Social Worker Grade 3

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• Make an impact supporting the lives of patients, their families and carers joining our multidisciplinary team 

• Grade 3, full time opportunity (Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week with ADO) 

• Heidelberg location, with multiple public transport options and car parking available 

Austin Health is the major provider of tertiary health services, health professional education and research across three campuses in the north-east of Melbourne and state-wide.  We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our purpose, which is to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives. 

About the Acute Psychiatric Unit  

Austin Health’s Mental Health Division provides care and services through a comprehensive range of teams to meet the needs of mental health consumers and carers throughout Victoria. 

The Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU) is part of the broader Mental Health Division. We are an 18-bed inpatient unit located at the Austin Hospital and part of the North East Mental Health Service. We are committed to promoting the highest level of mental health care to our patients, their families and carers.  

About the role 

As the Social Worker, you will deliver excellence in collaborative clinical practice and patient care. You will provide direct services to patients, their families, carers and support persons, aiming to minimise the impacts of illness and hospitalisation, and enhance social and emotional functioning through targeted discipline specific social work interventions including the mobilisation of services and supports. 

As part of the admission process the patient is assessed within the family unit and a treatment plan tailored for the individual is developed. Risk of family violence and other psycho-social risks are discussed and included within this tailored plan. Whilst concurrently addressing the patients’ health issues, the team maintain a recovery focus both during the patient’s admission and ensuring recovery principles are incorporated into discharge planning.  

About you 

To be successful in this role, ideally you’ll bring with you: 

• An approved tertiary qualification in Social Work and eligibility for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) 

• Minimum 7 years’ professional social work experience, preferably in a hospital/health care setting. 

• Demonstrated well-developed skills and knowledge in mental health practices, including brief inpatient interventions, discharge planning, consultation, referral, mental state and risk assessment, treatment and collaborative care planning. 

• Proven capacity to perform as a clinical social worker role in practice settings; has a sound knowledge of principles of professional practice and adherence to professional ethics. 

Our benefits

Working at Austin Health means enjoying a strong sense of purpose, engaging in meaningful work every day. Our people also receive a variety of rewarding benefits, including:

• Greater take-home pay through generous salary packaging, for living expenses, meals, and holiday accommodation.
• A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounted fitness memberships and special offers on health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program.
• Onsite childcare at Austin Hospital, easy access via public transport and car parking options.
• Mentoring and career development opportunities.
• Five weeks annual leave (pro-rata for part time), plus purchased leave option

Work with us!

We are committed to cultural safety and health equity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People. We celebrate, value, and include people of all backgrounds, genders, identities, cultures, bodies, and abilities. We welcome and support applications from talented people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, people with disability, neurodiverse people, LGBTQIA+ and people of all ages and cultures.

If you feel this role is right for you, we encourage your early application. Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. What matters most is your passion, your drive and your willingness to learn and contribute. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the closing date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad prior to the advertised closing date.

All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working With Children Check. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: Melissa Leslie (Nurse Unit Manager, APU), melissa.leslie@austin.org.au  

Interested in finding out more about this opportunity? Read the position description for further details. 

Application closing date: 8 June 2025