Senior Social Worker - Huntington's Disease

🧭 Lead complex care with autonomy & high-level clinical impact

🧑‍🏫 Mentor staff & students, shaping the next gen of social work

🏛️ Influence policy & drive innovation in specialised care

Lead complex care in a rare field, support families & shape services. Make real impact through advocacy, expert care & team leadership.

Employment Type: Permanent Full Time
Position Classification: Social Worker Level 4
Remuneration: $121,658 - $124,607 per annum
Hours Per Week: 38
Location:  Westmead Hospital

Where you'll be working 
Join Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD), a leading provider of primary to tertiary health care across Auburn, Blacktown, The Hills Shire, Holroyd, and Parramatta. Guided by the values of collaboration, openness, respect, and empowerment, WSLHD is committed to delivering better health services for western Sydney and beyond. The Huntington Disease Outreach Social Work position is based Westmead Hospital and is responsible for providing a high standard of care to the families across NSW affected by Huntington’s Disease. You will be working in a supportive department with a positive team culture which values professional, personal and career development. Minutes from Parramatta CBD, the local area is home to heritage sites, beautiful parks and waterways. Currently undergoing a $1.1 billion redevelopment program, Westmead Hospital, together with its partners, will be one of the largest health, education, research and training precincts in Australia.

What you'll be doing 
The Social Work role within the Huntington's Disease (HD) service at Westmead Hospital is a state-wide service, offering psychoeducation, practical support, service coordination and counselling to clients and their families/carers. HD is an inherited disorder that causes nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain to gradually break down and die. The disease attacks areas of the brain that help to control involuntary (unintentional) movement, as well as other areas. People living with HD develop uncontrollable movements and abnormal body postures, slurred speech, problems with swallowing, eating and speaking, changes in thinking (cognition), attention judgement, problem solving, functional changes such as walking, as well as problems with behaviour, emotion, thinking, and personality. The disease is progressive with symptoms worsening over time.

The position is based in the Critical Care and Surgery Team at Westmead. This is a team of 11 social workers providing coverage to the areas of Intensive Care, Emergency Department, Trauma, Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Specialty Surgery and Renal Services. The team also includes the District Post Mortem Liaison Officer position. Whilst allocated to the Huntington Disease Outreach Service, there are opportunities to broaden your skill development as part of team cover and through After Hours Crisis On Call work.

What this role and WSLHD Allied Health will offer you:
An opportunity to work in a supportive, inclusive and caring team environment. Ongoing education and development including regular clinical supervision, monthly staff development sessions to enhance clinical practice and opportunities for external education and training. Opportunities to lead and be involved with research, with established partnerships with universities and a WSLHD Professor of Allied Health

Programs and learning opportunities for Allied Health staff funded by WSLHD include:
FLASH Allied Health leadership program – a program specific to WSLHD which offers Allied Health specific leadership development https://www.wslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/Education-Portal/Professional-Development/flash
Accelerated Implementation Methodology (AIM): a course for staff leading projects to provide them with the knowledge, skills and structure to effectively manage change
sparQ: Empowering safety and quality excellence through leadership and development at WSLHD https://www.wslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/Quality-Patient-Safety/sparq

Allied Health - Every step of the way – Short Film - https://vimeo.com/803268531/67a7f3c07e

Looking for a move to NSW? National Campaign- https://vimeo.com/811851254/ff149e2f04
 

How to Apply
Apply online by submitting your resume and addressing the criteria listed below by providing examples that demonstrate your ability before the closing date.

Essential Criteria:

• Qualification: Degree in Social Work with eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Work (AASW).

Selection Criteria:

1. Demonstrated high level clinical experience in a health setting with demonstrated high level skills in adjustment to illness/disability/poor prognosis, guardianship matters, NDIS and complex patients and familial presentations, end of life care, grief and bereavement.
2. Demonstrated experience in the provision of staff supervision.
3. Experience in developing and implementing policies and procedures for service improvement and skills in providing training and education.
4. Demonstrated well-developed time management skills with excellent written and verbal communication, including report writing skills and high level computer literacy skills.
5. Demonstrated ability to work with minimal supervision and as part of a multidisciplinary team
6. Demonstrated ability to initiate, lead, complete and implement quality improvement initiatives and service evaluation processes and lead ongoing quality improvement activities with other staff.
7. Demonstrated understanding of issues associated with working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse client group.
8. Participation in the After Hours Crisis On Call Social Work Service.

Requisition ID:  REQ567654
Applications Close:  22nd May 2025

 
Need more information? 

• Discover more about the application process. 
• Review the detailed Position Description for insights into role requirements and criteria.   
• Explore the selection process, employment checks, outcomes and notifications. 
• For inquiries about the role, contact Christine Vo on [email protected] or phone 0437 764 343