Grade 3 Clinical Social Worker - Residential Aged Care

Job Description:

Grade 3 Clinical Social Worker - Residential Aged Care

• Permanent Part Time (0.5 EFT, 20 hours per week)
• Located in Kew/Hawthorn East
• Ongoing training and development opportunities
• Excellent benefits including salary packaging

About the Company
St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (SVHM) is part of St Vincent’s Health Australia and a leading teaching, research and tertiary health service which employs more than 6,500 staff across 18 sites throughout Melbourne. SVHM provides a diverse range of adult clinical services including acute medical and surgical services, sub-acute care, medical diagnostics, rehabilitation, allied health, mental health, palliative care, correctional health and community residential care. SVHM is one of Australia's leading Catholic not-for-profit healthcare providers, driven by values of Compassion, Justice, Integrity and Excellence.

About the Role

The role would be suited to a dynamic and compassionate social worker who has had experience in supporting people who reside in the Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs). The RACFs covered by this position are: Berengarra, Prague House and Auburn House,  with  a requirement to work cross campus to provide a service to all of the SVHM RACFs.

The successful candidate will be provided with a comprehensive and flexible professional development program, as well as structured supervision and support for clinical decision making. 

Classifications for this position will range from Social Worker Grade 3 SC31 – SC34 $104,135 - $118,981 per annum).

Your Contribution

• Bachelor of Social Work Degree/Qualifying Masters Degree

• A minimum of seven or more years experience in hospital social work or related area

• Achieved or working towards a post-graduate Masters in relevant professional area desirable

• Eligible for membership of the Australian Association of Social Work (AASW)

• Leadership qualities and highly developed interpersonal skills.

 

What we Offer

• A focus on wellbeing initiatives, with regular events and programs
• Confidential, solutions-focused employee counselling
• Salary Packaging – Increase your take home pay
• Regular opportunities for professional development to assist you to reach your career goals
• Culture of continuous improvement

Application

Please attach your resume and cover letter to your application.

Shortlisting for this position will commence immediately. We encourage you to apply promptly as the advertisement may close early should a suitable applicant be sourced.

For a copy of the full position description please email Guy Bussenschutt at: guy.bussenschutt@svha.org.au

We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and abilities. Inclusion is essential to our mission and diversity reflects the community we serve.

Please visit our website, for further information regarding our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment at SVHM.

SVHA has a duty of care under work health and safety legislation to eliminate and/or control the risk of transmission of vaccine preventable diseases in healthcare settings. You may therefore be required to undergo mandatory immunisations/vaccinations (including flu vaccinations). Successful applicants must meet these vaccination requirements. Please contact us if you would like to know more.

Contact

Penny Lording penny.lording@svha.org.au

Position Description

About the Department

Social Work sits within the Allied Health and Pharmacy directorate and provides services across acute medicine, acute surgery, sub-acute care, cancer and chronic illness, correctional health and residential aged care. The department is committed to high-quality clinical practice, professional development, education and continuous improvement.

About the Role

As the Grade 3 Clinical Social Worker – Residential Aged Care, you will provide advanced social work services to residents and their families across SVHM’s Residential Aged Care Facilities, including Berengarra, Prague House and Auburn House.

You will work with older people experiencing complex psychosocial issues, including imminent risk, elder abuse, legal and financial matters, emotional distress and care planning. As a senior clinician, you will provide clinical leadership, expert consultation and support multidisciplinary decision-making while contributing to the ongoing development and quality of social work services. This is a cross-campus role requiring you to work across SVHM’s Residential Aged Care Facilities.

Your Responsibilities

• Provide advanced psychosocial assessment, intervention and care planning for residents and their families.
• Assess and support the management of complex risk, including family violence and elder abuse.
• Provide expert advice regarding decision-making capacity and coordinate VCAT applications and hearings where required.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, families, substitute decision-makers and external services.
• Support residents and families experiencing emotional distress and facilitate appropriate ongoing referrals.
• Liaise with the NDIA/NDIS and other relevant services to support residents’ needs.
• Provide expert secondary consultation and clinical leadership in complex and high-risk matters.
• Supervise staff and students as required and contribute to teaching and professional development.
• Participate in research, evaluation, quality improvement and service development activities.
• Develop strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders and support the Chief Social Worker as required.

Clinical Quality, Safety & Person-Centred Care

You will maintain a strong commitment to clinical quality and safety, working within your scope of practice and maintaining the knowledge and competencies required for the role. You will contribute to clinical risk management and continuous quality improvement and ensure residents are supported to make informed decisions about their care, understand their rights and receive information in an accessible format.

Health & Safety

You will contribute to a safe working environment by complying with SVHM health and safety requirements, completing mandatory training, following PPE and fit-testing requirements where applicable, and identifying and reporting risks, hazards and incidents.

Your Contribution

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Bachelor of Social Work or qualifying Master of Social Work.
• Eligibility for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
• Postgraduate qualifications in a relevant professional area, or progress towards these, are desirable.
• A minimum of seven years’ experience in hospital social work or a related area.
• Demonstrated experience working with older people, including people who may be experiencing homelessness.
• Strong knowledge of aged care systems, elder rights, homelessness and NDIS.
• Knowledge of relevant legal frameworks, including VCAT, the Residential Tenancies Act, Coroners Court and Aged Care Act 2024.
• Advanced clinical assessment, problem-solving, negotiation and conflict-management skills.
• Demonstrated leadership and experience supervising staff and students.
• Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to service improvement, innovation and high-quality social work practice.

Our Expectations

You will demonstrate professionalism, confidentiality, adaptability and accountability while working in accordance with SVHM policies, procedures, Code of Conduct and relevant enterprise agreement. You will contribute to productive teamwork, collaborate across disciplines and take responsibility for delivering high-quality, timely work.

Pre-Employment Requirements

This position is classified as Category A and is subject to SVHM health screening and immunisation requirements. The successful applicant will also be required to provide a current National Police Certificate prior to commencement and disclose any relevant pre-existing injury or condition in accordance with SVHM requirements.

Closing Date:

19 November 2026 11:59pm

Reconciliation Action Plan:

At St Vincent's we acknowledge the importance of creating a work environment that is welcoming, safe, equitable and inclusive for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Employees. As part of our Commitment to Reconciliation and Closing the Gap in employment related outcomes, we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

For further information, visit https://www.svha.org.au/about-us/reconciliation or get in contact at indigenouscareers@svha.org.au

View Reconciliation Action Plan

Code of Conduct:

View Code of Conduct