Social Work

Our Social Work Team offers comprehensive psychosocial care to cancer patients at the RAH.

Our Team consists of:

• Swapna Deepak:
  Haematology and Vascular Units
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• Cecily Dollman:
  Team Leader, Gynaecology, Gynae-Oncology, Women’s Health & Thalassaemia
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• Carolyn Garbett-Smith:
  Medical Oncology: inpatients & outpatients and Palliative Care
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• Gary Halliday:
  E.N.T., Eye Clinic, Urology, Vascular]
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• Merilyn Lee:
  Radiotherapy: inpatients and outpatients
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• Ali Zoina:
  Welfare Officer
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In accordance with the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Psychosocial Care of Adults with Cancer (2003) we work in our respective multi-disciplinary teams and risk screen those patients and families with complex needs and high levels of distress. Our training equips us to manage the emotional and social impacts of a cancer diagnosis on the patient, their family and the wider system. We thus become involved with counselling individuals, families and groups while assisting with the many practical challenges patients face, for example, with finances, employment, housing and geographic isolation.
Our ability to offer a comprehensive service helps us to engage with patients and advocate on their behalf.

Ali Zoina, our Welfare worker, assists with the many practical tasks faced by patients. Together with the rural liaison nurse, she is involved with weekly meetings with the SA PATS (Patient Assisted Transport Scheme) staff to help fast track travel applications and organize direct billing of accommodation for rural patients and their families.

We are committed to providing continuity of psychosocial care, as recommended by the Senate Committee Report (June 2005). Our aim has been to see patients at the time of diagnosis through the acute stage of the illness to remission or recovery, or to disease progression through to the palliative and bereavement phases. We work closely with social workers from other teams attached to hospital units where a cancer diagnosis is initially made, including the Neurosurgery, Respiratory, Breast Endocrine and Colorectal areas. Strengthening links with community organisations and other hospitals is an ongoing process, with benefits for patients and their families.

Our Team is involved with the South Australian Department branch of OSWA (Oncology Social Workers of Australia).We meet regularly with other social workers around the State concentrating on professional development and building relationships.

Patients of the RAH and their families can arrange an appointment to see a Social Worker by ringing directly to the RAH switchboard or by asking their Doctor to refer them.