The important role of social workers in Australia’s healthcare system

Social workers play a central role in Australia’s healthcare system, yet their work is often overlooked or misunderstood. This blog will look at issues such as what social workers do, where they work, and how they contribute to Australia’s national healthcare system.

What is social work?

Social workers are caring professionals who support people who need help to make changes in their lives. These changes are usually connected to a person’s safety or personal well-being. Social workers help people to identify the parts of their lives where they need help. This might include gaining secure housing, moving out of an abusive relationship or accessing family therapy. Social workers have qualifications in human behaviour and development and understand issues such as disabilities, health, mental health and social networks. Social workers play an important role in helping people access the support they need to live healthy and meaningful lives.

How do social workers improve the Australian healthcare system?

Social workers play an important part in the Australian healthcare system. They help address a full range of health and psychosocial issues that impact the well-being of thousands of individuals and families yearly. In addition to helping people connect with the resources and services they need, social workers also help reduce health and social disparities within our healthcare system. This is especially important for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Where do social workers work?

Social workers work in a wide range of public, private and community settings. They often work in hospitals, aged care facilities, mental health settings, schools, and correctional institutions. Most universities have social workers on staff, as do supported employment settings and government departments.

Who needs a social worker?

There are many reasons why someone might need to see a social worker. Some of the most common reasons include:

·       alcohol and drug addiction

·       unstable accommodation or homelessness

·       child abuse or trauma

·       disability

·       mental health problems.

What’s next?

If you would like to access a social worker for support and counselling around mental health difficulties, contact our team today