Camden to pilot 'named social worker'

Camden Council has been selected to be part of a national pilot project that will champion the needs of particularly vulnerable residents with learning disabilities, who may also have mental health needs.

The ‘Named Social Worker’ pilot will see an experienced social worker assigned to be the primary point of contact for people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs (and their family or carers) when they are detained on a mental health ward or are at risk of being admitted to a ward. The named social worker will provide a professional voice across the whole system for the individual, including challenging decisions about the individual’s care.

Camden Council submitted a bid to be part of the Department of Health scheme and is the only London council to have been successful. The pilot will involve Camden working with five other councils nationally, and a health consultancy firm, to develop a working model for the named social worker role.

The government committed to piloting the scheme as part of its response to the consultation on a learning disability green paper launched before last year’s general election.

The pilot will not only test the premise that a named social worker will provide better support to the targeted individuals, but will also deliver swifter but appropriate relocation from inpatient units to community based support in their local communities.