Medical Social Worker II

Key and Critical Responsibilities

<ul><li>Assists the Senior Medical Social Worker in supporting the Medical Social Worker I and Medical Social Work Assistant.</li><li>Lectures to student nurses, Medical Interns and other health professionals on the methodology and role of the Medical Social Worker, psycho-social aspects of illness and patients needs.</li><li>Interviews patients, members of their families and social contacts.</li><li>Visits and observes home conditions, prepares comprehensive background reports on relevant social, economic, emotional and environmental factors affecting illness, treatment or rehabilitation.</li><li>Collaborates with members of the health team to interpret relevant social and environmental factors and develop treatment programmes consistent with patients needs.</li><li>Counsels and assists patients through individual, family and group therapy to resolve emotional and relationship problems caused by illness.</li><li>Educates them in avoidance of causal and contributory factors to original illness and provides supportive help in lifestyle change.</li><li>Liaises with community based organizations, non-governmental and governmental social service agencies (such as National Insurance Board, Social Welfare Division and Probation Departments) to link clients to services and information.</li><li>Facilitates rehabilitation of patients by supporting their efforts at exploring of more appropriate employment opportunities and skills training or retraining options.</li><li>Liaises with patients employers and social and insurance agency personnel, regarding rehabilitation of patients and payment of sick pay, insurance benefits and other allowances.</li><li>Administers, in conjunction with Hospitals Finance Department (SWRHA), appropriate votes for granting funds to needy clients.</li><li>Facilitates applications on clients behalf for services not available in the public health facilities.</li><li>Maintains comprehensive records of all case work undertaken and collects relevant statistics as a guide to future action.</li><li>Engages in group work sessions with special needs clients (e.g. diabetics, pregnant teenagers). </li><li>Training which includes the following:</li></ul><p>        (i) Practice teaching of University Social Work students:</p><p>            - Supportive counseling.</p><p>            - Preparation of teaching objectives.</p><p>            - On-going instruction.</p><p>            - Preparation of evaluation reports.</p><p>            - Liaison with other agencies.</p><p>            - Liaison with the Coordinator of the Social Work Practicum Programme.</p><p>            - Other related tasks.</p><p>        (ii) <span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Orientation of Medical Interns and training of Nursing Students.</span></p><ul><li>The Medical Social Worker II at the primary healthcare level performs all the duties of the Medical Social Worker I in addition to Community Work.</li><li>Outreach/ Education lectures to various categories of medical personnel and related community groups and resources on the methodology and role of the Medical Social Worker, psychosocial aspects of illness, needs of patients and resources available to assist them.</li><li>Designs and implements healthy lifestyle programmes geared towards prevention and rehabilitation in collaboration with the health team. </li></ul>