Reviewing Officer - S02

The post holder will be responsible for carrying out strengths based reviews and reassessments regarding people with long term conditions in accordance with the principles of the Care Act and under the guidance and supervision of the Senior Practitioner. They will visit people in their own homes and also within care home settings to meet with the service users their families and carers to discuss the support plan, which will entail lone working. They will draw up an appropriate, budgeted outcome based support plan using the Resource Allocation System and will monitor established plans and residential nursing home placements, ensuring they the support is effective at maximising the person's independence.

The post holder will provide information, advice and signpost service users to a range of universal services based on the outcome of the assessments and recommend and set up Telecare support where appropriate.

They will use their knowledge and skills to assess the cost of support appropriate to meeting a service users' needs and be aware of the financial implications of the work undertaken.

The post holder will be responsible for managing risk, capturing and recording qualitative and quantitative data, raising safeguarding concerns in line with the London procedures and taking responsibility for their own performance to achieve the National Indicator targets for assessments and reviews.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

The post holder will have responsibility and accountability for the following:-

Assessment and Support Planning

1. To manage a caseload of service users and carers with long term conditions and complete assessments of the social and functional abilities of existing service users and, where appropriate, co-ordination of multi-disciplinary assessments.
2. To apply the principles of personalisation by working with clients using person-centred and strengths based approaches to facilitate their involvement and choice, and actively seeking ways to maximise their independence and promote their wellbeing.
3. To proactively promote activities, resources and universal services including Telecare where appropriate to improve health and wellbeing as part of the re-assessment and review of support plans and follow up to ensure that the information provided was satisfactory.
4. To work closely with key in house stakeholders; financial affairs, care charges, QA , brokerage and commissioning teams as well as other teams within adult social care and health and mental health colleagues to ensure positive outcomes are met .
5. To facilitate support planning by providing service users with the fullest possible information about the range of support options available, about the likely cost of services and advice on welfare entitlements and how to maximise income.
6. To be able to develop a support plan and budget using the Resource Allocation System, and recording any unmet needs.
7. To be aware of the financial implications of providing services. To be able to calculate support plan costs. To complete, in discussion with the service user, carer family or their representative, any necessary financial assessments in accordance with Council's charging policy.
8. Give appropriate advice on welfare benefit entitlements and maximisation of income, referring on for more specialist advice, as necessary.
9. In making arrangements for the provision of care ensure that appropriate resources are secured from agreed providers, approved by the Council or PCT and non statutory organisations and informal support networks are utilised.
10. Provide information about Direct Payments thus empowering service users to consider making their own arrangements for care.
11. Undertake assessment for specialist equipment and minor adaptations as required and ordering same through appropriate means. Have a sound knowledge of equipment, including any known contra indications and ensure, by demonstration, that service users, and their carers, are provided with the information necessary to use equipment supplied safely and appropriately
12. Advise service users and their carers of alternative techniques in their activities of daily living in order to encourage maximum independence and safety. Have comprehensive knowledge of moving and handling guidance and be able to undertake transfer assessments
13. Carry out risk assessments within Health and Safety guidelines and ensure they are complied with as part of the Support Plan.
14. Seek the advice of the O.T. to support the assessment, if the service users needs have changed or a more complex assessment is indicated.
15. Recognise the needs of carers and offer them an assessment of their needs in their own right.
16. Seek to ensure that service users get the right help at the right time, addressing their need for information and advice and helping them take advantage of opportunities and make choices for their support.
17. To be responsible for recognising Adults at Risk and following agreed procedures to record, investigate and respond with appropriate and timely support and interventions.
18. To deal with safeguarding adult concerns, assessing and analysing risk and contributing to the development of multi-agency safeguarding adult plans. To understand the need for Advocacy at all times.
19. To take part in case conferences, reviews, complaints and meetings as appropriate and ensuring any reports that are required are prepared and presented with evidence the involvement of clients, families and carers.

Record keeping and performance monitoring

1. To maintain accurate and comprehensive records and ensure services users have information about their assessed needs and agreed support plan.
2. To keep accurate records of all work undertaken, and ensure contact and assessment information is updated regularly and accurately on the appropriate client and document management databases in line with the requirements for local and national standards and performance indicators.
3. Monitor the quality of service received by service users through a variety of agreed means including customer satisfaction questionnaires, complaints and customer feedback. Ensure that any shortfalls areas reported and appropriate remedial action taken.
4. Ensure that electronic case recording systems are kept up to date database in respect of information on reviews, reassessments, care plans, provisions and reviews and ensure that all case records and statistical information is maintained as appropriate to Review officer role.
5. Comply with policies and procedures for handling service user's money, including collection of pensions, payment of rent, charges and other bills through discussion with Supervisor and recording on case notes at all times.

Working Together
1. Liase with other social work teams where services for service user's children, their families and mental health problems are required. Have a Think Family approach at all times.

2. Develop and maintain good working relationships with other locality, specialist teams and other professionals within Community Services, health colleagues, the Council, and other statutory, private and voluntary agencies.
3. Ensure all documentation is accessible to relevant stakeholders and that service users are routinely kept informed.
4. Contribute to team meetings, case reviews, and conferences, working groups and training courses as required.

Decision-making

1. To carry out reviews and reassessments in line with the principles of the Care Act and in partnership with appropriate professionals and to enable service users to take a strengths based view of their support needs and maximise independence and risk enablement wherever possible.
2. To facilitate the arrangement and purchase of support services arising from the Outcome -Focused Support plan in liaison with and reference to the Direct Payments and Brokerage teams where appropriate.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. To maintain an up to-date working knowledge of policy and practice developments in adults services as a whole
2. To take responsibility for own continued professional development and undertake training as required in order to provide maintain a high standard of performance.
3. Any other duties that might from time to time be required within the overall grading and general responsibilities of the post.

NB: All employees are expected to adhere to the Council's Diversity & Equality and Health and Safety Policies., NB: All employees are expected to adhere to the Council's Diversity & Equality and Health and Safety Policies.
Review Officer
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The post holder will be responsible for carrying out strengths based reviews and reassessments regarding people with long term conditions in accordance with the principles of the Care Act and under the guidance and supervision of the Senior Practitioner. They will visit people in their own homes and also within care home settings to meet with the service users their families and carers to discuss the support plan, which will entail lone working. They will draw up an appropriate, budgeted outcome based support plan using the Resource Allocation System and will monitor established plans and residential nursing home placements, ensuring they the support is effective at maximising the person's independence.

The post holder will provide information, advice and signpost service users to a range of universal services based on the outcome of the assessments and recommend and set up Telecare support where appropriate.

They will use their knowledge and skills to assess the cost of support appropriate to meeting a service users' needs and be aware of the financial implications of the work undertaken.

The post holder will be responsible for managing risk, capturing and recording qualitative and quantitative data, raising safeguarding concerns in line with the London procedures and taking responsibility for their own performance to achieve the National Indicator targets for assessments and reviews.

Delivery
1. Experience of working in a social care setting for adults with long term conditions.
2. Experience of reviewing and reassessing the needs of service users, within a social services context.
3. Experience of carrying out visits to service user's homes and care home settings, to carry out the review.
4. Experience of completing needs led reassessments and reviews from a strengths based perspective.
5. Experience of monitoring and reviewing the impact of support against agreed outcomes to ensure it is effective.
6. Experience of recording confidential and sensitive information accurately and confidentially.
7. Experience of working with service users and a diverse range of people including people from black and ethnic minority communities

Decision Making
1. Able to make judgements of need using clinical reasoning and record these accurately.
2. Competent to carry out assessments for simple specialist equipment and minor adaptations.

Working Together
1. Able to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels across a variety of organisations.
2. Experience of operating as a member of a multidisciplinary team.

Communication skills
1. Able to communicate effectively, confidently and assertively whether in writing or when speaking. This will also involve presenting complex information sensitively and matched to the needs of the audience and in line with organisational policy and practice.
2. Ability to put forward innovative solutions to address a care or support need which empowers the service user to become more independent.

Personally effective
1. Demonstrable ability to carry out work under their own initiative, in an organised fashion, managing their own workload and co-ordinating with colleagues as part of a team. In doing this they will be able to prioritise work under pressure, adapt their priorities to changes in demand and deliver to agreed deadlines.
2. Demonstrates a personal and professional demeanour which generates credibility and confidence amongst staff, managers and other stakeholders.
3. Able to acquire new skills with a strong commitment to continuous professional development within Hackney Adults Services.

Knowledge of Adult Social Care
1. Knowledge of the Care Act, the Mental Capacity Act and Safeguarding.
2. Knowledge of current best practice including telecare within Adult Services.
3. Good understanding of the needs of Adults at risk and those with a physical, sensory or learning disability and the impact this has on their ability to communicate and function.
4. Understanding of the issues relating to the delivery of review, re-assessment and support planning for people within a diverse community setting and the range of solutions available to facilitate their independence.

Technical skills
1. Working knowledge of a wide range of typical IT tools including database, word processing, email and spreadsheet applications.

Qualifications
1. An NVQ Level 3 in Health & Social Care
2. A current Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau assessment

Hackney is one of the UK's highest performing local authorities, serving one of London's best places to live and work. We have achieved a huge amount: our services, our schools, our public spaces are all amongst the very best. We have changed the reputation, not just of the Council, but of Hackney itself. Bringing jobs and investment into the borough, securing the legacy from the 2012 Games, and making this a place of which we can all be proud.

We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and the workforce can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive.

Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and maternity, age and marital status. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce.