This service offers confidential advice and education to Western Health patients, their family members and/or carers across all three Western Health hospitals. Social workers provide assistance in relation to issues of emotional adjustment to health conditions and/or the hospitalisation experience. Social workers may utilize a range of approaches including individual counselling, family sessions and/or group-work. Social workers assess for a broad range of psychosocial needs in order to plan for appropriate discharge and may provide information about, and referral to, a range of community services. Specific assistance with arranging transfer to residential care facilities is provided by the Social Work Aged Care Team.
Whilst predominantly having an inpatient focus, the Social Work Department also provides support to some outpatient clinics, including Family Planning, Maternity Outreach & Support Service, Midwife Obstetrics Clinics, Young Mum's Group, Gynaecology Outpatients and Well Women's Clinic.
Referrals may be discussed with the senior social work clinicians by contacting the department.
Social Workers can be paged through the hospital switchboards.