Senior Social Worker – Emergency Department, Auckland Hospital

Senior Social Worker – Emergency Department

• Permanent role – 24 hours per week
• The role is based at Te Toka Tumai - Auckland City Hospital within the Adult Social Work 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 seeking an experienced Senior Social Worker to work within the Emergency Department (ED) at Auckland City Hospital.

This is a fast‑paced, high‑impact clinical role, supporting patients and whānau who present in acute health and social crisis. You will work alongside medical, nursing and allied health colleagues to provide calm, expert social work intervention in situations where timely, skilled decisions matter.

In this role, you will:

• Respond to acute presentations, including family violence, child protection concerns, sudden illness, injury and death
• Navigate complex legal, ethical and safety considerations
• Provide immediate psychosocial assessment and intervention for patients and whānau experiencing crisis, trauma or distress
• Work confidently within an interdisciplinary ED environment, contributing to safe, well-coordinated care and discharge planning
• Support high‑quality, culturally responsive and whānau‑centred practice
• Contribute to service development, quality improvement and education initiatives
• This role requires sound professional judgement, emotional maturity and the ability to remain grounded and compassionate in high‑pressure situations

About you

You are an experienced and confident Social Worker who brings clinical depth to challenging situations.

You will have:

• NZ registration as a Social Worker with a current Annual Practicing Certificate
• Significant post‑graduate experience (minimum four years), with demonstrated capability working in acute, complex or high‑risk clinical environments
• Proven experience responding to family violence, child protection concerns and grief or sudden loss
• Strong assessment and decision‑making skills, including the ability to manage competing risks safely and ethically
• Confidence engaging with patients and whānau during times of crisis, distress or uncertainty
• Demonstrated commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, equity and culturally safe practice
• A reflective, resilient approach to practice, with strong self‑awareness and use of supervision
• Ability to participate in the after-hours roster. Once you have completed a thorough orientation to your new role and become familiar with it, you will join the after-hours/on-site on-call roster. This equates to two to three shifts every three months at .6FTE. Substantial training and support specific to after-hours work will be provided to the successful candidate.

You are someone who:

• Remains composed and thoughtful in high pressure and time‑critical situations
• Understands the impact of trauma and acute stress on individuals and whānau
• Values teamwork, communication and professional trust
• Is motivated to support and develop others while continuing your own clinical growth
• Experience in an Emergency Department or acute hospital setting is highly desirable

About the Team/Service/Location

• Permanent role – 24 hours per week/.6FTE
• The role is based at Te Toka Tumai - Auckland City Hospital within the Adult Social Work team
• You will be provided with regular supervision and continuing professional development to enhance your capacity to engage in effective social work practice. You will receive routine and regular support from your Practice Supervisor and Clinical Lead. As well as additional support from your Professional Leader.

For more information on living and working in Auckland click here

Click here to view the position description

For more information about this role please contact Kristy Martin – Clinical Lead on 021 570 628 or kristy.martin@tewhatuora.govt.nz

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

Advertising closes: Sunday 3 May 2026 at Time 11:59 pm (New Zealand standard time).

To apply please click on the ‘Apply’ tab below and submit your application online attaching your updated CV and Covering Letter.

Click here to view details about our recruitment process

If you have any queries about accessibility, or technical issues with the online process, please contact Aaron Chamberlain - Recruitment Consultant at aaron.chamberlain@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz quoting ref # ADHB23549 to discuss how we can best support your application.