Starting salary: £30,518 (pro rata for part-time colleagues). The position sits within a pay band with clear progression.
Contact officers act as the first point of contact for members of the public and professional referrers. They receive enquiries, provide advice, support statutory referrals and manage Adult Social Care referrals within the system.
Main Responsibilities
- Provide timely, courteous and helpful responses to enquiries from the public and professionals.
- Record, forward and gatekeep referrals following agreed protocols and policies.
- Signpost callers to relevant services via the web‑based directory and maintain up‑to‑date resource information.
- Administer the crisis advice scheme and support the triaging of safeguarding concerns.
- Act as the first point of access for mental health act assessments, safeguarding alerts and queries; record activity and keep data current.
- Attend regular supervision, training and stay informed of statutory requirements (Care Act 2014, Mental Health Act, Safeguarding Adults).
Core Working Hours
All staff must cover core hours of 08:30 – 17:15 Monday to Thursday and 08:30 – 16:30 Friday.
The Ideal Candidate
- Recent work experience in social care or a related field, with direct public contact and hospital environment.
- Teamworking experience liaising with health and social care professionals.
- GCSE (or equivalent) in English.
- Strong communication, negotiation and written record‑keeping skills.
- Computer literacy in Microsoft Outlook and Word.
- Ability to organise, prioritise work, meet deadlines and work independently.
- Awareness of the social, legal and political context of social care services.
- Flexible and adaptable, with a willingness to undertake training and develop skills.
Applicants must have an existing right to work in the UK and will be required to complete a Disclosure & Barring Service Check.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
BCP Council is committed to providing a fully inclusive recruitment process and is a Disability Confident Employer. We welcome applicants and provide reasonable adjustments as required.
Benefits: Competitive pay and reward package as per the council’s benefits scheme.
