Social Worker - Nelson (1.0FTE)

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Social Worker, Nelson Hospital, Permanent Fulltime

• Full time permanent role
• Based at Wāhi Oranga Mental Health Inpatient Unit Nelson Hospital
• Bring your social work skills to support tangata whaiora during their admission and community transition
• Work alongside our friendly and supportive team

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

We are looking for an enthusiastic and skilled social worker who would like to join our multi-disciplinary inpatient mental health team. As a Social Worker, you will provide holistic inpatient care from acute through to rehabilitation.

This is a permanent full-time role working 80 hours per fortnight, Monday to Friday between 7.00AM to 5.00PM (1.0 FTE).

About the Team/Service/ Location

We - re a great team who are passionate about mental health and delivering a high standard of care to tangata whai ora and whānau. 

We offer a great team environment and are supportive of professional development and we strive to create a positive work environment with balanced and safe workloads. We do great work and we need a great team to help us deliver. For more information on living and working in Nelson click here

About you

As a Social Worker, you need to be registered with the NZ Social Workers Registration Board (provisional/full). Ideally you will have experience working as part of a multi disciplinary team in a health setting, and will bring an understanding of the social determinants of health, as well as the impact on health and social needs.

You must be able to work in a collaborative way delivering patient-centred practice from a strengths perspective. You will have a good understanding of bi-cultural social work practice, in addition to knowledge/experience with violence intervention and prevention. 

To be successful you will have outstanding interpersonal and communication skills and lots of energy and enthusiasm. You will also be innovative, proactive, flexible, and creative with a positive approach to all situations, including problem solving. Your ability to think on your feet and work under pressure, with a solution focused approach, will be advantageous. 

Ideally you will have knowledge of:

• Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act, 1992,
• PPPR Act - Welfare Guardian,
• Sensory Modulation Principles in Mental Health,
• Mental status examinations and risk assessments. 

The successful candidate must be eligible to work in New Zealand or hold a valid NZ visa at the time of applying.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities. 

How to Apply

To apply please click - apply now. - All applications must be submitted through our online careers - portal by 15 June 2025. If you have any questions about the role, please contact

Sonja Rae (recruitment) at sonja.rae@tewhatuora.govt.nz OR

Tamarin MacLeod (Clinical Nurse Specialist) at tamarin.macleod@nmdhb.govt.nz .

Job ref: R1N25-098

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.