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Job description

J O B V A C A N C Y

CV's not Accepted - only those applications submitted on the Age UK Sunderland Application Form will be considered. All information and Application forms can be found on our website www.ageuk.org.uk/sunderland/get-involved/vacancies/

Front Door Information and Advice Officer
Permanent
35 hours per week, £22,750 per annum

We are looking for a highly organised, self-motivated Information and Advice Officer with excellent communication skills and a wide knowledge and experience of attaining welfare benefits to achieve income maximisation for older people. The successful candidate must also be aware of the services offered by non-traditional providers in the Sunderland area.

Demonstrating a high level of professionalism and flexibility, the Information and Advice Officer will provide timely accurate advice on all welfare benefits, via telephone enquiries, home visits and Information and Advice surgeries. As Age UK Sunderland (AUKS) is an alternative office for the DWP the successful candidate will support claimants through the DWP application / verification process and be responsible for partnership working developing links with other information and advice services within the City of Sunderland.

AUKS social prescribing programme the “Front Door Service (FDS)” provides low level community-based support for older people with a focus the preventative agenda. The Front Door I&A Officer will provide practical support to help older people to effectively maximise their income and improve their health & wellbeing.

The successful candidate will be proficient in IT packages and be prepared to learn new software packages, have current knowledge of all welfare benefits and be able to work autonomously and collaboratively whilst managing a busy caseload.

A good standard of education and sound understanding of GDPR is required as well as the ability to explain complex issues whilst displaying an understanding and empathy for the needs and aspirations of older people.

At AUKS, not only can you expect a competitive salary, generous annual leave and pension entitlement, you can also expect to be supported in your ongoing personal development and work alongside people who are passionate about supporting individuals to achieve good mental and physical wellbeing and to live life to the full.

Must drive and have access to a car for work purposes.

Job Description

Key working Relationships:

• AUKS Client Services Manager / AUKS FD Manager and service staff
• Sunderland City Council
• Primary Care
• Statutory and Community VCS providers
• Older people
• Carers and Carer Organisations
• Other clinical and non-traditional provider groups as required

Background:

The social prescribing model AUKS “Front Door Service (FDS)” provides low level community-based support for older people with a focus the preventative agenda. This means that older people receive the right support, in the right place at the right time receiving information, early interventions and flexible low-level community-based support to those who do not require intensive or specialised care from statutory services.

The FDS acts as a conduit to community infrastructure support and assets.

Self- Care and Sustainability

The integration of the self-care agenda will be achieved by working across Sunderland to implement a whole system approach to increase health life expectancy, make every contact count and maximise resources to improve outcomes for older people. This includes:

• Investing in empowering local older people through effective care navigation
• Peer support
• Mentoring/self-management programmes to maximise independence/wellbeing
• Helping to identify/combat social isolation

This will encourage older people to:

• Take more control over their own health
• Achieve maximum independence
• Live longer, healthier more fulfilling lives

The purpose of the FDS is to put older people in personal control of their health & wellbeing and provide them with support in their local community, focusing on prevention of ill health and the promotion of wellbeing.

The FDS will enable older people to have improved health outcomes and independence whilst reducing the burden on NHS & Social Care services in Sunderland.

The FDS will support:

• Residents of the City of Sunderland
• Older people with no formal health & social care support from statutory services or those who would not qualify for local authority social care
• Older people who require low level social and signposting support and practical information
• People who are caring for family, friends and neighbours

The FDS will not work with people who:

• Have complex health and social care needs including those with high level support needs in mental health and learning disabilities whose needs would be better met by other agencies. The FDS will act as a referral agent for this group
• Require high intensity or complex care interventions. These referrals will be passed to social work and community health teams for professional assessment.

Purpose of the I&A Officer post:

The FDS I&A Officer will be responsible for providing first tier advice on all welfare benefits, whilst managing a caseload of individuals supporting the self-management of their needs.

The post holder will work closely with the Front Door Living Well Link workers in the identification of referrals to Information & Advice.

The post holder will also identify unpaid carers and enable access to appropriate services.

Key Responsibilities

The post holder will be an excellent communicator and develop a wide knowledge of the services offered by non-traditional providers in the Sunderland area. The post holder will require strong organisational skills, must be flexible in approach, able to exercise initiative and demonstrate a consistently high standard of professionalism, being aware of the need for confidentiality and integrity.

Tasks:

• Provide accurate and timely advice on the entitlement of all welfare benefits, keeping up to date with changes in legislation.
• Adhere to necessary administrative and information systems in line with AUKS recommendations.
• If appropriate to act on behalf of and with the permission of clients, including correspondence, filling in forms and seeking information from third parties.
• To carry out home visits, deal with telephone enquiries and appointments.
• To organise I&A surgeries as and when necessary on and off site.
• To signpost and make referrals where appropriate to other organisations.
• Provide information to support any QA or inspection frameworks as and when required.
• To develop and maintain links with other information and advice service providers within the city of Sunderland
• Participate in the independent file review process.

Information and Data

• To be proficient in using Microsoft Office packages and other identified IT systems, supporting other team members in their use
• To record relevant client documentation on identified IT systems as required
• Facility for learning new software packages which may be in continued development
• Support completion of client referrals, record electronically and feedback to team members
• Ensure the adherence to KPI service targets
• Extract caseload information from the client database as required, and undertake analysis of caseload information for audit and performance management purposes, including running reports and converting data into charts and tables for sharing with the team
• Input client contact data onto the client information management system e.g. Charity Log updating client details where necessary and periodically use reports to ensure client details are correct in line with GDPR
• Be responsible for updating the electronic service directory on a regular basis, sourcing referral criteria and ensuring these are accessible to all relevant parties in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements

Client Support

• Ensure older people’s requirements are managed smoothly with no fragmentation in service delivery.
• Ensure appropriate actions from referrals to the service are completed in a timely fashion
• Communicate with professionals and members of key partners maintaining and developing partnerships as required
• Communicate effectively with members of the public, older people and their families/carers.

General

• The post holder must at all times carry out duties and responsibilities with due regard to the organisations’ equal opportunity policies and procedures. The post holder must at all times respect client confidentiality and, in particular, the confidentiality of electronically stored personal data in line with the requirements of GDPR ensuring that there is no breach of confidentiality as a result of his/her actions.
• The post holder will be expected to take responsibility for self-development on a continuous basis, undertaking on-the-job training as required.
• The post holder must be aware of individual responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act, and identify and report as necessary any untoward accident incident or potentially hazardous environment being aware of and responsible corporately and as an individual for Health and Safety policy.
• The post holder will ensure they accurately represent AUKS and ensure the values of AUKS are upheld at all times in carrying out their work
• The post holder must work in general accordance with the organisation’s policies and guidelines at all times.
• To abide by and implement all policies and procedures of Age UK Sunderland, including being aware of and responsible corporately and as an individual for Health and Safety policy.
• To abide by Age UK Sunderland’s safeguarding policy and organisational alerter process.

This job description is intended as a guide to the main responsibilities of the post and not as an exhaustive list of duties and tasks. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties appropriate to his/her grade, which are not listed above, at the direction of his/her manager/Director. The job description may be amended from time to time after consultation with the post holder.

This post is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced check.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

• Qualification in Information, Advice and Guidance or extensive experience of welfare benefits.
• Have knowledge of community care services for Older People.
• Experience of work as a benefit adviser, whether paid or unpaid.
• An understanding of vulnerable people’s issues.
• A sympathetic and helpful manner and an ability to explain complex issues patiently.
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively and manage your own caseload.
• Ability to work in a busy team environment
• Have complete discretion and maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Be honest, reliable and trustworthy.
• Be I.T. literate with experience of word processing and databases.
• Must drive and have access to a car for work purposes

This post is subject to DBS Enhanced Disclosures

To request an application pack for this post please email or download one from our website at www.ageuksunderland.org.uk Alternatively send a large SAE for 93p to Age UK Sunderland, Bradbury Centre, Stockton Rd, Sunderland. SR2 7AQ. Tel: 0191 5141131. CV’s are not accepted and will be shredded immediately upon receipt.

Closing date: Tuesday 9th May 2023 at 9.00 am

Interview Date: Thursday 18th May 2023

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £22,750.00 per year

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 09/05/2023