Services :: Social Services

The medical social worker helps patients and their families with problems that accompany illnesses or inhibit recovery and rehabilitation.

The medical social worker collects patient information to help other health professionals and their patient’s families to understand social, emotional and environmental factors underlying the patient’s illness.

Patient counseling is an important part of the role of the medical social worker. Assisting and supporting the family care giver has created a new dimension for the medical social worker.

Discharge planning is an important part of the job.

Major functions and services that can be provided:

	Interview and counsel individual patients and their families
	Compile records and evaluate information
	Assist patients to improve their personal and social functioning
	Compile and manage care plans
	Refer to other professionals and resources
	Co-ordinate and work with community
	Trauma counseling
	Bereavement counselingIdentify lack of support and possible neglect – co-ordinate and manage care plan according to own spectrum of practice
	Future planning and advice on care or placement if indicated
	Assistance and support for special needs

When referring patients, please adhere to the following:

1. Early referring allows sufficient time for appropriate intervention. If the patient is in hospital, please contact before discharge

2. The patient needs to be informed of the request for counseling, unless he/she has requested it him/herself

3. Should the patient be unable to understand, his family needs to be informed that a request for counseling has been made

4. A written referral or –email from the treating doctor is requested especially when the doctor recommends the counselling.