Job summary
The Specialist Safeguarding Practitioner is a subject matter expert who provides specialist all-age advice and guidance in addition to a specialist area such as safeguarding adults, safeguarding children, and maternity safeguarding and will be expected to provide safeguarding knowledge and expertise in demonstrating a sound understanding of the issues relating to identification, assessment, management and review of safeguarding children and adults and have a knowledge of all age safeguarding frameworks.

Please see attached job profile for full details:

Main duties of the job
The postholder will hold a specific specialism (either adult, children, or maternity safeguarding) but will be expected to support wider operational decisions in all-age complex and challenging situations, ensuring adherence to the MCA, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), and best interest processes in addition to monitoring and improving standards of care through specialist safeguarding leadership, supervision, audit, evidence-based practice, training and the provision of safeguarding advice and support across all areas of safeguarding regardless of their main specialism.

Please see attached job profile for full details:

About us
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Details
Date posted: 03 September 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 387-TS0219-JJ
Job locations: Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Trust Headquarters, Bristol, BS1 3NU, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
All postholders will be allocated and maintain a clearly defined specialist area of safeguarding practice (adult, children or maternity safeguarding) whilst contributing to the delivery, development and leadership of an all-age safeguarding service across Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. Practitioners will be expected to maintain and develop the specialist expertise required for their designated area of practice.

Please see attached job profile for full details:

Person Specification
Essential

• Professional clinical registration such as NMC, SWE.
• Degree level education supplemented by post-graduate diploma specialist training, experience, short courses, plus further specialist training to master's equivalent level.
• Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to safeguarding practice.
• Extensive knowledge of safeguarding adults and children legislation, policy and national guidance, including the Care Act (2014), Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023), Mental Capacity Act (2005), Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), and relevant safeguarding frameworks.
• Knowledge of the NHSE Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework and Intercollegiate Documents for Safeguarding Adults and Children.
• Highly developed specialist safeguarding knowledge underpinned by theory, evidence and significant practical experience.
• Experience providing specialist safeguarding advice in complex adult and/or child safeguarding cases.
• Experience leading or contributing to safeguarding enquiries, case reviews, audits or quality assurance activity.
• Experience designing and delivering specialist safeguarding education and training.
• Experience providing leadership, mentorship, coaching and safeguarding supervision.
• Experience delivering Trust induction, statutory and specialist safeguarding training (e.g. MCA, DoLS, Domestic Abuse, PREVENT).
• Experience working collaboratively within multidisciplinary and multi-agency environments.
• Experience undertaking audit, service evaluation and impact assessment to improve safeguarding practice.
• Ability to analyse, interpret and manage highly complex safeguarding situations, exercising sound professional judgement.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate highly sensitive or contentious information to a wide range of audiences.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to establish and maintain professional networks across health, social care and partner agencies.
• Ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams.
• Competence in maintaining accurate electronic records, safeguarding databases and reporting systems.
• Knowledge of information governance, GDPR and Data Protection legislation.
• IT skills to develop, deliver and evaluate safeguarding training and presentations.
• Demonstrates a commitment to continuing professional development and reflective practice.
• Adheres to professional codes of conduct, safeguarding legislation and Trust policies.
• Demonstrates integrity, professionalism and sound ethical judgement.
• Embraces the Trust's values and demonstrates respect, compassion and inclusion towards patients, families, carers and colleagues.
• Recognises the impact of inequality and discrimination on health outcomes and actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Demonstrates resilience, adaptability and flexibility in supporting individuals, teams and services through change.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Trust Headquarters, Bristol, BS1 3NU, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Deputy Director of Safeguarding (All Age)
Lloyd Williams
Lloyd.Williams@uhbw.nhs.uk
01173421696

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce.