Organisation: NSW Health – Sydney Local Health District
Job Title: Community Care Manager – RN/Allied Health Level 1/2
Word Limit: Maximum 3000 Charaters per criteria
Location: Concord, Camperdown
Demonstrated ability to undertake comprehensive assessment and skills in case management.
Through my placements for my Bachelor of Social Work degree, I have had multiple opportunities
to undertake comprehensive assessments and prove my case management skills.
My most recent example of undertaking comprehensive assessment skills was during phone intake
with a domestic violence victim as a Student Social Worker at Green Valley Liverpool Domestic
Violence Service. The phone intake involved speaking to the client and undertaking a
comprehensive assessment through the use of a psychosocial assessment to evaluate her mental,
social, physical and emotional wellbeing. I asked the client with empathy about a series of
questions around her personal information, financial situation, the domestic violence situations
she had been exposed and subjected to in the past, and her current situation. If the client had
children this assessment would have also included a child protection assessment, asking questions
relating to any orders that may be in place; for example, an Apprehended Domestic Violence
Order (ADVO).
Following on from the psychosocial assessment, I conducted a risk assessment of the client. This
involved asking a list of closed questions relating to the perpetrator and to determine the level of
risk the client was exposed to. At the conclusion of the comprehensive assessment, I rated the
client as medium risk due to her being separated from her partner however, she was still at harm
as her ex-partner was aware of her current accommodation and had stalked her on her property
on numerous events, which caused her to be distressed.
In addition, I conducted safety planning with her and informed her about calling the police if he
continues to stalk her and getting an ADVO. I also asked for consent from the client if she would
like me to refer her to a service which installs security measures in her home and the client
accepted. I conducted verbal case management as I referred this client to Staying Home Leaving
Violence. I called the service and spoke to a case worker and informed her of the client’s current
situation and the reason for the referral. The case worker informed me that the client is eligible for
their service and informed me that she will contact the client. After the referral was made, I
informed the client about the referral outcome and she mentioned that she felt relieved.
As a Social Work Student at Liverpool Hospital, I demonstrated written case management skills. I
was required to write a support letter to Housing NSW for a client due to requiring housing
transference as he had a cardiac condition which was limiting his ability to climb the stairs at his
unit. I wrote the support letter with specific and accurate information outlining the reasons why
the client would like housing transference and how his health has been impacting on his mobility.
My skills in written case management lead to a clear and concise support letter, which was
accepted by my supervisor with only minor amendments.
3. Sound knowledge of issues affecting adults with disabilities, older people and their carers in
the community and/or hospital setting
One of my placements for my Bachelor of Social Work was at the Liverpool Hospital in the Cardiac
Rehabilitation Outpatients Unit. This consisted of a large number of carers providing assistance
and support to patients of whom the majority were older people. However, during the period of
my placement, there was a patient under the care of the unit who had a disability.
During my time at the Cardiac Rehabilitation Outpatients Unit, I had the opportunity to gain
valuable experience and knowledge around the issues and challenges faced by older people and
people with disabilities on a daily basis. My involvement with the patients started during the initial
contact they had with staff in the unit. In conjunction with the Nurse, we conducted a psychosocial
assessment of the patient. This consisted of asking them and their carers a number of questions
relating to their situation in order to determine the level of physical and emotional support
needed to assist and support the patient.
During these assessments, I was able to gather information on the different issues affecting their
recovery. As the majority of patients were older, there were specific issues that repeatedly arose
during the assessment. These issues were physical restrictions, medications required, social
isolation, cultural differences, financial strain, and other emotional issues around the process of
aging.
During the various assessments I was involved in, and identifying the repeated issues faced by
older people, I gained experience in the need to show empathy and understanding for the patients
who were showing signs of anxiety around coping with change and losing their independence.
Some of the considerations and areas for concern for the patients were:
Visible scarring and their looks, and the social stigma attached to people with disabilities
Reduction of mobility and movement they may suffer and how this impacts on their
standard of living, including the associated loss or grief
Do they have any future plans or goals, things to look forward to?
Issues around relationships with family and their required involvement in care
In addition, there are also issues raised for the carers of these patients. Some of the
considerations and areas for concern for carers were:
Adjusting to the older person’s change in situation and their required level of support and
care
Dealing with the added stress they and their family will suffer
Financial strain if they are required to contribute financially towards the provision of care,
as well as needing to spend time away from their work commitments in order to provide
the level of care necessary
Dealing with the shock and crisis of the situation
A significant part of my role was to provide advice on the support networks available, both
internally in regards to their family and friends and how important they are, and through any
external agencies available. I received positive feedback from my supervisor regarding my role.
4. Familiarity with the delivery and monitoring of brokerage services
My placement position at Liverpool Hospital (Cardiac Rehabilitation Outpatients Unit) involved the
provision of care for a variety of patients, but mainly concerned older people. Caring for older
people requires a different level of support and assistance. One aspect of caring for older people
involves the various reasons why the patient is unable to function independently within their
homes. The outcome of this situation is the need for investigations into alternative options for the
patient, ensuring the level of care required is considered.
This investigation can be outsourced to organisations providing brokerage services. These services
are available to assist the older person, and their carers, to find the most suitable place for them
to live, whilst factoring in the required care. Part of the service the unit provided was to offer the
patient and their carer advice on how to contact the most appropriate service provider for their
situation, and the best way to initiate that contact.
In addition to providing advice on external services available to older people who have suffered a
cardiac condition, I also have experience providing advice to people who have suffered from a
domestic violence situation. As a Student Social Worker at Green Valley Liverpool Domestic
Violence Service, I undertook assessment of the level of assistance required and provided clients
with a number of options. These options were government financial services available through
Centrelink, and referral of clients to other services appropriate to the assessment undertaken.
Furthermore, Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence provides brokerage for their clients
experiencing or have experienced domestic violence. It provides brokerage for re-establishing
their homes (removalists, locks, education, housing establishment). In order to deliver a
brokerage, the Domestic Violence Counsellor will need to know what the clients assessed needs
are and what they would like to achieve. Furthermore, the estimation of the patients’ personal
budget is also essential as it will help the Counsellor work with the client to assist with financial
management and arrange supports or develop a support plan to ensure the client leads an
independent lifestyle.
The Domestic Violence Counsellor(s) must get approval from their team leader before distributing
a brokerage. The brokerage is provided to high needs clients as a one-time payment or a short
term payment, unless specified otherwise. In order for the client to receive a payment, they will
first need to provide a written quote or estimated price for the financial support the client needs.
Once they have done so, the service will provide the clients with a payment. The brokerage is
reviewed to ensure the money is contributed towards the clients care and support. Furthermore,
monitoring brokerage is also conducted by monitoring client expenditure through checking of
invoices. I have developed knowledge and feel confident in delivering and monitoring brokerage.
Ability to work autonomously as well as function as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
Throughout my university studies and work placements, I have consistently demonstrated my
ability to work autonomously, as well as being a valuable member of a high functioning team.
These abilities were displayed, and proven to be high quality, during my placement at The
Liverpool Hospital in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Outpatients Unit. In this role, as Student Social
Worker, I was a functioning member of a team which consisted of a number of representatives
from various disciplines. In addition to myself it consisted of a Dietician, Nurse, and
Physiotherapist.
Working collaboratively with other members of this team we were able to assess patients, set
goals, achieve goals, and undertake successful release of the patient from the Cardiac
Rehabilitation Programme. The role I played in this team was to assist the Nurse in assessing the
patient, in conjunction with undertaking a psychosocial assessment of the patient in parallel. At
the completion of the assessments, the team would meet to review the outcome of the
assessment and construct a program that would provide the emotional and physical support the
patient required. Further, the team would meet on a monthly basis to discuss the progress and
improvement of all patients.
During the team meetings, all the Allied Health staff involved in the rehabilitation Programme and
I would evaluate the Programme. In one of the meetings, staff expressed concern that patients
attendance in the physiotherapy exercises at the gym in the early morning had decreased. I
suggested to plan another exercise class at a different time or day as that time may not be of
convenience to the patients and to also conduct an evaluation with patients about the classes.
This suggestion helped in increasing patients attendance in the Programme and patients felt
empowered.
I executed many activities in this role, and one in particular involved the facilitation of group
counselling sessions. These sessions were designed to help the patients establish what their
wants, needs and desired outcomes were from rehabilitation.
Finally, my responsibilities also included the organisation of an “education day” for the unit. For
the “education day” to be successful, it was important to secure a representative from all Allied
Health services. The representatives would prepare a presentation to the patients and advise
them on the help provided by the health services, how they could be of assistance to the patient
and their carers and ways to manage the cardiac condition.
I developed confidence working autonomously as well as in a multi-disciplinary team as I gained
practical experience in working collaboratively as a group. Furthermore, I also developed
professional working relationships with the Allied Health staff I was working with.
Well-developed written and verbal communication skills including demonstrated computer
literacy
Throughout my placements and other activities in my working life, I have developed a high quality
of verbal and written communication skills. These skills have been demonstrated effectively during
my placement at the Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence Service. During this role, I was
responsibilities for facilitating counseling sessions for patients who had suffered domestic
violence. In order to provide a high quality of service to clients, it was a priority to have excellent
verbal communication skills, along with expert listening skills. Both these skills were utilised to a
high standard whilst working in the domestic violence service. This was done by speaking to clients
in a clear voice, emphatic and nonjudgmental approach.
In addition, I also presented a peer development re: domestic violence in the social media to the
staff members. I had to ensure that the material selected was engaging. I received positive
feedback from all the team members that my presentation was very creative and I was clear and
engaging. The organisation also asked for consent if they could excerpt from my peer
development to teenage girls about domestic violence.
At the conclusion of intake and counselling sessions, it was my responsibility to update the client’s
files with all information received, including the clinical and progress notes. This required the
individual undertaking this activity to have a focus on attention to detail. Further, there was a
need to possess strong written communication skills, as there would be multiple people reading
the files and ultimately understanding the notes made.
In addition as a student at Liverpool Hospital, I was a member of the evaluation committee for the
Social Workers’ Conference day (2012). This committee was established to evaluate the success of
the conference, and a report was compiled at the conclusion of the event to show the
effectiveness of the day.
All of the committee members were responsible for taking a percentage of the evaluation reports,
which were completed by attendees, and transcribe the information given into a document. Upon
receiving all of the completed documents, I was responsible for consolidation of the report
outlining all of the details, including how improvements can be made for the next conference day.
After completion of the report, I facilitated a presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint to the staff
members detailing and explaining the results.
My years of university and working experience have given me exposure to multiple databases and
software programs. I have well developed skills and experience in all Microsoft packages, including
email. This has been demonstrated during my placement at Child Protection Counselling Service, I
was responsible for organising Child Protection Week (2013) which required me to use computer
softwares such as the internet, emails and Microsoft word. My skills in computer literacy lead to
an organised and successful event.
Demonstrated experience of working with people from CALD and special needs groups.
Throughout my various placements, I have had the opportunity to work with people from different
cultures and with special needs. The most appropriate demonstration of this was during my
placement at the Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence Service. This role involved working
with a large number of people from different cultural backgrounds and with a diverse range of
issues and needs.
In all of the cases I was involved in, including during the psychosocial assessment of clients, it was
imperative that I ask the appropriate questions to get the detail relating to their cultural needs.
This enabled me to provide clients with a service that did not impact them further and to ensure
that I worked from a culturally sensitive approach. Some of the more significant issues were:
In some cultures it is recognised that domestic violence is acceptable and a means of
upholding traditional roles
Language barriers – is an interpreter required?
Does the client require a female case worker?
Some clients request a case worker who is not of the same cultural background
Social stigma attached to the domestic violence
Lack of knowledge of the Australian legal system
Lack of support networks, in particular victims who have recently arrive in Australia
Are they are permanent citizen –is there partner threatening to cancel their visa
One of the issues we experienced was trying to educate and challenge the client that domestic
violence is not acceptable, without offending their cultural or religious beliefs. I ensured that when
I was working with people from CALD, I would use appropriate terminology and avoid stereotyping
the clients, developed cross cultural skills by using interpreters; however I ensured I speak to the
client(s) and pause often to allow the interpreter to speak. I also evaluated practices that hinder
cultural competency and collected accurate information about the cultural and religious
background according to the how the client identified themselves for example Vietnamese
Australian. The culturally sensitive approach to practice I was utilising was highly effective as
clients were engaged, received practical and emotional support and felt empowered.
In addition to the above, I have also worked with a person with a disability during my time working
at The Liverpool Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation Outpatients Unit. My time at Liverpool Hospital
has enabled me to see that people with disabilities require more assistance than a person without
a disability. This helped me gain further insight and skills to tailor appropriate group topics for
people with disability. During the assessment of the patient it became known that the patient had
never had access to counseling after being confined to a wheelchair as a result of their accident.
After the completion of the assessment, I was able to offer the assistance of individual counseling
for the patient.
Along with this, the care team and I put together a special program with tailored exercises that
were suitable for someone in a wheelchair, along with ensuring, during group sessions, that we
were able to conduct all exercises within reach of the elevator. I received positive feedback from
my supervisor regarding my ability to work with people with special needs.
