Social Worker

at  Southlake Regional Health Centre

COMPANY BIO

Southlake is building healthy communities through outstanding care, innovative partnerships, and amazing people. We deliver a wide range of healthcare services to the communities of northern York Region and southern Simcoe County. Our advanced regional programs include Cancer Care and Cardiac Care and serve a broader population across the northern GTA and into Simcoe-Muskoka.
Our team of nearly 6,000 staff, physicians, volunteers, students and Patient and Family Advisors are committed to creating an environment where the best experiences happen. As a recognition of our commitment to quality and patient safety, we have received the highest distinction of Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada.

JOB SUMMARY

The Professional Resource, Social Work is a member of the interprofessional team of the Paediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) Clinic that serves as a clinical resource on matters pertaining to Psychosocial Oncology (PSO), while also delivering social work services to oncology patients. This role provides in-depth psychosocial assessment and appropriate interventions for patients and their caregivers, including resource education, emotional support, counselling, case management, and advocacy, to maximize patient quality of life within their community. The incumbent will champion Psychosocial Oncology quality improvement initiatives and program development opportunities.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Strong leadership skills including teaching, directing and motivating staff.
• Clinical experience working with children, youth and families in an oncology setting.
• Direct clinical experience providing individual, family and group therapy.
• Experience in strength based modalities and manualized therapies (e.g. CBT, DBT).
• An understanding of the impact of the multitude of issues that children and families experience when facing complex medical issues.
• Demonstrated facilitation, change management and project management skills.
• Demonstrated excellent organizational and coordination skills and the ability to prioritize multiple competing workload demands (balancing clinical duties with liaison activities).
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills in psychosocial assessment, conflict resolution, and creative problem-solving.
• Demonstrated ability to work co-operatively and constructively with other team members and develop effective partnerships with community agencies/facilities.
• Demonstrated strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with patients/families, interprofessional team members, and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated commitment to professional development.
• Demonstrated flexibility and ability to work under pressure in a fast paced environment.
• Models behaviour that is aligned with the values of Southlake Regional Health Center.
  o Always with compassion
  o Power of many
  o Serve with purpose
  o Every voice matters
  o Courage to think differently

QUALIFICATIONS

• Masters’ Degree in Social Work from an accredited university
• Member in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), with no terms, conditions, or limitations required
• Membership in the Ontario Association of Social Workers preferred
• Five to seven (5-7) years relevant social work experience, or equivalent, within an acute care setting required
• Five (5) years recent experience in oncology and palliative care preferred
• Experience with crisis / urgent presentations is an asset
• Previous training/experience in loss and grief is required

• Provides comprehensive, coordinated social work services to patients and their families in the POGO Clinic
• Provides comprehensive psychosocial assessments of patients referred to the Social Worker.
• Provides counselling services to patients and their families with a goal of assisting the patient and family to adjust to the effects and complications of illness. This includes emotional support and counselling for individual, marital, family and financial issues.
• Provides crisis and grief counselling for patient/family and team.
• Provides information and education to patients and their families pertaining to their plan of care.
• Acts as a resource and liaison to community stakeholders and facilitates referrals to community resources.
• Develops and executes Psychosocial Oncology program goals and project plans.
• Participates in and promotes continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Supports new staff onboarding, training and clinical supervision.
• Provides consultation to medical staff and other team members regarding psychosocial aspects of patient and family functioning and community resources.
• Maintains confidentiality of patient/family related communication and documentation.
• Assumes advocacy role within program on behalf of patient and family.