Advanced Practitioner

Overview

Are you an experienced Social Worker or Occupational Therapist looking for an opportunity to take the next step in your career? Do you want to use your expertise to make a real difference while supporting and developing others? This is a rewarding opportunity to join Buckinghamshire Council as an Advanced Practitioner, where you'll lead by example, champion best practice and help adults achieve greater independence and improved wellbeing.

As an Advanced Practitioner, you'll manage a complex caseload, provide professional leadership and support to colleagues, and play a key role in delivering high-quality, strengths-based services to adults across Buckinghamshire.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

As the South and Central Hospital Discharge Team, we provide a service across Amersham Hospital, Wexham Park Hospital, Wycombe Hospital, John Radcliffe Hospital, and other hospitals across the South of England.

About the role

This is an exciting role for an experienced practitioner who is passionate about delivering outstanding outcomes for adults and their families. Working as part of our Adult Social Care and Occupational Therapy service, you'll apply your professional expertise to support some of the most complex cases, while helping to shape excellent practice across the wider team.

You'll work closely with adults, carers, colleagues and partner agencies to promote independence, wellbeing and personalised support. Alongside your own casework responsibilities, you'll provide guidance, coaching and reflective supervision to less experienced practitioners, helping to develop confidence, capability and high professional standards across the service. You'll also contribute to safeguarding activity, specialist assessments and service improvement initiatives, ensuring Buckinghamshire residents receive the highest quality care and support.

Some of the things you'll be doing:

• Managing a complex caseload and undertaking strengths-based assessments, support planning and reviews.
• Providing professional leadership, coaching and reflective supervision to colleagues and newly qualified practitioners.
• Leading on specialist assessments, safeguarding enquiries and multi-agency working.
• Developing outcome-focused solutions that promote independence, wellbeing and positive risk-taking.

For a full list of responsibilities and duties, please refer to the job description.

Mobile:

A ‘mobile’ role gives you the flexibility to schedule your own diary, so you can meet with colleagues and clients in a variety of locations. You’ll access digital folders and resources on your laptop and be able to use the network wherever you are based. Working from home will be common, as well as meeting your team in the office where necessary.

About you

We're looking for a confident, knowledgeable and compassionate professional who is committed to achieving the very best outcomes for adults and their families. You'll be someone who leads by example, builds positive relationships and is comfortable supporting others to develop their practice. You will bring excellent communication and assessment skills, sound professional judgement and the ability to manage complex situations with confidence and sensitivity.

To be successful in this role, you'll have substantial experience working with vulnerable adults in a statutory setting and a strong understanding of strengths-based and relationship-based practice. You'll be experienced in applying relevant legislation, including the Care Act and Mental Capacity Act, and will be able to demonstrate excellent analytical, report writing and partnership working skills. We're looking for someone who shares our values of being Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy, and who is committed to continuous professional development and maintaining the highest professional standards.

You will hold a recognised Social Work or Occupational Therapy qualification and be registered with Social Work England or HCPC as appropriate. A full driving licence and access to a vehicle are also essential requirements for the role.

For full details of the essential criteria, qualifications and experience required, please refer to the job description.

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

Other information

For more information about this role, please contact Pam Zinyemba on email at [email protected] for an informal discussion.

Closing date: 11^th November 2026

Interview Date: tbc

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

Our values

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Service Area

A Hospital Discharge Service supports individuals to leave hospital safely and in a timely manner once they are medically fit for discharge. The service operates in a fast-paced environment, working closely with hospital wards, community health professionals, patients, and their families to assess needs, coordinate care, and arrange appropriate support following discharge. This may include domiciliary care, residential or nursing placements, rehabilitation services, equipment provision, and safeguarding considerations. The aim is to promote independence, prevent delayed discharges, reduce hospital readmissions, and ensure people receive the right care in the right setting at the right time.

The role requires strong assessment and decision-making skills, the ability to work under pressure with minimal supervision, and effective engagement with multidisciplinary teams, patients, and families, particularly where there are complex needs and risks to manage. Turnaround times are often tight, with assessments and discharge planning needing to be completed promptly to support patient flow and positive outcomes.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/