Social Worker - Lakes District Hospital at Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora Southern, Otago

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Lakes District Hospital, Queenstown
• Permanent, full-time role (1.0 FTE, 40 hours per week, part-time can be considered for the right candidate)
• Salary band: $77,087 - $110,210 per annum pro-rata plus KiwiSaver
• Access to regular supervision, professional development, and peer support

About the role

The rural health social work role at Lakes District Hospital encompasses general inpatient, ED, maternity, outpatients, and community services including ACC/MSD/NASCs, and is an all-age service currently managed by one FTE.

The role has grown over the past two years alongside a continually expanding population, introducing more complex health factors including a wide range of social issues. Social work is integral to MDT processes across secondary and primary health sectors, as well as an interagency approach across the broad spectrum of community services when working alongside clients.

The role is very busy and varies on a daily basis, with a need to understand health-related issues and concisely convey these in client discussions to support healthcare planning. The ability to adapt and be flexible is essential to support the needs of inpatient services for patient journey and bed flow management, ensuring timely discharge planning and access to relevant community services.

This new social work role is an exciting opportunity to experience rural health with colleagues who are dedicated to the Wakatipu Basin community and advocate for clients to have easier access to tertiary health services in Southland and Otago.

View position description.

About you

To thrive in this role, you will bring:

• strong social work knowledge and a commitment to high-quality care
• excellent communication and teamwork skills
• the ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities
• registration with the New Zealand Social Workers Registration Board (NZSWRB)
• a current Annual Practising Certificate (APC)
• a strong understanding of the social determinants of health
• direct hospital-based social work experience (highly desirable).

This is your chance to make a meaningful difference every day and grow your career within a supportive team. If you are ready for a challenging, rewarding, and purpose-driven role - we want to hear from you!

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 per annum) and Step 8 ($110,210 per annum 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 careers portal by Sunday, 19 April 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.