Senior Social Care Assistant - East Surrey Hospital

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

This permanent role has a starting salary of £33,552 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week.

We are looking for two enthusiastic and motivated people to join our friendly and active East Surrey Hospital team as Senior Social Care Assistants.

We support hybrid working with the right balance. We come together in person for 3 days per week on average (60% of the working week) and support working from home the rest of the time.

Our Offer to You

• 26 days’ holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years’ service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer’s leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

About The Role

We are a busy and diverse team managing hospital discharges, providing essential support to adults, carers, and families during the hospital discharge process. The complexity of our work varies greatly, supporting all adult patients of the hospital who are residents of Surrey, and who appear to have a need for care and support. We always strive to get people back home; this is the focus of what we do.

When joining us, you will be well supported with regular supervision, management support as well as peer-to-peer learning and support. You will form part of a fantastic team that works closely with our acute hospital health colleagues, enabling a positive and collaborative approach. Our team is committed to making a difference to residents’ lives, and working in a positive, inclusive manner. To help to promote this we will provide you with training, excellent supervision, and development opportunities to progress your career and get the most out of your role.

In this role you will undertake strengths based assessments with individuals and carers to identify needs, gather detailed information, and develop proportionate, person centred care and support plans in line with the Care Act

In all that you do, you will promote independence, wellbeing, and choice by offering advice, guidance, and connecting people with family, community, voluntary sector support, and other appropriate services.

Your other key responsibilities as a Senior Social Care Assistant will include:

• Supporting safe and timely hospital discharge, working collaboratively with ward staff, families, health partners, and community services—coordinating information, contributing to risk management, and assisting with practical arrangements
• Managing a small but varied caseload, responding flexibly to changing priorities in a fast paced environment
• Discussing financial considerations clearly with residents, including explaining available funding options, contributions, and the use of direct payments in line with assessed needs and budget parameters
• Contributing to the hospital duty desk, triaging enquiries, maintaining accurate records, and supporting colleagues as needed to ensure smooth service delivery
• Working in partnership with internal teams and external agencies, including NHS Continuing Healthcare, Transfer of Care Hub, advocacy services, carers’ organisations, district and borough councils, and voluntary groups, to ensure holistic support
• Contributing to safeguarding practice, recognising and escalating concerns and helping ensure safe outcomes

The role of Social Care Assistant is very important to the Council, ensuring that we can safely support residents who have need for our care and support. It enables us to ensure that ‘no one is left behind’ and that we can provide excellent customer service to those who need our support most.

Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:

• Practical understanding of the needs of people with complex social care requirements, particularly during hospital admission and the support available under the Care Act
• Clear written and spoken communication and ability to work in partnership with internal teams, NHS staff, community organisations, and families
• Confident use of IT systems to record assessments and case notes. Competent with Microsoft 365 and able to learn new systems
• Ability to assess and respond to presenting needs, manage risk proportionately, resolve practical issues using experience and guidance, and escalate more complex situations appropriately.
• Ability to manage and prioritise a varied caseload in a fast paced hospital environment, maintaining accuracy and attention to detail. Able to respond to changing priorities, undertake both daily and adhoc responsibilities, and support team duties
• Understanding of adult safeguarding duties, including recognising risks, raising concerns, and contributing to the risk management process
• Ability to explain funding options clearly, including personal budgets and direct payments, and make recommendations for services in line with assessed needs and available budget

To apply, we request that you submit a CV, and you will be asked the following 4 questions:

1. Looking at our advert, and considering the Council’s commitment to ensuring that “no one is left behind”, please tell us what it is about the role that has motivated you to apply?
2. Please tell us about the relevant experience or transferable skills you have that you can bring to this role.
3. What three qualities do you have that would make you a good Senior Social Care Assistant and how do these qualities support Surrey County Council’s culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and adaptability?
4. What is something that you have done as part of a team (in a work or private capacity) that you are particularly proud of or has had a positive outcome for someone else?

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 29/03/2026, with in-person interviews planned to follow shortly after.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. Please contact Paul O’Brien, Team Manager by email at Paul.O’Brien@surreycc.gov.uk or Thelma Tapfumaneyi, Assistant Team Manager at Thelma.Tapfumaneyi@surreycc.gov.uk.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

An enhanced DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children’s and Adults’ Barred List checks will be required for this role.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council.

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.