Financial Assessment Officer

1. Applications are invited from enthusiastic individuals who want to be part of a small team undertaking financial assessments for residents admitted to care homes.
2. You'll be the first point of contact for service users and/or their representatives and assist with completing the forms required for the financial assessments.
3. You will need a good level of conversational Welsh.

Applications are invited from enthusiastic individuals who want to be part of a small team undertaking financial assessments for residents admitted to care homes.

The successful candidate will provide information, assistance and advice to service users and their representatives so will need excellent communication and customer service skills. They will undertake financial assessments in line with legislation and guidelines therefore will need to be organised, and able to work accurately and efficiently in a busy working environment, whilst being flexible and adaptable to change.

They will also need good numeracy and literacy skills and will need to pay attention to detail and have an investigative mind.

You will need a good level of conversational Welsh. Reasonable supportcan be provided on appointment to reach this level.

Key responsibilities

• Provide information, assistance and advice to service users and/or their representatives in relation to aspects of financial assessments and charging for Social Care services.
• Undertake financial assessments in line with legislation and guidelines for residents admitted into residential and/or nursing care homes and for service users accessing chargeable Non-Residential Social Care services to ensure that the correct charges are applied.
• Be the first point of contact for service users and/or their representatives and assist with completing the forms required for the financial assessments.
• Collect the financial information and evidence required to undertake financial assessments from service users and/or their representatives in their own homes, or from service users and/or their representatives in care homes.
• Secure debts by promoting deferred payment agreements and registering legal charges against service users’ assets where appropriate.
• Identify entitlement to and assist service users in claiming housing benefit and other welfare benefits where appropriate to maximise income for service users.
• To be aware of and be able to identify potential safeguarding issues that will affect service users and to take the appropriate action when necessary to safeguard their finances.
• Record and maintain information and data used by managers and others for statistical returns, managements reports and performance analysis.
• Provide support to the Team Leader and team.
• Work interchangeably with other teams within the division and undertake any other reasonable duties at a level commensurate with the grade.

Job Related Skills and Competencies

• The ability to carry out complex calculations in line with charging regulations.
• Ability to learn, understand and interpret complex Charging legislation and policies.
• Good Numeracy skills.
• Good Literacy skills.
• Ability to work effectively under time and accuracy-related demands.
• Ability to manage your own time, taking initiative, organising and planning workloads to meet specific timescales.
• Ability to contribute to effective team working.
• Good Organisational skills.
• Good IT skills.
• Effective written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to deal with irate people in a professional manner.
• Understanding and respect of confidentiality and GDPR requirements.
• Ability to travel around the County.

Knowledge

• Understanding and/or knowledge of Local Authority processes, in particular those in the Health and Social Care services.
• Understanding and/or knowledge of Health and Social Care legislation.
• Understand and/or have experience of processes for claiming welfare benefits.
• Knowledge of administrative and office procedures

Experience

• Clerical/administrative experience in a financial environment.
• Experience of using computerised financial client database.
• Experience of using word processing and spreadsheet packages, in particular Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Experience of dealing with members of the public
• Experience of working to deadlines.