Social Worker

Location: Kenepuru Hospital

Contract: Fixed Term (until 25 December 2026), Part Time (0.625 FTE / 25 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 

This role sits within the wider Kenepuru Inpatient Allied Health team which consists of over 45 Allied Health staff including Occupational Therapists, Dietitians, Speech Language Therapists, Clinical and Neuro Psychologists, Physiotherapists, Social Workers, Activities Coordinators and our wonderful Allied Health Assistants.  There are three main areas of work, Health of Older Persons, Orthopaedics (which includes amputees), and Neuro-Rehabilitation. This role is based mostly in the Health of Older Persons wards (two wards with 24 beds each). There are 7 Social Workers in the team across the 3 service areas currently. 

We are a very supportive team; we provide training and learning opportunities, supervision, mentorship, we support students in their learning journey, we embrace service improvements and we are aiming to be a center for clinical excellence for rehabilitation and older adults. We celebrate our wins with food, and are open to new ideas. Working in the public health system can be challenging, but we pride ourselves in having a warm and welcoming team that supports clinical excellence and great teamwork. 

Our service is currently implementing an Inter-Professional-Practice model to support skill-sharing, delegation, and highlight top-of-scope skills for clinicians. Other recent service improvements include creating a streamlined pathway of care for patients with vascular amputations, and a pathway for patients who have had a stroke. We work closely with our early supported discharge team (known as AWHI), and work collaboratively each day with our nursing and medical colleagues. We continue to grow in our cultural responsiveness as a team and a service, and we welcome anyone who is also on the journey to improve health equity outcomes for Maori and Pacific peoples to join us as we learn and improve together. 

About the Team/Service/ Location 

The inpatient rehabilitation multi-disciplinary team is a close-knit team of allied health, nursing and medical colleagues, based at Kenepuru Hospital. We are a team that loves to learn and upskill, and we encourage service-improvements that help the patients and the team. A perk worth mentioning is the free parking available on site.

About you 

• Qualified Social Worker, registered with the Social Work Registration Board with a current APC
• Experience in and a passion for delivering high-quality, evidence-based clinical care across rehabilitation settings
• Strong communication skills with a collaborative approach to working in a team
• Ability to work using an inter professional practice model (or willingness to learn)
• High levels of motivation and initiative
• An understanding of the health needs of our Māori and Pacific communities
• An eagerness to reduce inequities and improve clinical care and health outcomes
• Current full drivers 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 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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