Social Work and multidisciplinary teams
• Supervision experience in Social Work
• Quality, risk and health & safety management experience
• Experience in participating at accreditation and regulatory inspections

Equal Opportunity Statement And BenefitsUPMC is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. At UPMC we provide a total rewards program that is not only market competitive, but fair and provides growth opportunities for all our colleagues. Compensation – Competitive pay for the work employees do – base pay, performance related pay and premium pay where applicable. Benefits – Fully paid maternity and paternity leave for new parents. Competitive Pension Plan, company funded Death in Service Benefit x 3 times. Critical Illness cover for all employees up to the age of 66. Performance and Recognition – Rewards for performance that supports the goals and mission of UPMC through our annual ACES programme. Work-Life Balance – Enhanced annual leave up to a maximum of 27 days. Flexible working opportunities to support you to work around external family commitments. Development and Career Opportunities – Opportunities for each employee to reach their career goals through continued learning and/or advancement. About UPMC UPMC is a renowned multinational academic medical centre committed to delivering people-focused care that’s close to home. Headquartered in Pittsburgh and affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC shapes the future of health through clinical and technological innovation, research and education. UPMC expands its expertise globally, bringing world-class care across continents through its UPMC International division — an owned and operated network of hospitals and ambulatory care centres in Italy, Ireland and Croatia. UPMC International brings new access to the signature specialty services of UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre, UPMC Sports Medicine and others to more people in more places around the world. In Ireland UPMC has provided high-quality healthcare in the South East since 2006. UPMC’s operations in Ireland now include UPMC Whitfield Hospital in Waterford, UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic in Dublin, UPMC Kildare Hospital in Clane, and UPMC Aut Even Hospital in Kilkenny. Outpatient care is available at the UPMC Carlow Outreach Centre, UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre radiotherapy locations in Waterford and Cork, UPMC The 4th Practice in Mallow, and across UPMC Sports Medicine Clinics in Dublin, Waterford, Limerick, Tipperary, Cork, and Mayo. UPMC has also established a nationwide Concussion Network. UPMC's Global Technology Operation Centre is based in Kilkenny.