The BASW England Social Work in Health Thematic Group was created in response to members who wanted greater recognition and understanding of the diverse roles social workers undertake in health settings. From supporting sick children to working in GP practices and neuro-rehabilitation units, our members make a real difference every day.
While many social workers are employed directly by the NHS, charities, private providers, and not-for-profit organisations increasingly rely on their expertise to deliver vital services.
To showcase these contributions, the group has begun developing one-page role profiles that highlight:
- What they do
- The knowledge and skills they need
- How they work within health environments
Too often, the narrative focuses on local authority roles—yet these account for only around 50% of the workforce. It’s time to shine a spotlight on those often isolated, unrecognised positions—within the profession, across organisations, and in the public eye.
Click on the accordion below to view the different role profiles. You can also download the profiles as a PDF at the bottom of the page.
We want to grow this collection of role profiles. If you’re passionate about showcasing the impact of your work in a health setting, get involved! Contact: denise.monks@basw.co.uk
Role Outlines
Charity social worker working with sick children
Who we are:
The charity works in partnerships with NHS hospitals to support families whose children have cancer or a life-challenging condition. If the unthinkable happens, and a child dies, the charity offers specialist bereavement support.
What we do:
The social work service offers families specialist advice and information, practical support and help to access available grants and welfare benefits. Where required, we can also signpost to other relevant services which are beyond the scope of the service for example, immigration or legal advice. The most common issues the social work service supports families with include completing benefit claims such DLA (Disability Living Allowance), PIP (Personal Independent Payment), Blue Badge applications, helping with financial worries/applying for grants, providing advice/support for their child’s education, and advising families on housing and employment issues.
Families referred to the service will first have an introductory call to understand their situation. Together, we develop a tailored plan to address the parents’ concerns and support their needs. One of the social workers is also the a Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) in the organisation, providing expert guidance on safeguarding matters, contributing to policy development, and delivering training for frontline family support staff.
How we work:
The social work service is an integral part of the charity’s family support team, providing in-house specialist support. It operates as a non-statutory service. Our work is deeply relational, personable, and flexible. We adapt to the evolving circumstances of each family, tailoring our approach to meet their specific needs. Kindness and compassion are at the heart of everything we do. Support can be offered in the home, in one of our partner hospitals, or remotely - whatever works best for the family. The social work service also operates in collaboration with other charities and grant giving organisations which enables us to offer a holistic support service.
What we know:
The Children Act 1989 & 2004, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, the Equality Act 2010, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Care Act 2014, basic employment law principles and Data Protection Act 2018 are all key legislation and frameworks applied in our practice.
In addition, a strong understanding of the UK welfare system, local government schemes, and access to charitable funding is essential to effectively advise and advocate on behalf of the families we support.
Hana Najsrova, July 2025
Independent social work representative on Independent Review Panels in respect of Continuing Health Care funding
Who we are:
The panels are comprised of an independent Chair, independent social work representative and an independent Health representative. Sometimes there will be specialist Health representative where the patient has a particular condition requiring their knowledge. Someone from the Integrated Care Board (ICB) concerned is usually in attendance to present their case. The client/patient may attend, or their representative, usually a relative, and/or at times an informal or formal advocate can attend on their behalf. The latter can be a solicitor or one of a number of organisations set up specifically to represent such claimants.
What we do:
These panels are set up to hear appeals from applicants and/or their representative(s) who have been refused CHC funding by their ICB. The IRP assesses the patient/client’s situation from the background information provided by applicant and ICB and that gleaned during the panel meeting itself. This takes into consideration all aspects of the sort of care needed and provided and by whom and includes assessments by both social care and health professionals, it also considers issues such as safeguarding concerns. The panel decide whether to uphold the applicant’s appeal or not. It does have the right to return the case to the ICB if it feels that more work needs to be done in respect of the original assessment and decision.
The panel can also make comments on whether the ICB has acted in an appropriate manner in coming to its original decision. It can make suggestions as to how similar cases should be handled by the ICB in the future. The panel’s decision on eligibility is only advisory but is expected to accepted by the ICB.
How we work:
The panels are non-adversarial, and all information is provided via the Chair. Panel members are invited to ask questions of applicants and ICB representatives, about their respective cases. After this the panel members retire to make their decision, taking into consideration all the information, they have from the files originally submitted and the verbal presentations made to them. Since the pandemic panels have moved from face-to-face meetings to the majority being held online.
What we know:
Training is provided by CHC Teams of NHS England, for independent Chairs and Health and Social Care panel members. It is also important to be aware of the background legislation behind the process of CHC funding, the responsibilities and workings of ICBs and the CHC National Framework 2022, which gives guidance on how eligibility for CHC funding should be assessed.
One of the decisions IRPs have to make is whether or not an applicant’s needs could be met by a Social Services authority, the social work representative needs to be knowledgeable in relevant legislation such as the Care Act 2014, the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 p with what they have to provide legally (e.g. via The Care Act).
Steve Cardy, April 2025
Primary mental health worker in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
Who we are:
Social workers working as Primary Mental Health Workers (PMHWs) in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are employed by NHS Trusts within the Early Help Teams. We work within multi-disciplinary teams, alongside nurses, psychiatrists, and other health professionals, ensuring holistic care for those navigating mental health challenges. Our role bridges social care and mental health, focusing on both early identification and ongoing support for young people and their families.
What we do:
PMHWs conduct detailed assessments to understand the mental, emotional, and social needs of children and young people. A vital part of our role involves managing waiting lists for those awaiting assessments, ensuring that risk levels are monitored, and intervention is provided when necessary. In addition to assessments, we handle duty work, responding to daily queries from young people, families, and professionals, ensuring immediate support is available. We deliver a variety of workshops for parents and children some of which bring both together, for example trauma workshops equipping parents with the knowledge to understand how trauma affects their children and what they can do to support them. We facilitate school-based forums to promote joint working between education and health professionals, enabling early identification and support for mental health issues within schools. Safeguarding remains a central focus, and we work closely with other agencies to ensure the safety of vulnerable children.
How we work:
We adopt a strengths-based, person-centred approach, placing the young person and their family at the heart of our work. Our practice emphasizes the strengths and resilience of each child, and we collaborate with a wide network of professionals, including school staff and healthcare teams. By building strong relationships with families, we ensure their voices are central in decision-making and that they feel supported throughout their child’s mental health journey.
What we know:
This role is open to people with a core qualification in Social Work, Nursing and occupational health. PMHWs operate within the legal frameworks of the Children Act 1989 and the Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007), ensuring the protection and welfare of children and young people. The SEND Code of Practice also guides our work with those who have additional needs. Our role requires specialist knowledge in child development, trauma, and mental health interventions. We are trained in risk management and escalation processes, ensuring that young people receive timely and appropriate care when their needs change.
Tatenda Muskwe, January 2025
Case Manager in a specialist spinal rehab service
Who we are:
The Community Liaison Team of a Spinal Cord Injury Centre, the Centre provides inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient care funded by NHS England Specialist Commissioning, social workers are directly employed by the NHS for this role. The multi-disciplinary team of case managers includes social workers, nurses and occupational therapists.
What we do:
There are two main parts to our role:
- To keywork newly injured service users, so that they have a main link person and to coordinate all multi-disciplinary meetings including goal planning and case conferences. This also includes support for the first 6 weeks post discharge including home visits if required.
- Community liaison and discharge planning, which involves preparing service users for discharge ensuring that their income is maximised and assessing their accommodation and care needs. We are the main liaison between the Centre and ICBs (Integrated Care Boards) & local authorities for all discharge needs and progressing funding requests for their individualised support e.g. undertaking Continuing Health Care checklists. We support with issues relating to accommodation, care packages, provision of equipment and liaise with community colleagues such as district nursing.
How we work:
We work with service users, their families, other members of the MDT and community professionals. I generally use task centred practice as the role is very practical requiring problem solving. However, as a rehabilitation centre our main role is to empower service users for independence, so a strength-based approach is also vital.
What we know:
Section 82 of the National Health Service Act 2006 & Section 74(2) of the Care Act 2014 and their amendments in the Health and Care Act 2022 are the main legislation which guides our practice for discharge planning. The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 is still vital with regard to the provision of support for our service users. We often have to fight for the rights of our service users and knowledge of The Equality Act 2010 is very helpful for this.
Martin Chainani, March 2025
