What do Social Workers do?
Western Health Social Workers provide information, support and counselling to patients and their family/carer as they adjust to hospital, cope with changed health needs and determine the most appropriate care to meet their needs.
Social Workers focus on the whole person and their social circumstances by advocating for patient and family/carer rights, improving access to care, and ensuring dignity, choice and self-determination.
What services are provided?
Social Work services can be explained by looking at four different roles the social worker may have in working with a patient and their family/carer, during their involvement with Western Health:
Welfare role –practical support and access to services and resources in the community
Therapeutic role –emotional support throughout the person's stay in hospital and after they go home.
Education role –access to appropriate information regarding their journey through the health system and how to get community services.
Statutory role –help patients understand their rights and laws relating to their healthcare.
What legislation covers the work that Social Workers do?
Health Services Act
Guardian and Administrations Act
Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities
Disability Act
Mental Health Act
Family Violence Protection Act
Youth Children and Families Act
How do I contact a social worker?
The Western Health Social Work Department is open Monday – Friday 8.00am – 4.30pm across Footscray Hospital, Sunshine Hospital and Williamstown Hospital. Social workers are available via the ward and outpatient departments and by their pager number via switchboard on Ph. 03 8345 6666
Workforce and careers
The Social Work Department comprises of approximately 40 Social Workers who work as part of the interdisciplinary treating teams across 3 sites of Western Health. Social Workers offer specialised services across all wards and some specialty outpatient clinics including Acute, Sub-Acute, Women's & Children's, Cancer Services and the Immediate Response Service.
Professional Supervision: A formal structure provides each Social Worker with regular supervision and a model of clinical leadership. Professional supervision provides clinical support and guidance, education, administration and accountability to support staff in their work performance.
Professional Development: The professional development model facilitates both formal professional education (provided by external educational opportunities and internal Western Health) along with a peer developed and facilitated model of learning. Professional development is tailored to the learning needs of the Grade 1, Grade 2 and Senior Clinician staff groups and aligns to strategic priorities.
Clinical Education: The Western Health Social Work department has a commitment to the development of the Social Work profession and has formed a partnership with both the University of Melbourne and Victoria University to provide professional fieldwork education to tertiary Social Work students.
Quality and research achievements
Social Workers at Western Health are actively involved in research and quality improvement projects, which aim to improve psychosocial wellbeing and outcomes for all members of the community.
Below is a selection of journal publications that Western Health Social Workers have either led or contributed.
Journal Publications
