Social Worker - Mental Health Crisis Team

Mental Health Acute Social Worker – Flexible Crisis Team

• Permanent, Full-time role
• Rostered shifts: across seven days per week (TBD)
• Based at Liaison Psychiatry, North Shore Hospital, with deployment across Emergency Departments (North Shore and Waitākere) and Community Acute Mental Health Teams (Rodney, North Shore and Waitākere)

Mauri Ora! Mauri Kaha!

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.

At Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Waitematā, we recognise the value our people bring to our organisation. We are looking for individuals who share our values and are committed to providing the best care for everyone. We understand how important it is to know that what you do counts, and to feel a sense of achievement and satisfaction in your work.

About the role

The Flexible Crisis Team (Flexi Team) supports crisis mental health care through flexible resource deployment across the acute continuum of care, including Mental Health ED/Liaison Services and Community Acute Crisis Teams.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary team working rostered shifts across seven days a week in a fast-paced acute environment.

As an Acute Mental Health Social Worker within the Flexi Team, you demonstrate specialist psychosocial assessment and formulation, and intervention for tāngata whai i te ora experiencing an acute deterioration in mental state.

The role focuses on identifying and formulating the psychosocial factors that impact presentation, safety, and disposition. This includes complex risk contexts such as:

• Safeguarding concerns (children and adults at risk)
• Family harm and intimate partner violence
• Family instability and breakdown in care arrangements

You will contribute a distinct professional perspective within the multidisciplinary team, with a focus on psychosocial formulation, capacity, and risk in context.

The role includes:

• Rapid psychosocial assessment and risk formulation
• Supporting clinical decision-making, including admission and discharge planning
• Identifying and enabling safe alternatives to inpatient admission where appropriate
• Coordinating care and undertaking assertive interagency liaison
• Assessing and articulating risk, including thresholds for statutory or specialist intervention

You will work alongside acute clinicians to provide real-time input where psychosocial factors influence presentation or create barriers to discharge. This role contributes to maintaining safety, reducing unnecessary admissions, and supporting care in the least restrictive environment.

 
Please click here for a copy of the position description

About You

• Registered Social Worker with a current Annual Practising Certificate (APC)
• Full registration with the Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB)
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in mental health, preferably within an acute setting
• Demonstrated experience in psychosocial assessment, risk assessment, and crisis intervention
• Strong understanding of safeguarding frameworks, family violence, and interagency practice
• Ability to work effectively within a fast-paced multidisciplinary team
• Excellent communication, critical thinking, and decision-making skills
• Commitment to ongoing professional development, including maintaining a CPD log for SWRB requirements
• Duly Authorised Officer status, or willingness to undertake training

Our Values

At Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Waitematā we are driven by our values: everyone matters, with compassion, connected, and better, best, brilliant. We are committed to living these values and providing an environment that offers balance, support, development, encouragement, and aroha.

How to apply

To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply now" button on this page.

For more information about the position, please contact Sarah-Jane Reweti (Clinical Nurse Director) at Sarah-Jane Reweti@waitematadhb.govt.nz

For recruitment enquiries please contact Abigail Sana Matic via email

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

Job Number : WDHB21553

Closing Date : 19 April 2026