For Patients and Visitors
What is the Service?
Social Workers are a part of the care team at Northern Health and work closely with Doctors, Nurses and other Allied Health staff. As part of the service, Social Workers meet with patients and families when a referral is received to talk about social supports and patient’s needs and then link patients with helpful services in the community.
What can I expect from the service?
Social Workers provide a range of services including:
- Assistance at the time of a crisis
- Short-term counseling and support
- Support for women and families with new babies or babies with special needs
- Support with discharge planning and ensuring safe discharges from the hospital system
- Community service referrals
- Help with managing the practical and emotional parts of moving to residential care or living with a chronic disease
- Help with Advanced Care Planning including making Guardianship and Administration applications for patients who lack capacity to make decisions about lifestyle, financial, legal and / or medical care
- Advocate on a patient’s behalf to make sure the best services possible are provided
- Patient/family education, for example about family violence and supports available
Referrals
Referrals to Social Work will be made by staff. Patients may request their Nurse, Doctor or other Allied Health staff for a referral to be made to Social Work. Social Work referrals are prioritized, so providing information regarding why you want to meet the social worker will assist us in ensuring a timely response.
Contact us
If you would like any further information about Social Work at any Northern Health site, please contact Allied Health Reception at The Northern Hospital Epping on 8405 8653 or email Alliedhealthenquiries@nh.org.au
For Health Professionals
Service Overview
The primary role of the Social Worker in the health setting is to complete a comprehensive psychosocial assessment and develop an intervention plan which ensures access to assistance in the community when required.
For in-patients, Social Workers focus on ensuring a safe, timely and well-planned discharge based on consultation with the patient, their family, social networks and the treating team.
For out-patients, the focus is on avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions by managing the client’s health care needs in the community.
The following factors are considered by the Social Worker when undertaking an assessment and developing a plan:
- Interfamily relationships and dynamics
- Conflict between client and family members regarding decisions
- Risk issues such as family violence, Child Protection concerns and elder abuse
- Impact of a new child or baby with special needs
- Capacity to adjust to illness/disability and associated lifestyle changes
- Grief and loss
- Living/home arrangements
- Formal and informal support networks
- Safety at home
How to Refer:
Please contact Allied Health Reception at The Northern Hospital Epping on 8405 8653 or email Alliedhealthenquiries@nh.org.au.
For inpatients and ANC via EMR
For outpatients via eReferrals
For urgent referrals page, Medtask or ring the ward social worker as per NIC on the relevant ward
Referrals must include:
Referrals must include a reason for the Social Work referral and consent. Priority is given to referrals with urgent discharge needs and / or where there is a risk or safety issue. Examples include family violence, child protection, and elder abuse.
Director/Head of Unit:
Penelope Vye – Associate Director, Allied Health – Social Work & Spiritual Care
Enquiries:
If you would like any further information about Social Work at any Northern Health site, please contact Allied Health Reception at The Northern Hospital on 8405 8653 or email Alliedhealthenquiries@nh.org.au
- Locations offering this service
- Northern Hospital Epping
- Broadmeadows Hospital
- Bundoora Centre
