Social Worker - Intellectual Disability Service, Medium Secure Forensic Inpatient at Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora Southern, Otago

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Wakari Hospital
• Permanent, part-time role (0.5 FTE, 20 hours per week)
• Experienced social workers are encouraged to apply
• Join a dynamic and supportive team
• Access to regular supervision, professional development, and peer support

You will be a part of a team that is dynamic and supportive with an enviable mix of skill knowledge and clinical expertise. This team is committed to delivering a service of the highest standard. We offer access to regular supervision, professional development and peer support.

About the opportunity

You will:

• be responsible for assessing the client's needs and assisting in their journey through the hospital
• need a sound knowledge of elder abuse, family violence and child protection issues
• be able to respond to challenging situations appropriately
• be able to think on your feet
• be experienced at working under pressure
• be able to multi-task
• be adaptable and flexible, allowing you to work effectively with your clients and within the interdisciplinary team and a changing health environment.

View position description.

About you

As a social worker in this team, you will have sound social work knowledge and skills, be a team player with excellent communication skills and work cohesively as part of the multidisciplinary team (MDT).

To be successful in this position, you will also need to demonstrate the following:

• The ability to think on your feet and be experienced at working under pressure whilst multi-tasking
• Be registered with the New Zealand Social Workers Board (NZSWRB) and hold a current Annual Practicing Certificate
• Preferably have experience working in an acute hospital setting
• Strong understanding of social determinants of health and the impact this has on client health and social needs

Salary range

This role belongs to the PSA/DHBs Allied, Public Health and Technical Multi-Employer Collective Agreement and falls between Step 1 ($77,087 p.a) and Step 8 ($110,210 p.a pro-rata) of the Degree-Based Allied, Public Health and Technical Scale.

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 career's portal by Sunday, 8 February 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact James Boyd james.boyd@tewhatuora.govt.nz

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

We only accept online applications. Please apply via our website.