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Barwon Health | Intensive Care Unit

(03) 4215 1700

Social Work

The ICU social worker is an active member of the multi-disciplinary team, with the primary focus of supporting both practical and emotional needs of patients and their families during their critical illness experience.

The social worker can offer short-term counselling in areas such as: adjustment to illness, trauma, injury and disability; managing feeling of anxiety and depression; changes in lifestyle; family and relationship concerns/conflicts; end of life issues and grief and loss.

The social worker can also provide information, referral and assist in accessing local community resources including: accommodation; supports around financial issues (Centrelink, VPTAS - Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme); legal issues (powers of attorney, VCAT - Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal); counselling services; specialist services for patients with complex care needs (NDIS - National Disability Insurance Scheme, ACAS - Aged Care Assessment Services) and bereavement counselling.

What do we do?

 

Last Modified: Tuesday, 11 July 2023