Social Worker (Advancing Wellness at Home Initiative)

Location: Wellington Regional Hospital (Ewart Building) and Kenepuru Community Hospital, with community-based practice across the Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley district.

Contract: Fixed Term until 25 December 2026, Part Time (0.8 FTE / 32 hours per week)

Please note that this role is only available for current Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora staff.  Any non-Te Whatu Ora applications will be declined.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we’re building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence. 

About the Role 

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Social Worker to join the Advancing Wellness at Home Initiative (AWHI) team. This role is integral to supporting patients and whānau transitioning safely from hospital to home by providing comprehensive psychosocial assessment, advocacy, care coordination, discharge planning and rehabilitation support.

Working within an Early Supported Discharge (ESD) and rehabilitation-focused model of care, you will partner with patients, whānau and community providers to address psychosocial, cultural, environmental and practical barriers that may impact recovery, wellbeing and independence. As a member of an innovative Interprofessional Practice (IPP) team, you will contribute to rehabilitation outcomes, health equity, and wellness-focused care that enables people to remain safely in their own homes and communities.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a highly regarded interprofessional team and make a meaningful difference to the rehabilitation, recovery and wellbeing of patients and whānau within their own communities.

About the Team/Service Location 

Advancing Wellness at Home Initiative (AWHI) is Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora's Early Supported Discharge (ESD) service, supporting patients to transition safely from hospital to home through rehabilitation, reablement and recovery-focused care.

AWHI is an innovative service that enables patients to leave hospital sooner and continue their recovery safely within their own homes and communities. Our collaborative interprofessional team includes Registered Nurses, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Speech Language Therapists and Allied Health Assistants who work together to deliver holistic, person-centred and whānau-centred care.

The service delivers support across AWHI Medical, AWHI Non-Acute Rehabilitation Programme (NARP), and AWHI Neuro/Stroke pathways.

About you 

You will bring:

•   A NZ-recognised Social Work qualification with current Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB) registration and Annual Practising Certificate. 
•   A minimum of two years' post-registration experience in health, rehabilitation, disability, aged care or community settings. 
•   Experience in psychosocial assessment, advocacy, care coordination and discharge planning. 
•   A commitment to culturally safe practice, health equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles. 
•   A current Full New Zealand Driver Licence

Working at Health New Zealand 

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is ‘the weaving of wellness’. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. 

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations. We embrace diversity and welcome application from all people, including all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and disability. A workforce that is diverse and inclusive means that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We are pro-equity health organisation, with a particular focus on Māori, Pacific Peoples, and the Disability Community. 

How to Apply 

To apply please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Norma Hickland at Norma.Hickland@ccdhb.org.nz or on 0275070364.

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advertisement.

Position description Apply now

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