Social Work

Our social work service aims to identify and address the psychosocial impacts of illness and hospitalisation for patients and their families by providing a range of services which increase quality of life and participation in care. Read more about the role of social workers (Healthy WA).

Social work services include:

• complex discharge planning, involving coordination of a range of services, management of complex family dynamics, management of carer stress and other issues that may impact on the patient’s safe discharge
• guidance and support for patients and families through the process of exploring and arranging residential care including practical arrangements associated with the transition to residential care 
• professional assessment and intervention with complex social problems
• provision of information related to community support services, specialist agencies and support groups
• assistance with legal and financial matters including assistance with applications
• counselling patients and families regarding adjustment to new diagnosis and / or illness and disability and referral to specialist support services
• facilitation of discharge via service co-ordination, liaison, referral, resourcing and advocacy.

We provide social work services to the following groups of patients:

• inpatients who are likely to have improved outcomes or fast-tracked pathways as a direct result of social work services.
• outpatients who require social work services that are not available in the community or non-tertiary site in their local catchment area.

Social work is part of our Allied Health Service.