Senior Practitioner Continuing Healthcare (CHC) Lead
Fixed term post for 18 months
About the role
We are seeking an experienced and motivated Senior Practitioner to take a lead role for Continuing Healthcare (CHC) within Darlington Borough Council’s Adult Social Care service. This is an exciting opportunity to provide specialist leadership, strengthen practice, and support improved outcomes for adults with complex health and social care needs.
The CHC Lead will provide focused oversight and expert advice across the CHC pathway, supporting practitioners and managers to identify potential eligibility at the earliest opportunity, prepare robust evidence for Decision Support Tool meetings, challenge outcomes where appropriate via dispute, and ensure that people receive the right funding and support in line with the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and the Care Act 2014.
This role has been developed to support improved CHC outcomes for Darlington residents, strengthen professional confidence across Adult Social Care, and ensure funding responsibilities are appropriately aligned between the Local Authority and NHS partners. The post will support fair, timely and person-centred CHC processes, reduce inappropriate Local Authority expenditure on health-dominated care packages, and promote social justice by advocating for equitable access to NHS-funded care where people have a primary health need.
Key responsibilities
- Act as Adult Social Care’s lead practitioner for CHC, providing specialist advice, guidance and professional challenge across teams.
- Support practitioners to identify potential CHC eligibility, prepare high-quality evidence, and participate confidently in CHC assessments, Decision Support Tool meetings, reviews and dispute processes.
- Provide practice leadership, coaching and case supervision to strengthen confidence, consistency and capability across Adult Social Care.
- Promote a legally compliant approach to CHC, ensuring practice aligns with the Care Act 2014, Section 22 responsibilities and the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare.
- Attend ADASS regional CHC meetings and relevant task-and-finish groups, ensuring learning, regional intelligence and key issues are fed back into Darlington’s Adult Leadership Team.
- Collate, analyse and report CHC data and performance information to support Adult Leadership Team oversight, performance clinics, local governance and future service planning.
About you
You will be an experienced practitioner with strong knowledge of CHC, Adult Social Care practice and the interface between Local Authority and NHS responsibilities. You will be confident in complex decision-making, professional challenge, partnership working and supporting others to develop their practice.
- Qualified and registered Social Worker, or equivalent relevant qualification within health or allied professional practice.
- Significant post-qualification experience in Adult Social Care, health, ICB or integrated working environments.
- Essential experience and strong working knowledge of CHC, including checklists, Decision Support Tool meetings, reviews, disputes, downgrades and joint funding arrangements.
- Strong understanding of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, safeguarding duties and the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare.
- Ability to interpret data, identify themes, produce clear reports and use performance information to drive improvement.
- Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to work constructively with practitioners, managers, NHS colleagues, ICB representatives and regional partners.
- Commitment to social justice, human rights, equity and person-centred practice.
- Ability to coach, mentor and support practitioners to build confidence, strengthen evidence and improve outcomes for people.
What we offer
This is a valuable opportunity to influence practice across Adult Social Care and make a direct difference to people who may be entitled to NHS-funded care. You will work within a supportive leadership structure, contribute to regional CHC networks, and help shape Darlington’s approach to CHC practice, performance and partnership working.
The rewards for working at Darlington Borough Council go beyond the salary you will receive; we have numerous additional benefits such as:
- 32 days Annual Leave, plus Bank Holidays, with option to purchase additional Annual Leave (pro-rata for part time working)
- Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme with option to make Additional Voluntary Contributions
- Flexi-time scheme
- Flexible working
- Generous Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave schemes
- Staff equality forums
- Green Car Leasing Scheme (if applicable)
- Access to a wide range of training, learning and development
- Physiotherapy service
- Confidential counselling service
- Great wellbeing offer
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Dolphin Centre Fit for Life Discounts
- Local and National retailer discounts
- Vivup employee benefit app and Lifestyle Savings
- Arriva Employee Travel Club
For the full range of benefits we offer, please see our Why work for us internet page, which also includes our Total Reward Booklet and Employee Benefit Video.
https://www.darlington.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/why-work-for-us/
Find out further information about us and what it’s like to work for our great team by visiting the Jobs and Careers home page.
https://www.darlington.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/
For detailed information on this role, please refer to the Role Profile and Person Specification.
General Information for Applicants:
For a further informal discussion and any queries around the role profile and jobs itself please contact Barbara Beadle, Head of Service at [email protected]
If you have any further questions regarding applying for this role or the questions , please contact the HR Support team on 01325 403217 or [email protected].
https://www.northeastjobs.org.uk/contactus
All applicant email correspondence will come from [email protected] and may be directed to your Junk folder depending on the settings of your email account. Please check both your email and Junk folder as all applicants will be notified whether they have been shortlisted.
You must ensure that anything submitted in your application is factually accurate. Plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. Whilst we accept candidates may use AI tools within job applications; submissions must be truthful and relevant to your own experience.
We are an equal opportunities' employer. We welcome applicants from all sections of the community. We aim to interview any applicant who declares a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job.
