Social Work

The SCGH Social Work Service is available to all SCGH inpatients and current outpatients.

Referrals for social workers and welfare officers are accepted from patients, families/carers, multidisciplinary team members, community agencies and general practitioners.

The Social Work department is open from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.

A limited weekend and public holiday Social Work service is available.

Social Workers and Welfare Officers are ward-based and work alongside members of the multidisciplinary team.

Social Workers work with the patient, family, carers and the health care team to:

• assess, plan and coordinate safe discharge, linking the patient and family/carers with relevant community support services
• provide coordination of the patient journey on the pathway to aged residential care and Transition Care
• provide short term intervention and referral for psychosocial issues which are a barrier to treatment and discharge, including family and domestic violence
• offer supportive counselling and crisis intervention for adjustment and grief and loss associated with illness and bereavement
• link the patient and carers with community support services for legal, financial, housing and other psychosocial issues.

Welfare Officers are able to assist with Centrelink and other practical issues such as transport, emergency financial relief and short-term accommodation options for country patients required to stay in Perth for treatment.

Services provided by the Social Work Department also include:

• access to interpreters through the Language Services Coordinator
• Transition Care for NMHS and SCGH
• Interim Hospital Packages
• Aged Care Assessment Team.