Hospital Discharge Social Worker

Support safe, timely discharges and make a real difference at a critical time

This is a role where your actions have immediate, visible impact. As part of our hospital team, you’ll help ensure people leave hospital safely and with the right support in place – working quickly, collaboratively and with compassion at every step.

What you’ll be doing:

You’ll be based in our busy Hospital Adult Social Care Team, playing a vital role in discharge planning for residents across Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham. It’s a fast-paced environment where you’ll assess needs, coordinate care and help people regain independence after a hospital stay.

Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, you’ll collaborate with families, carers, NHS colleagues and other professionals to make sure people have the support they need to return home safely. You’ll carry out strengths-based assessments under the Care Act 2014, support best interest decisions, and create personalised support plans that help reduce the risk of readmission.

You’ll also be involved in safeguarding work and will help protect residents with a wide range of needs – from physical disabilities to mental health conditions and learning disabilities. You’ll promote reablement where appropriate and support unpaid carers through assessments, information and referrals.

Keeping accurate, timely case records is an important part of the role, as is contributing to a positive team culture built on mutual respect and shared responsibility. You’ll help us work smarter and deliver better outcomes for people who are often at their most vulnerable.

For further details, please review the Job Description and Person Specification

What you’ll bring

You’ll be a qualified social worker with current Social Work England registration and at least one year of post-qualifying experience. You’ll have strong working knowledge of the Care Act 2014, safeguarding processes and hospital discharge protocols.

To thrive in this environment, you’ll need to be highly organised and confident working under pressure. You’ll have excellent communication skills and be able to build strong working relationships – whether you're supporting a patient, liaising with families or collaborating with NHS colleagues.

You’ll be confident writing clear, concise assessments and reports, and comfortable using electronic case management systems. Just as importantly, you’ll be someone who stays calm in a fast-paced setting, makes sound decisions and keeps the person at the centre of everything you do.`

Why join us

At RBKC, we’re all in – investing in our people, our communities and our future.

This role offers real responsibility, variety and impact, backed by a supportive team and strong professional development.

You’ll join a service that is focused on safe, timely and person-centred hospital discharges. You’ll work alongside experienced colleagues who will help you grow, and you’ll have access to training and development to keep your practice sharp and up to date. We offer a competitive salary and a culture that values your skills, your voice and your wellbeing.

About us

Kensington and Chelsea is home to diverse communities, thriving businesses and unique local places. Everything we do is focused on supporting our residents, strengthening our approach and creating a fairer borough.

As a competent and caring Council, we take pride in our work every day, ensuring our services are delivered with care and competence. We listen to our residents, act with integrity and work together to build a borough that is greener, safer and fairer for all.

In this role, you’ll get stuck in from day one – coordinating complex discharges, problem-solving with partners and making quick decisions that have a lasting impact. It’s not always easy, but it’s always rewarding. Every ounce of effort you put in helps someone return home safely and with dignity – and that’s what drives us forward.

Position Detail and Interview Details 

This role will require an Enhanced Adults DBS and Adults Barred List.

The interviews will take place W/C 28th September 2026. 

Working Style:

You’ll be based in the Borough for 3 days a week, playing a key role in serving the local community. Whether you’re working on the frontline or behind the scenes, you’ll be part of a dedicated team making a real difference to residents’ lives.

Ready to join us?

We’re all in – are you? If you share our values and have the skills to contribute, we’d love to hear from you.

Please apply online explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description. 

We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning subject to the volume of suitable applicants.

We are committed to promoting equality and respecting diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We are a Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.

We are committed to fair, transparent, and consistent pay practices.

New hires will normally start at the minimum of the pay scale. However, a higher starting salary may be negotiated where a candidate demonstrates exceptional skills, knowledge, or experience.

Employees receive annual salary increments until they reach the top of the pay scale, as well as any agreed cost of living pay awards.