Social Work

General Information

Description of Service

The Social Work Department provides counselling and support, consultation, discharge planning and crisis interventions to patients in the Emergency Department, all acute wards, the Aged Care Rehabilitation Unit, Acute Care of the Elderly (ACE) ward, the Critical Care Unit and the Outpatients Department.

Services Provided

Social Workers provide services to an approximately 400 inpatients each month. Types of these services include:

• Counselling
• Support
• Advocacy
• Ensure optimum assistance from health care and community services
• Facilitate referrals to the Transition Care Program for patients awaiting transfer to Residential Care Facilities.
• Participate in Hospital committees such as the Patient Flow Collaborative, Quality Council and Bed Access Management committees
• Participate in community agency meetings
• Ensure the collection and analysis of relevant statistical data
• Provide supervision and debriefing for social work staff and other hospital staff as required
• Provide professional development of staff of the department and the hospital
• Implement quality improvement projects within a framework of continuous improvement in all areas of practice
• Develop and review resource material provided to patients
• Facilitate the Cardiac Carers Rehabilitation Group
• Provide quality fieldwork placements and supervision for social work students annually
• Social workers assist patients and families to:
  - Find solutions to the complex problems they face
  - Manage the impact of changes in health on psychosocial functioning

The types of patients seen at Maroondah Hospital include:

• Elderly patients with a range of complex community care management and placement issues
• Patients with medical, surgical or orthopaedic health care needs
• Patients of all ages presenting with psychosocial issues complicated by their current health changes

Access to the Social Workers

Inpatients and or families may self refer to a Social Worker or be referred by a doctor, nurse or other Allied Health staff member for assessment, support, education, counselling and discharge planning

Careers

For information on training as a social worker, visit the Australian Association of Social Workers web site www.aasw.asn.au for further information.