Social Worker – Community Mental Health, Hackney

The Care Act 2014 sets out statutory duties, but on the ground, it's a single caseworker holding the pieces together: liaising with nurses, psychologists, and carers, while making sure a vulnerable older adult's care plan doesn't fall through a gap between services. That's the shape of this role — a Band 6 Social Worker post inside East London NHS Foundation Trust's Mental Health Care of Older People (MHCOP) team, based in Hackney.

The closing date is 11 October 2026, so there's a real window to apply, not a rush. What's worth noting upfront is the sponsorship line: the Trust explicitly states it welcomes applications from candidates needing Skilled Worker sponsorship, which isn't universal across NHS social work roles.

About the Employer

East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) delivers mental health, community health, and primary care services across the City of London, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Bedfordshire, and Luton. It's one of the larger specialist NHS mental health providers in the country, serving a population of roughly 750,000 in east London alone, and has held an Outstanding CQC rating. The Trust states its values as care, respect, and inclusivity.

On the Job

• Holding a defined caseload of patients, mostly seen in their own homes, providing holistic assessment and care
• Delivering statutory duties under the Care Act 2014 as part of an integrated mental health and social services team
• Supporting patients including some detained under mental health legislation or subject to conditional discharge (referenced in the listing as S37/41)
• Assessing risk and liaising with carers, families, and the wider multidisciplinary team — nurses, doctors, psychologists, support workers, and occupational therapists
• Keeping documentation current and aligned with the Care Programme Approach (CPA) framework and Trust guidelines
• Taking part in a duty and triage rota
• Supervising or supporting learners
• Travelling regularly within Hackney and the City, and occasionally into neighbouring boroughs
• Participating in individual and, where available, group supervision and appraisal

Who Can Apply

• Registered Social Worker with Social Work England — essential
• Evidence of continuing professional development — essential
• At least 18 months' post-qualification experience, including relevant community work — essential
• Experience carrying out full Care Act assessments and writing reports — essential
• Experience working as part of a multi-professional team — essential
• Experience working in a multi-racial inner-city area — essential
• Desirable: a completed professional portfolio, and an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) qualification
• Strong written and verbal communication, leadership, workload prioritisation, and the ability to make autonomous decisions
• Current UK professional registration is required
• A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check applies, under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975
• Skilled Worker applicants who have lived in any single country for 12 months or more (cumulatively or continuously) in the past 10 years, including adult dependants, must provide a criminal record certificate from each such country
• Sponsorship: Explicitly welcomed. The listing states that applications from candidates requiring Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside all others

Pay and Contract Details

• Pay: £47,951–£56,863 per year, inclusive of High Cost Area Supplement (Agenda for Change, Band 6)
• Contract type: Permanent
• Schedule: Full-time
• Location: MHCOP CMHT Office, 30 Felstead Street, London E9 5LG, with regular travel across Hackney and the City

Benefits

Not listed in the source posting. NHS Agenda for Change roles generally carry standard NHS benefits such as the NHS Pension Scheme and annual leave entitlements, but since these weren't stated in the listing itself, don't assume specific figures without checking directly with ELFT.

One detail worth flagging for anyone applying from overseas: the criminal record certificate requirement covers every country you've lived in for 12 months or more over the past decade, including time spent as a dependant — not just your current country of residence. That catches people out more often than the headline sponsorship line does.

How to Apply

Applications go through the NHS Jobs listing referenced by the posting (reference 363-CH8278106). For questions about the role itself, the listing names Michael Jeggo, Operational Lead, reachable at Michael.jeggo@nhs.net or 07939931579.

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