• Dunedin
• Salary - $77,087 - $110,210 pro-rata and Kiwisaver
• 1.0 FTE (80 hours per fortnight)
• 0.75 FTE (60 hours per fortnight)

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the roles

Key responsibilities

The purpose of these positions is to provide social work assessment and intervention across seven days (10 hour shifts) within the Emergency Department at Dunedin Hospital.

As a Social Worker, core responsibility will include:

• case management
• psychosocial assessment
• crisis intervention
• advocacy
• discharge planning for patients and their families

You will collaborate closely with medical staff, nurses, community and primary care agencies and other allied health professionals to ensure holistic, patient-centered care.

You will:

• need a sound knowledge of mental health, elder abuse, family violence and child protection issues and be able to respond to challenging situations appropriately
• be able to think on your feet, be experienced at working under pressure and be able to multi-task
• be adaptable and flexible allowing you to work effectively with your clients and within the interdisciplinary team and a changing health environment.

View Advanced Social Worker position description.

View Social Worker position description.

About the Team/Service/Location

You'll be part of a supportive team of passionate professionals who thrive in a fast-paced environment, where no two days are the same. Our team values collaboration, continuous learning, evidence-based practise, empowerment and advocacy and supporting each other to deliver the highest standard of care.

About you

You will be an experienced and adaptable social worker who ideally brings knowledge and experience from within the health setting. You will be a team player with excellent communication skills and work cohesively as part of the multidisciplinary team (MDT). 

To be successful in this position, you will also need to demonstrate the following:

• Ability to think on your feet and be experienced at working under pressure whilst multi-tasking
• Be registered with the New Zealand Social Workers Board (NZSWRB) and hold a current Annual Practicing Certificate
• Preferably have experience working in an acute hospital setting
• Strong understanding of social determinants of health and the impact this has on client health and social needs

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to apply

To apply please click "apply now". All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal by Thursday, 3 July 2025. If you have any questions about the role, please contact James Boyd james.boyd@southerndhb.govt.nz

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

We only accept online applications. Please apply via our website.