Mental Health Social Worker - Assertive Outreach
Oxford
Full Time
£32,073 - £48,117 Per Annum
Expires: 28/06/2026
Band 5 / Band 6
Permanent
About the Role
Job overview
Are you a qualified (or nearly) Social Worker seeking an opportunity in mental health?
Would you relish an opportunity to be part of a brand new service?
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to invite applications for a Social Worker role within our newly established Assertive Outreach Team (AOT).
This innovative service will provide high-quality, person-centred care to individuals with complex mental health needs who may struggle to engage with traditional services. Operating across the City of Oxford, the team will deliver proactive, flexible support, responding to need in a timely and coordinated manner.
Assertive Outreach is founded on active engagement rather than office-based care. Staff will work flexibly across the city, supporting individuals in community settings, their homes or Trust premises. Interventions will be tailored, relationship-focused and recovery-oriented, promoting continuity, trust and consistent engagement. Shared caseload responsibility, alongside a key worker model and regular MDT reviews, will enable rapid responses to relapse, risk and disengagement.
We are seeking motivated and compassionate professionals who are committed to supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. Successful applicants will be confident in managing complexity and dynamic risk, while working within a recovery-focused, trauma-informed framework. This is an opportunity to help shape a new service and make a meaningful difference across Oxford.
Main duties of the job
- Work independently as part of a multi-disciplinary team to assess, plan and implement person specific socially informed interventions within the community mental health framework, contributing to the continuous holistic assessment of people who use mental health services
- Participate in and contribute to the multi-disciplinary team, articulating the social perspective of mental health and ensuring that meeting the social care needs of service users retains a high priority and profile within the functioning of the team.
- Undertake Care Act or s.117 aftercare eligibility assessments some of which will be for people presenting with highly complex needs using your profession specific knowledge and skills.
- Intervene and show professional leadership and skill in situations characterised by high levels of social and interpersonal complexity and risk.
Working for our organisation
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people’s homes, delivering care as close to home as possible
Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”
Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent”
At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:
- Excellent opportunities for career progression
- Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
- NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
- Competitive pension scheme
- Lease car scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Mental Health First Aiders
- Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
- Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We hope that the advert has given you a clear understanding of the skills we are seeking and the opportunity at hand. You will need to use the “supporting statement” element of your application form to demonstrate your suitability for this role and you should refer to the job description, person specification and the guidance notes attached to this role to help you tailor your application. The essential and desirable criteria will be used to shortlist for interview and you should ensure that you refer to these within your application to increase your chances of being selected for interview.
Our community need social workers to work full time (yes - you are that valued!) but we understand the importance of work life balance so if you have other interests that you want to develop then let’s have a chat to see how we can help you achieve a balance that works for you.
Our diverse community would love to have you join the team so get in touch for an informal chat.
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Qualified social worker or nearing completion of social work degree/Masters
- Understanding of mental health conditions and models of mental disorder
- Experience of assessing need and implementing and reviewing care and support packages
Desirable criteria
- Higher level qualification -BIA and/or AMHP
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Practical knowledge of the Care Act , Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act and associated codes of practice and statutory guidance
- Knowledge of s.42 Care Act safeguarding adults and Making Safeguarding Personal
- Knowledge of how to recognise different forms of abuse and harm and how raise a concern for both adults and children and young people
- Recognising the importance of the social perspective of mental health and the importance of rights based person centred approaches
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of the process of applications to the Court of Protection
- Housing legislation
Skills
Essential criteria
- Demonstrating the ability to use a strengths and rights based approach to social care assessments under the Care Act and s.117 aftercare
- Ensuring that the social perspective of mental health is promoted to the wider MDT
- Ability to use a range of communication skills to engage people who use mental health services
Documents to Download
Guidance Notes for Candidates Applying for a job at OHFT (PDF, 424.6KB)
Recruiter Contact Details
Name: Aidan Harker
Title: Service Manager
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 07786913876