Social Work

What we do

We provide a range of services to help in improving your independence and quality of life. We can also help to make you have a smooth transition from hospital to home.

We have staff at all three hospital sites. Each of our departments offers a variety of specialised services which can respond to your needs.

We can provide a range of services including:

• Counselling on:
  • Adjustment to illness or disability
  • Changes in lifestyle
  • Maintaining relationships with family
  • Reaction to loss and grief
  • Managing feelings of anxiety, depression and loneliness
• Discharge planning
• Crisis interventions
• Bereavement counselling
• Family support
• Care coordination
• Referrals to care providers
• Community liaison

For those people who cannot return to their home following their admission, we can assist in alternative discharge plans, whether that is a long-term move or a temporary one.

Pastoral Care

We can provide pastoral care to you and your family.

Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officers (AHLO's)

We have Liaison staff who work alongside the hospital team to ensure that the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients are met.

Alfred Drink Drive Course

The Alfred Drink Driver Course is an six-hour education session to help individuals to have their licence restored.

Find out more about The Alfred Drink Drive Course.

Who we care for

We care for:

• Inpatients at all three hospital sites
• Outpatients who have been referred from a clinical service within Alfred Health
• People in the community whilst under specialised programs (such as HARP)
• People in the community who are referred to the Caulfield Community Health Service (CCHS) or the Community Rehabilitation Program

How to access this service

Referral from your Alfred Health doctor

We accept referrals for inpatients and patients who have been referred internally from Alfred Health services.

If you are living at home in the community, you can access certain outpatient clinics through the Caulfield Community Health Service (CCHS) or the Community Rehabilitation Program (CRP). Contact the Caulfield Access Unit on (03) 9076 6776.

• Social Work: Counselling & Casework - CCHS

• Social Work: Promoting Quality of Life and Participation in Care

  Find out about the services that Social Work can provide.

• Young Carers

  For young carers in families where someone has an illness, a disability, a mental health issue or who has an alcohol or other drug problem

• Alfred Health Carer Services

  A service that provides advice and support for carers located in Melbourne's south

• Centrelink

• Aboriginal Health

• Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer (AHLO) Program

  Find out more about the AHLOs and the supports available for Aboriginal patients.