Social Worker - Hospital Pathways - Adult Social Care

London Borough of Sutton; City of London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in England seeks a Social Worker for the Hospital Pathways Team. You will empower adults post-hospital stays, conducting assessments, managing cases, and ensuring high care standards. Ideal candidates possess a Social Work qualification, experience in adult services, and strong communication skills. Enjoy a supportive environment and numerous benefits, including a £1,000 welcome bonus.

Benefits

Annual leave of 26-31 days

Enhanced parental leave

Flexible working arrangements

Learning and development opportunities

Local Government Pension Scheme

Qualifications

• Qualified Social Worker with current registration with Social Work England and eligibility to work in the UK.
• 2 years post-qualifying experience working in adult services, assessing and supporting individuals with diverse needs.
• Sound knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Care Act 2014 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Responsibilities

• Conduct assessments and manage complex cases.
• Craft outstanding care plans prioritising service users' needs.
• Ensure safe, timely discharge of adults from hospitals.

Skills

Communication skills

Compassionate manner

Assessment skills

Outcome-focused care planning

Risk management skills

Education

Qualified Social Worker with registration

2 years post-qualifying experience

Job description

Social Worker – Hospital Pathways – Adult Social Care

Join Adult Social Care as a Social Worker within the Hospital Pathways Team in the London Borough of Sutton, working to enable safe, timely discharge and promote independence for adults after hospital stays.

About The Borough

The London Borough of Sutton is situated less than 30 minutes by train from Central London, with direct connections to London Victoria and London Bridge. Found in zone 5 with good transport links in and out of London, Sutton boasts award winning parks and open spaces, low crime rates, affordable housing and great schools. As well as high levels of resident engagement and satisfaction, the borough provides quality services and success in addressing its financial challenges, involving residents in key issues and high street changes.

Sutton is continuously investing in the health, wellbeing and education of its residents and the future generation, as set out in the “Ambitious for Sutton” corporate plan. It is home to the Royal Marsden Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research. Together with the development of the London Cancer Hub, Sutton will be the world’s leading life‑science district, specialising in cancer research and treatment. The vision will create around 13,000 jobs while contributing £1.2 bn to the UK economy each year, a vibrant community of scientists, doctors and innovative companies intended to deliver real benefits for cancer patients and drive economic growth. With the regeneration of local areas with new homes and schools, Sutton is passionate about working closely with its residents and vulnerable groups to help them maintain their independence and create a balance between support and independent living.

The Council is seen as a driving force within the South London Partnership of five outer south‑west London boroughs focused on strategic growth, regeneration and investment. As the borough strives to improve its services and spaces for residents, it aims to shape the future of Sutton and adapt to the needs of its residents to make it a great place to live, work and raise a family.

About The Role and Our Ideal Candidate

Receive a Welcome Bonus of £1,000 paid in your first month’s salary or a Retention Bonus of £1,000 paid for each complete year of service. Our mission is to empower adults to live independently, and this position will challenge you in a dynamic and diverse environment, expanding your skills in social care practice. As a Social Worker in the Hospital Pathways Team, you will conduct assessments, manage complex cases, and provide high standards of care.

The team is renowned for crafting outstanding care plans that prioritise the needs and voices of service users, integrating input from professionals, families/carers, and external agencies to ensure the best outcomes.

Our Ideal Candidate

We seek individuals with outstanding communication skills and a compassionate manner capable of managing high levels of emotional distress. Experience in adult care and a passion for person‑centred care are desirable. The role offers first‑class supervision and ongoing professional development.

We would expect the following from suitable candidates:

• Qualified Social Worker with current registration with Social Work England and eligibility to work in the UK.
• 2 years post‑qualifying experience working in adult services, assessing and supporting individuals with diverse needs and successful completion of their ASYE.
• Sound knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Care Act 2014 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and social work theories.
• Strong assessment, outcome‑focused care‑planning, and risk management skills.
• Ability to communicate complex social issues clearly to both patients and professionals.
• Ability to plan and coordinate social care plans and aspects of patient discharge.

For more information about the role or to arrange an informal conversation, view the Role Profile or contact Keyur Patel, Team Manager – Hospital Pathways ([e-mail]).

About Us

Adult Social Care is undergoing a significant transformation to meet rising demand, implementing wide‑ranging changes to improve care for adults and create positive working environments for staff. New leaders and experienced managers bring innovative ideas, driving meaningful change throughout service delivery. Our goal is to deliver exceptional care that enhances outcomes for the community whilst fostering an inclusive, diverse and stable environment for staff to grow their careers.

Hospital Pathway And Reablement (Start) Service

The hospital team works closely with NHS colleagues to facilitate safe, timely discharge, prioritising the return to home through reablement and other services.

For more information on our new operating model and teams, click here.

Our Offer To You

We value and nurture talent, offering a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment for growth and skill development. We encourage your ideas of any size, fully supported by colleagues and management.

Benefits

• A generous annual leave entitlement of 26‑31 days plus bank holidays (pro‑rata if part‑time).
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoption and dependent leave.
• Two volunteering days per year.
• Flexible working via the Smarter Working Scheme (role dependent).
• Adjustable agile working arrangements using Google Chromebooks.
• Learning and development portal offering a range of courses.
• Discounts on local shops, restaurants, gyms and leisure centres.
• Interest‑free season ticket loans.
• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Bicycle loan facilities and cycle‑to‑work scheme.
• Zip car scheme.
• Confidential health & wellbeing and counselling support.

Application Process

Apply online, outlining the skills, abilities and experience that make you an ideal candidate. Refer to the requirements outlined in the job profile, ensuring your CV details are uploaded correctly in the relevant sections.

We recognise the benefits of artificial intelligence in the workplace and embrace AI where appropriate, boosting productivity and streamlining delivery of council services. However, we reserve the right to reject applications where AI‑generated content is used in isolation without personalised responses. We value authenticity and expect candidates to demonstrate skills, experience and motivation for the role, embracing our PRIDE values.

Transparency is a core value; this is demonstrated during the application process and completion of the supporting statement, further tested at interview and selection stages.

The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close the vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received; we advise submitting early to avoid disappointment.

As part of our award‑winning diversity programme, we anonymise all applications to reduce bias, enabling every application to be reviewed on knowledge, skills and experience. We encourage a diverse interview panel to minimise bias further, and are committed to removing barriers and enhancing workforce diversity.

We pride ourselves on being a diverse and welcoming borough, striving to reflect the community we serve, instilling belonging among staff. We celebrate and respect differences, welcoming applications from under‑represented groups. To support workers and families, we offer inclusive employment policies, flexible arrangements, staff engagement forums and inclusive staff networks.

We are a disability‑confident employer, guaranteeing interviews for disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria. As a London Living Wage Employer, all employees receive the London Living Wage regardless of contract.

The UK has a points‑based immigration system affecting EU and non‑EU workers and sponsorship requirements. Check GOV.UK for right‑to‑work guidance. Sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limits, so we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles; we evaluate requests case‑by‑case.

Key Details

• Seniority level: Entry level
• Employment type: Full‑time
• Job function: Other
• Industries: Government Administration