1. Role of Social Work in Palliative Care

2. INTRODUCTION The role of social work is to assess service users (patient, family member, friend, carer), emotional, social, practical and financial/legal needs Then offer appropriate intervention to meet those needs The main areas of social work are assessment, intervention, bereavement and discharge

3. Assessment Emotional Social Practical Financial

4. The emphasis of assessment is building a relationship between social worker, service, wider services ie speech and language therapy, O/T, physio,CNS, DN and service user enabling the service user to talk about the issues that are important to them. Assessment should be a continuous service not a one off piece of work

5. Intervention Issues Identified: Coping with change/ and loss Family support Personal relationships Medical issues Welfare benefits Employment Financial and legal matters Housing Leisure Linking service users together

6. Bereavement One to one bereavement support Bereavement Groups when needed Children’s groups – MC in partnership with Sue Ryder Hospice when needed Memory days – run 3 x yearly at MC hospice. Monthly drop in session at Sue Ryder Annual Thanksgiving Service held at MC hospice in October Bereavement counselling-referrals can be made to other organisations ie Bradford Cancer Support as appropriate

7. The Four R’s The Right provider The Right time Using the Right approach To achieve the Right outcome Determined by service users, professionals, their family, friends and carers Bibliography: Palliative Care Social Work and Service Users – Making Life Possible, Bereford, Adsheard & Croft 2006