Job summary
Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT) is looking for experienced, motivated and values-driven Advanced Practitioner Lead Social Workers to help shape and strengthen social work practice across our mental health services.
This is a fantastic opportunity to take on a visible leadership role, supporting social workers at every stage of their career. You will champion high-quality, compassionate practice, create positive learning environments and promote strong inter-professional working across community and inpatient settings.
Working closely with the Principal Social Worker and external partners, you will influence quality, standards and future development across services.
You must be registered with Social Work England, hold Practice Educator qualifications (PEPS Level 2), and have substantial post-qualifying experience within mental health services.
Closing Date: 8th May 2026
Shortlisting Date: 12th May 2026
Provisional Interview Date: 21st May 2026 (may be subject to change)
Main duties of the job
- Act as leadsocial worker from point of inpatient admission through to transfer back to the community, working inpartnership with the Care Coordinator from the identified CMHT.
- Hold responsibility for all new inpatient admissions, maintaining an active caseload, ensuring continuity of social care throughout the admission pathway.
- Operate at a senior level, providing support to inpatient teams & operationally managing & providing clinical oversight to Band 6 Inpatient Social Workers
- Undertake Care Act assessments & Section 117 aftercare assessments from the point of admission, ensuring timely, proportionate & person-centred planning.
- Assess, manage & escalate risk, including safeguarding concerns, in line with statutory duties and Trust policy.
- Provide specialist mental health social work advice & guidance to staff, patients, carers & partner agencies.
- Offer expert legal literacy & application in relation to relevant legislation, including the Mental Health Act (Section 117), Mental Capacity Act, Care Act, safeguarding legislation & housing legislation.
- Contribute to a consistent & integrated approach to inpatient care planning, with the aim of improving outcomes, reducing length of stay & enabling socially safe and timely discharge.
- Act as the link Social Worker between inpatient services and community teams, providing regular progress reports to CMHT leadership to support safe & effective discharge planning.
About us
Everything we do is underpinned by our core values: -
We Care- We act with respect and empathy, and always value difference
We Listen- We understand people's views and respond to their individual needs
We Deliver- We develop and provide excellent services and support our partners
We will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements to enable staff to balance their work and home lives and support staff by offering a fantastic range of benefits including :
Increase mileage rates for > 4500
A wide range of health and wellbeing support packages
A range of internal and external development and learning opportunities
Plus many more.
We are also proud to pledge our support to the Armed Forces and hold a Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.
Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close the vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received. It is in the candidate's best interest to apply as soon as possible
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please read the attached Job description and person specification for further details about this role.
Right to Work in the UK
Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.
Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work andresidein the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.
Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trusts eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond theexpirationof your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.
As a condition of continuous employment, it essential youmaintainthe legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visaexpiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, mayimpactyour eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work statusimmediatelyand to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visain a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please read the attached Job description and person specification for further details about this role.
Right to Work in the UK
Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.
Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work andresidein the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.
Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trusts eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond theexpirationof your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.
As a condition of continuous employment, it essential youmaintainthe legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visaexpiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, mayimpactyour eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work statusimmediatelyand to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visain a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly.
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- Social Work Qualification and Professional Registration with Social Work England.
Desirable
- Post Graduate Certificate in Practice Education Stages 1 & 2
- Best Interest Assessor Approved Mental Health Professional
- Post Graduate qualification relevant to the role.
Experience
Essential
- Post qualifying Social Work experience within a multi-disciplinary team in mental health pathways.
- Extensive knowledge and experience of completing detailed and comprehensive assessments of complex health and social care needs through the practices of Care Coordination / Care Management and the application of funded social care placing the patient at the centre of practice.
- Expertise in the creative use of personalisation in partnership with patient & carers.
- Role modelling and developing best practice with individual mental health practitioners and Community Teams.
Desirable
- Experience and knowledge of working in partnership with Housing, Homelessness, and Residential providers.
- Experience of Practice Educator/Supervising Social Workers and other healthcare staff.
- Experience of quality improvement/service development.
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- Social Work Qualification and Professional Registration with Social Work England.
Desirable
- Post Graduate Certificate in Practice Education Stages 1 & 2
- Best Interest Assessor Approved Mental Health Professional
- Post Graduate qualification relevant to the role.
Experience
Essential
- Post qualifying Social Work experience within a multi-disciplinary team in mental health pathways.
- Extensive knowledge and experience of completing detailed and comprehensive assessments of complex health and social care needs through the practices of Care Coordination / Care Management and the application of funded social care placing the patient at the centre of practice.
- Expertise in the creative use of personalisation in partnership with patient & carers.
- Role modelling and developing best practice with individual mental health practitioners and Community Teams.
Desirable
- Experience and knowledge of working in partnership with Housing, Homelessness, and Residential providers.
- Experience of Practice Educator/Supervising Social Workers and other healthcare staff.
- Experience of quality improvement/service development.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
