Social Work

Our Cancer Care and Chronic Team cover the clinical areas of Cancer Care Services, Renal Medicine and Infectious Diseases through two distinct pathways.

Cancer Care pathway

We provide support to both inpatients and outpatients and their families from diagnosis to end-of-life care.

• psychosocial assessment
• counselling
• grief, loss and bereavement support
• information on hospital and community resources.

Our Welfare Officers offers assistance for you and your family with:

• Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS)
• accommodation
• financial assistance
• transport

Chronic pathway

We support patients with kidney and infectious diseases through our Kidney Health services at RBWH, Stafford, Redcliffe, North Lakes and Nundah Community Centres.

Our social workers offer you and your family:

• psychological assessment
• counselling
• palliative care coordination.

We offer 24/7 support to adults and children experiencing domestic and family violence including:

• 24/7 response to Emergency Department presentations
• crisis interventions
• care coordination and referrals to specialist community supports
• risk assessment and management
• information about legal and community resources.

Our social workers provide 24/7 support to patients and their families on a needs basis including:

• priority service to sexual assault and domestic/family violence presentations
• sudden death
• trauma
• major health crisis
• child protection
• homelessness
• crisis response
• frail aged
• discharge planning
• ongoing care coordination.

The Gender Service is part of the Sexual Health and HIV Service of Metro North Hospital and Health Service based at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH). The service aims to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of adults with concerns regarding gender diversity or gender dysphoria by providing advice, assessments and psychosocial support. The Gender Service is a multidisciplinary team comprising of a Sexual Health Physician, Psychiatrist, Social Worker, Clinical Psychologist and Social Work Assistant.

Our social workers offer a range of support including:

• Psychosocial assessment in context of gender transition
• Adjustment counselling and support, including transition planning, for clients and important people in their life, including partners, friends and family members
• Information and referral to community/peer support services
• Crisis response
• Advocacy in relation to discrimination and/or lack of access to other health services
• Post discharge follow up to provide psychosocial support during transition
• Education programs

The role of our Social Work Assistant is to provide information in support in relation to addressing practical psychosocial needs, such as  assisting with gender identity paperwork, providing information about support services, including housing, education and other community/peer support services.

Please note:

• We are not able to offer you an appointment until we have received a referral from your GP
• The Gender Service does not provide surgical intervention.

Our social workers offer a range of services to patients and their families including:

• psychosocial assessment
• crisis intervention and counselling
• family support
• discharge planning
• referrals to community services
• ongoing care coordination.

Social workers provide psychosocial assessment, emotional and practical support and referral to community agencies on a needs basis to help patients and the family/carer in dealing with:

• life limiting new diagnosis
• practical issues following an unexpected accident or event
• discharge planning
• adjustment for long standing issues which impact on lifestyle/self-image.

Our Medical and Subacute Care Team support patients experiencing multiple chronic health issues, disabling illness and physical and cognitive decline across 2 hospital campuses.

Herston Campus

• Internal Medicine
• Early Patient Intervention Centre
• Acute Medical Wards (1-4)

Our social workers provide psychosocial assessment and support with issues relating to pregnancy and parenting. Support can be provided to both antenatal and postnatal patients in the Maternity Outpatient Department or as an inpatient on the maternity wards. This includes support for families with babies in the Intensive Care or Special Care Nursery (Grantley Stable Neonatal Unit).

The social workers offer a variety of services to women including:

• Counselling around pregnancy or parenting issues, relationship issues or concerns about antenatal or postnatal depression.
• Information about and referral to appropriate hospital and community support services.
• Bereavement support and counselling in the event of pregnancy loss or the death of a baby.
• Surrogacy and adoption support
• Assistance with practical support.

The Child Protection Team provides a single point of contact for child protection issues for the RBWH. Our social workers focus on:

• promoting the safety and wellbeing of children provided through consultation and support to frontline staff.
• liaising with government and non-government family support and child protection service providers.
• providing training and education to Queensland Health staff.

Our professionally trained staff provide support and information following a recent sexual assault to both males and females aged 14 and above.

Acute response – 24/7 service

• Response to acute presentations at RBWH Emergency Department 24 hours, 7 days a week service to both males and females aged 14 and above
• Information in relation to reporting options
• Support during forensic medical examination
• Practical and emotional support

Post acute service

• Post acute follow up support
• Individual counselling services, at RBWH (Monday-Friday)
• Counselling extended to family and friends
• Referral and service co-ordination
• Community networking, education and training

Please note: SART does not provide counselling to adult survivors of incest or childhood sexual abuse.

The Sexual Assault Response Team accepts self- referrals and referrals from RBWH clinicians, other government and non-government services, including Queensland Police Service.