Senior Medical Social Worker - Rehabilitation/Neurorehabilitation
Blarney Rehabilitation Unit (BRU) and any buildings within the Mercy University Hospital Complex
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Professional / Clinical
* Deliver a quality service to service users ensuring professional standards are maintained in accordance with the requirements as set out by CORU
* Ensure the delivery of social work services is in accordance with CORU's Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for the Social Work profession, relevant legislation and HSE policies, procedures, guidelines and protocols
* Incorporate Social Work values and ethical principles in planning, developing, implementing and reviewing interventions.
* Ensure the promotion of the social model of care and recognition of the social determinants of health and well-being
* Ensure the implementation of models of best practice / evidence based practice.
* Be responsible for the management of the day-to-day provision of the social work service in conjunction with other Senior Medical Social Worker(s).
* Take direct responsibility for a defined caseload as required, in particular, cases that require a high level of experience and expertise.
* Provide a comprehensive social work service to patients and families, to include psycho-social assessment, intervention, discharge planning and follow up or referral on, as required, to statutory and / or voluntary services.
* Provide an initial assessment service to all care groups and develop referral procedures with community and other networked services.
* Make it possible for clients / service users to advocate for their own needs, or where appropriate advocate on behalf of service users.
* Ensure the delivery of social work services in an integrated and multidisciplinary manner with a range of statutory and voluntary groups and organisations. Develop effective working relationships with and between individual, different agencies, community resources and other professionals.
* Formulate discharge care plans for patients together with the multidisciplinary team, to assess a patient's support system in order to ensure that, upon discharge, patients have an appropriate level of support for their needs in their families and community.
* Maintain continuity of service in Social Work provision to clients already known / referred through the Community Team when they have transferred to any other setting e.g. residential / hospital.
* Ensure anti-discriminatory practice and cultural competence, at individual and service levels.
* Provide an appropriate level of supervision for staff consistent with good practice and the local / national Supervision Policy.
* Actively participate as a member of the relevant team / service in team building and change management initiatives.
* Attend case conferences, meetings court, tribunals etc. as required.
* Participate in working groups / committees
* Keep Line Manager fully informed and up-to-date on all significant matters
Eligibility Criteria
* CQSW / NQSW or equivalent qualification
* Provide proof of Statutory Registration on the Social Worker Register with CORU. On appointment, practitioners must maintain annual registration on the Social Worker register maintained by the Social Worker Registration Board at CORU. Practitioners must confirm annual registration with CORU to the HSE by way of the annual Patient Safety Assurance Certificate (PSAC)..
* Minimum of three years full time (or three years aggregate) post-qualification experience in the acute hospital setting, disability services, or rehabilitation setting
* Have a CPD record relevant to the area of Medical Social Work and/or Rehabilitation
* Experience in acquired neurological conditions is desirable
Full Job Spec is available on request
Closing Date: 1pm on Friday 24th October 2025.
MUH reserves the right to create a panel for this post from which permanent, fixed term and specified purpose vacancies of a full or part time duration may be filled.