Social Worker (Oncology)

Location: Porirua & Multiple Locations within Wellington district

Contract: Fixed Term (until July 2027), Part Time (0.6FTE / 24 hours per week)

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 a registered social worker / kaimahi toko i te ora to join our specialist team of social workers and psychologists, providing support to people with cancer and their whānau while the current role holder is on parental leave. This part-time role (0.6 FTE / 24 hours per week) is based primarily in outpatient and community settings across the Porirua and Kāpiti communities. The successful candidate will work as part of our regional Cancer Psychological and Social Support Service (CPSSS) and be a member of the Allied Health Oncology team. 

The social worker will focus on ensuring people and whānau can access the practical, emotional, cultural and social supports they need throughout diagnosis and treatment. They will also play an important role in maintaining established relationships with community, NGO, iwi and health providers across Porirua and Kāpiti, helping to ensure coordinated and whānau-centred care, and reducing barriers to accessing treatment. 

The social worker will provide comprehensive psychosocial assessments, therapeutic social work interventions, advocacy, and care coordination for people affected by cancer. Working alongside multidisciplinary teams and community partners, they will support people and whānau to navigate the challenges associated with diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.

Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting people with cancer and their whānau through comprehensive psychosocial assessment, therapeutic intervention, advocacy and care coordination to address psychosocial needs and barriers to care.
• Working collaboratively with oncology services, primary care providers, Cancer Society, iwi and Māori health providers, and other community agencies to support seamless care.
• Maintaining and strengthening existing relationships with key community and iwi stakeholders across Porirua and Kāpiti.
• Participating as a member of the Cancer Psychological and Social Support Service, contributing to service development, team initiatives and quality improvement activities.
• Promoting equitable access to supportive care services, particularly for Māori, Pacific peoples and those experiencing barriers to care.

About the Team/Service Location

This role sits within the Allied Health Oncology team, part of the Community, Allied Health and Older Adults (CAHOA) group. Our friendly and collaborative team includes Social Workers, Psychologists, Dietitians, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Speech-Language Therapists, who work alongside nursing and medical colleagues to support people receiving treatment for cancer and blood disorders. 

The team primarily delivers outpatient and community-based services. We work closely with Te Rerenga Ora | Wellington Blood & Cancer Centre, Community ORA, outpatient services, NASC agencies, cancer NGOs and regional providers to ensure patients, whānau and caregivers experience coordinated and seamless support across services. While this role is primarily based at Kenepuru Hospital in Porirua, the service reaches far beyond the hospital setting. As we continue to expand integrated and closer-to-home models of care, you will work flexibly across a range of environments, helping ensure patients can access specialist Allied Health support wherever it is needed most.

About you 

You will be an experienced, adaptable and self-motivated social worker who is confident working independently, committed to therapeutic social work practice, and able to build strong relationships while contributing positively to a multidisciplinary team.

To be successful in this role you will have: 

• Registration as a Social Worker with the Social Workers Registration Board
• A current Annual Practicing Certificate
• A minimum of 3 years clinical experience as a social worker, ideally in a health setting
• Experience working with patients with complex health conditions and/or cancer
• Experience in providing therapeutic social work support and counselling services
• An ability to work flexibly and adaptably in a fast paced clinical settings
• An ability to work independently, while maintaining connections with the rest of the service

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 Philip.Adamson@tewhatuora.govt.nz 

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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