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To be recognised as Australian
leaders by the year 2005 for excellence and innovation in social work service
delivery, teaching, research and for collaborative partnerships.
Mission
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To prevent or minimise the economic, social, and
psychological consequences of illness and accidents on patient, their
families and the community.
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To provide leadership within the profession in clinical
practice, development of staff, teaching and research.
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To
advocate for social justice in the health sector.
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To
advance social work knowledge and practice.
St.
Vincent’s Health is an integrated health
service including St. Vincent’s Hospital, St. George’s Health Service,
Caritas Christi Hospice and Prague House.
In February 2002, a
structural review of Allied Health within St. Vincent’s Health led to the
development of streams of care in the larger disciplines – Physiotherapy,
Occupational Therapy and Social Work.
Social Work is integrated
under the Group Manager, Allied Health and has Chief Social Workers managing two
streams:
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acute and palliative care
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sub acute, aged care and rehabilitation.
These streams are
integrated and work closely in service delivery, particularly in aged care and
residential care and in planning, service delivery, professional development,
quality activities and research. The arrangements support professional
leadership and have enhanced career structure. 
History
The Social Work Department
at St. Vincent’s Hospital was established in 1932. It is the second oldest
hospital social work department in Victoria.
St. George’s Health
Service includes the former Victoria Parade Geriatric Centre and Henry Pride
Geriatric Centre social work services.
These centres have historically provided aged care services.
St. George’s Health Service also includes in-patient and
community-based rehabilitation programs.
Numbers
of staff / equivalent full time staff
Social Work has dedicated staff across all units and most
programs within St. Vincent’s Health.
Acute: 17 staff (14
EFT)
Aged and Residential Care:5
staff (4 EFT)
Rehabilitation:
4 staff (3.3 EFT)
Community Programs:
4 staff (1.7 EFT)
Aboriginal Liaison:
1 staff (1 EFT)
Transcultural Services
Co-ordinator: 1 staff (0.3 EFT)
* Social
workers also work in programs throughout St. Vincent’s Health where their
roles are generic ones – this includes the mental health service, aged care
assessment team, care co-ordination and HARP (Hospital Admission Risk Program).
Collegiate links exist with these programs and staff, for professional
development and student field-work teaching.
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Discharge Planning
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Integrated approach to service delivery
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Residential care social work practice
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Oncology social work
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Drug and alcohol services
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Service delivery to disadvantaged groups
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Group work
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Risk management
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Advocacy
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Quality approach and quality improvement initiatives
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Commitment to evaluation and outcomes
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Marketing and profiling social work roles
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Teaching (own and other disciplines)
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Commitment to accountability
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Research collaborations
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Strong allied health identity and relationships
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Contribution to health care policy and innovation
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Strategic alliances to further excellence and innovation
Student Teaching
Commitment to student teaching is an essential investment
in the future of the social work profession in health care.
Formal and informal links exist with several schools of
Social Work.
St. Vincent’s Hospital and the
School of Social Work, University of Melbourne established the Co-operating
Hospitals’ Student Unit in 1992. The
Unit is a dynamic one that has provided an average of ten fieldwork placements
per annum each year since that time.
Fieldwork
placements are also offered to the School of Social Work and Social Policy, La
Trobe University.
In
2003 fieldwork placements are being offered across St. Vincent’s Health in the
acute setting, in sub acute aged care and rehabilitation, in palliative care and
in mental health.
Practice research transforms clinical practice and
clinicians and stimulates learning and achievement.
In September 2002 a practice
research initiative commenced with the School of Social Work University of
Melbourne. Dr Lynette Joubert
provides practice research consultation one day per week to social workers and
allied health staff within the directorate of Integrated and Sub Acute Care.
This builds on dedicated financial support provided by the
Oncology Department, St. Vincent’s Hospital, which has funded one-two days per
week social research since the late 1990s.
Academic links –
undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and education
In 2003 contributions to
curriculum development and academic teaching have included:
The
curriculum for the new Masters of Social Work (Health), University of Melbourne
(Sonia Posenelli and Marie Craig).
Lectures have been provided in the new course by:
- Carrie Lethborg – Spirituality, Meaning and
Hope in Cancer Care.
- Sonia Posenelli – Emerging
Models in Health Care.
Tutoring in the Bachelor of Social Work, University of
Melbourne (Sue Gorman)
Lecturing – School of Social Work and Social Policy, La
Trobe University:
- Rebecca Power – Sub Acute Care:
A Dynamic Practice Environment.
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Melinda Collins, June Pennacchia, Alina Shor-Enea, Kerry
Solomon - Hospital Social Work.
Further education:
In 2003 – 2004 six staff
members are completing Masters degrees and one is a PhD candidate.
Programs:
Koori Liaison
Officer Program
In 1982 the Koori Hospital
Liaison Officer Program was established at St. Vincent’s Hospital, funded by
the Koori Health Unit Department of Human Services.
Since the mid 1990s the program has had a full time Koori Hospital
Liaison Officer based at St. Vincent’s Hospital. The Program Advisory Group comprises key agencies from
Aboriginal health, aged care and community services and major policy units.
Transcultural
Services Coordinator
This position is based at St. George’s Hospital. It is
partially funded by the Home and Community Care Program. It is an innovative
position which was established to highlight the needs of culturally and
linguistically diverse populations within the health service.
Leadership roles:
Health Social Work Directors’ Group, AASW and the
Victorian Sub Acute Social Work Managers’ Group
Our staff are members of the:
Aged Services Special Interest Group, AASW
Oncology Social Work Special Interest Group, AASW
Renal Social Workers Special Interest Group, AASW
Social Work at St. Vincent’s
Health is a member of the Singapore – Melbourne Health Social Work Network.
In 2002 Chey May Long from Singapore General Hospital completed a
component of her MSW at St. Vincent’s Hospital.
We are hosting Josephine Goh from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore in
November 2003 - January 2004.
In conjunction with the other Allied Health disciplines at
St. Vincent’s Health, links have been developed with Professor Irwin Epstein,
Hunter College, New York, to progress data mining research initiatives.
St. Vincent’s Hospital including Caritas Christi Hospice,
Fitzroy
Tel 03 9288 3436
St. George’s Hospital, Kew
Tel 03 9272 0444
Caritas Christi Hospice, Kew
Tel 03 9853 2344
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