Comprehensive assessments of a person's social, functional and medical status as well as their emotional, behavioural, environmental, spiritual and interactional processes.
Social workers work collaboratively with the patient, family, health care team and community services to coordinate safe discharges from hospital. Discharge planning involves provision of community service information and access, referral and co-ordination of services.
Social workers assist patients and their families to come to terms with the short or long-term functional limitations and implications of their illness as well as adjust to the hospital environment.
Social workers provide therapeutic intervention with patients and/or their families in order to bring about a positive resolution of problems, improved functioning or adjustment to circumstances.
Social workers assist in the facilitation of family meetings, which includes goal setting, discharge planning, information & education about treatment, care and diagnosis and to discuss any concerns the family or team may have.
Coming Soon...
Social workers directly represent patient and family interests to ensure that their rights are maintained. This includes promoting access to services and information and between specific disciplines within the hospital.
Social workers provide support to those who are carers and/or family members of patients within the hospital including information and referral to appropriate community carer support services.
Social workers provide specialist assessment and intervention during crisis and emergencies which includes immediate, short-term counselling to prevent a critical emotional incident from escalating.
The provision of psycho-educational information or social support to a collective group of patients and/or their families such as the Living with Cancer Education Programme, Carer Support Groups.
Oncology social work services are designed to contribute to multi-disciplinary management by maximising patient utilisation of the health care system, foster coping and mobilise resources to support optimal functioning through all phases of the disease trajectory. Oncology social workers also undertake research into psychosocial issues related to cancer.
Qualified social workers with additional experience and/or training in the alcohol and other drug field, work within the Department of Addiction Medicine to provide assessment, information and counselling in an outpatient setting.