Advanced Practitioner

Advanced Practitioner

Adult Mental Health Social Work Team

Grade 10: £45,529 - £49,817 per annum plus £2,000 Market Supplement

This is an exciting opportunity to join North Tyneside Council's Adult Mental Health Social Work Team as an Advanced Practitioner, providing practice leadership and professional oversight within a mental health social work team.

We are an experiened team who support adults whose lives are impacted by mental ill-health and addictions to remain safe, maintain their independence and achieve the outcomes that matter most to them. Working closely with colleagues from Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) and North Tyneside Recovery Partnership (NTRP), we deliver a holistic, strengths-based and multi-disciplinary approach to support recovery and wellbeing.

We are seeking an experienced and highly skilled practitioner who is passionate about developing others, championing excellent social work practice and supporting the delivery of high-quality services for residents of North Tyneside.

About the Role

As an Advanced Practitioner, you will be a key member of the leadership team, working alongside the Team Manager and Assistant Team Manager to provide expert practice leadership across the service.

You will act as the professional lead for complex casework, offering specialist guidance, mentoring and reflective supervision to Mental Health Social Workers and Mental Health Reablement Workers. You will support practitioners to navigate complex legal, ethical and practice issues, ensuring interventions remain person-centred, strengths-based, trauma-informed and legally compliant.

You will play a critical role in promoting high standards of practice, quality assurance and continuous service improvement, whilst supporting staff to develop confidence, autonomy and professional curiosity.

The role includes a small caseload, co-working alongside practitioners to model best practice, provide coaching and support professional development.

The Advanced Practitioner will also deputise for the Team Manager and provide cross-cover for the Assistant Team Manager, helping to ensure effective service delivery and strong operational leadership.

How Our Team Works

Our service is built around two connected areas of practice, providing opportunities to influence practice across the whole service.

Each area is supported by a Team Manager, Assistant Team Manager and Advanced Practitioner, ensuring visible leadership and strong professional support.

Initial Response Hub (IRH)

The Initial Response Hub provides an immediate response to new referrals and concerns.

This fast-paced area of practice focuses on:

• Initial assessments and screening
• Safeguarding concerns and risk management
• Early intervention and crisis prevention
• Providing information, advice and guidance
• Supporting timely decision-making

As an Advanced Practitioner, you will provide oversight and support for complex decisions, ensuring that responses are proportionate, timely and centred on the individual's strengths and desired outcomes.

Long-Term Work

The Long-Term Work focuses on supporting people with enduring and complex needs.

This includes:

• Strengths-based assessments and reviews
• Complex care planning and risk management
• Court of Protection work and court reports
• Tribunal hearings
• Section 117 aftercare planning and reviews
• Long-term interventions promoting recovery and independence

You will provide advanced support and oversight for complex casework, helping practitioners navigate statutory responsibilities, legal frameworks and safeguarding concerns while promoting best practice and positive outcomes.

What You'll Be Doing

As our Advanced Practitioner, you will:

• Provide advanced practice oversight and reflective supervision to Social Workers and Mental Health Reablement Workers.
• Lead on complex case management involving high-risk situations, safeguarding concerns, mental capacity issues, hospital discharges and Mental Health Act responsibilities.
• Act as a point of escalation for practitioners managing complex or contentious situations.
• Lead safeguarding enquiries and support robust safeguarding decision-making.
• Chair complex safeguarding meetings where appropriate.
• Support quality assurance through audits, case reviews and practice evaluation.
• Champion strengths-based, recovery-focused and trauma-informed practice.
• Support workforce development through coaching, mentoring and professional development activities.
• Promote consistency and high standards of practice across the service.
• Contribute to service development, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Support effective partnership working across health, housing, voluntary and community sectors.
• Deputise for the Team Manager and represent the service at strategic and multi-agency forums when required.

About You

We are looking for an experienced and confident practitioner who can inspire confidence, support professional development and provide expert guidance in complex situations.

You will have:

• A recognised Social Work qualification or Mental Health Nursing qualification.
• Registration with Social Work England, NMC or equivalent professional body.
• An accredited post-qualifying award.
• Significant experience within adult social care or specialist community mental health services.
• Experience managing complex and high-risk casework.
• Experience of mentoring, coaching, supervising or developing others.
• Extensive knowledge of:
  • Care Act 2014
  • Mental Capacity Act 2005
  • Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
  • Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007)
  • Safeguarding Adults procedures
  • Human Rights legislation
• Strong leadership, communication and conflict resolution skills.
• A commitment to reflective practice, professional development and continuous improvement.

Desirable

We would particularly welcome applications from candidates who hold:

• Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) qualification
• Best Interests Assessor (BIA) qualification
• Practice Educator qualification
• Experience of quality assurance, audit or service improvement activity
• Experience of multidisciplinary working across health and social care settings
• An interest in supporting people whose lives are impacted by addictions

What You Can Expect From Us

We know that excellent practice depends on excellent support.

We offer:

• Regular reflective supervision and group supervision
• A leadership team that knows you and values your contribution
• Hybrid working arrangements
• Protected &slshquot;Stop the Clock&slshquot; days
• Extensive learning and development opportunities
• A culture that prioritises wellbeing, psychological safety and continuous learning
• Opportunities to influence practice development and shape the future of the service

We are proud to have been recognised as one of the Top 5 Social Work Employers in the country through the Standards for Employers of Social Workers Health Check and are committed to investing in our workforce.

What Our Colleagues Say

&slshquot;I feel trusted to do my job and supported when things are difficult.&slshquot;

&slshquot;There's a real sense that people care, about the work and about each other.&slshquot;

&slshquot;It's challenging, but in a way that helps you grow.&slshquot;

For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact:

Anne-Marie Roche
Team Manager, Mental Health Social Work and Mental Health Reablement

Telephone: 0191 643 7352

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. An Enhanced DBS Disclosure, including a Barred List Check, is required.

At North Tyneside Council, We Listen | We Care | We Are Ambitious | We Are Good Value for Money. We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Why North Tyneside Council?

Our People First strategy is our promise to make North Tyneside Council an exceptional place to work, where everyone can thrive and flourish. A place where people want to work, where joining our team is an exciting prospect, staying with us feels like a great decision, and building your career at North Tyneside Council is a natural progression.

As part of our People First strategy, we are committed to creating a workplace that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to our success and the well-being of our employees and residents. Our goal is to foster an environment where everyone feels welcome, safe and valued.

Together, we're crafting a workplace that's built on our values and a shared commitment to making a difference.

If you are passionate and committed about making a difference and want to work somewhere where you can make positive change, we will provide the right environment for you to excel.

Alongside our People First strategy, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and adults at risk of harm. All staff and volunteers are expected to share this commitment and to familiarise themselves with all relevant policies, procedures and guidance. Within North Tyneside, safeguarding is everybody's business.

Require a reasonable adjustment? If you feel a reasonable adjustment will provide additional support in both the recruitment process and within the workplace, please indicate this to the hiring manager on your application. Declaring a reasonable adjustment will not subject you to any form of discrimination when determining which applicants are successful for interview and employment with us.

Our Carbon Net-Zero 2030 Action Plan

In 2019, North Tyneside Council declared a climate emergency. This declaration set a target to reduce the carbon footprint of the council's operations, and the borough, by 50% by 2023 and to align to the Government's net zero target of 2050.

We recognise the significant role we can play in the borough in helping to limit climate change, but we can't do this alone; we need help from all our residents, businesses, voluntary and community sectors and of course all those who apply and work for us. Together we can make North Tyneside a sustainable place to live and work for everyone in the borough.

To learn more about Our Carbon Net-Zero 2030 Action Plan, click here.

Applying

To view more information about the role and view the Job Description please click &slshquot;Apply&slshquot; you will be taken to the North Tyneside Careers Portal.

Learn More

For further information about North Tyneside Council, the benefits of working for us, candidate support, and the many attractions of working and living in North Tyneside please see the council's "work for us&slshquot; page here Work for us | North Tyneside Council

Want to keep up to date with the latest vacancies and colleague experiences at North Tyneside Council? Keep informed on our social media channels below.

Facebook

Instagram