Life Healthcare: Social Worker Vacancy | Apply Before 6 July 2026

ByRainbow Time

Life Healthcare is recruiting a Social Worker for the Rehabilitation Unit at Life Entabeni Hospital. This opportunity is suitable for a qualified and registered Social Worker with experience in hospital-based care who is passionate about supporting patients through rehabilitation and helping them achieve the best possible recovery outcomes.

The successful candidate will provide holistic social work services to patients recovering from neurological, orthopaedic, and other complex medical conditions. The role involves working closely with patients, families, caregivers, and a multidisciplinary healthcare team to coordinate rehabilitation plans, provide counselling, and facilitate safe and effective discharge planning.

Applications are open to both internal and external candidates. Interested applicants should submit their applications before the closing date.

Position Details
  • Position: Social Worker
  • Department: Rehabilitation
  • Facility: Life Entabeni Hospital
  • Employment Type: Permanent
  • Reporting To: Therapy Services Coordinator
  • Closing Date: Monday, 6 July 2026
About the Role

The Rehabilitation Unit at Life Entabeni Hospital forms part of Life Healthcare’s expanding network of rehabilitation facilities that focus on providing high-quality, patient-centred care. The Social Worker will deliver professional psychosocial support while assisting patients and their families throughout the rehabilitation process.

The position requires comprehensive assessments, counselling, discharge planning, family support, and collaboration with various healthcare professionals to ensure patients receive appropriate care during and after their hospital stay.

The successful applicant will become an important member of the rehabilitation team, contributing to improved patient outcomes and quality of life.

Key Responsibilities

The Social Worker will provide clinical social work services to all patients admitted to the rehabilitation unit, including providing services during selected weekends and public holidays when required.

Responsibilities include conducting comprehensive psychosocial assessments of patients, evaluating family circumstances, and assessing home environments to identify barriers and support systems that may affect rehabilitation and discharge planning.

The successful candidate will provide counselling services to patients and their families while helping them understand the patient’s condition, rehabilitation programme, and future care needs.

The role includes working with patients recovering from a variety of conditions, including:

  • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
  • Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke/CVA)
  • Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
  • Orthopaedic conditions
  • Guillain-Barré Syndrome
  • Multiple complex medical conditions requiring rehabilitation

The Social Worker will collaborate with therapists, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to coordinate discharge planning and ensure continuity of care after hospital discharge.

Supporting Patients and Families

Providing emotional and practical support to patients and their families is a key responsibility of this position.

The successful candidate will educate families about rehabilitation, explain treatment goals, discuss available discharge options, and assist with planning ongoing care after hospitalisation.

Additional responsibilities include identifying caregiver training needs, helping families prepare for caregiving responsibilities, and connecting them with relevant community resources and support services.

These interventions help reduce anxiety while improving long-term rehabilitation outcomes.

Discharge Planning

Discharge planning forms an essential part of the Social Work role.

The successful candidate will assess each patient’s individual circumstances, available family support, home environment, financial situation, and ongoing care requirements to develop appropriate discharge plans.

Depending on patient needs, discharge arrangements may include:

  • Returning home with family support
  • Organising home-based care services
  • Referral to rehabilitation facilities
  • Placement in long-term care facilities
  • Coordinating community support services
  • Assisting with access to assistive devices and available resources

The goal is to ensure every patient transitions safely and successfully to the next stage of care.

Employer Engagement

Where appropriate, the Social Worker will communicate with employers regarding patients who may be able to return to work following rehabilitation.

This includes discussing reasonable workplace accommodations, phased return-to-work arrangements, vocational rehabilitation opportunities, and other measures that support successful reintegration into employment.

Multidisciplinary Team Participation

The successful applicant will work closely with members of the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team.

Responsibilities include:

  • Attending weekly multidisciplinary meetings
  • Participating in family meetings
  • Contributing to rehabilitation planning
  • Sharing professional recommendations
  • Collaborating with therapists, nurses, and doctors
  • Supporting integrated patient care

Strong teamwork is essential to achieving positive rehabilitation outcomes.

Documentation and Administration

Accurate record keeping is an important aspect of this position.

The Social Worker will maintain patient records, prepare professional reports, document assessments, record counselling interventions, update discharge plans, and respond to patient and stakeholder enquiries in a timely manner.

Professional documentation ensures continuity of care while meeting healthcare and regulatory standards.

Continuous Professional Development

The successful candidate will participate in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities within the rehabilitation unit.

Responsibilities include attending educational sessions, contributing to professional discussions, maintaining current knowledge of rehabilitation practices, and ensuring continued professional competence.

Student Supervision

The position may include supervising university students completing practical placements within the rehabilitation unit.

This involves providing mentorship, supporting practical learning, monitoring progress, and assisting students in developing professional social work skills.

Stakeholder Engagement

The Social Worker will establish and maintain productive professional relationships with referral sources and stakeholders involved in rehabilitation services.

This includes collaborating with healthcare providers, community organisations, rehabilitation facilities, support agencies, patients, and their families to ensure coordinated and effective service delivery.

Minimum Requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Degree in Social Work.
  • Current professional registration as a Social Worker.
  • Experience in hospital-based social work.
  • Experience working within multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
  • Strong patient advocacy skills.
  • Knowledge of local community resources will be an advantage.
  • Commitment to delivering quality patient care.
  • Commitment to customer satisfaction.
  • Current COVID-19 vaccination.
Required Skills and Competencies

The successful candidate should demonstrate the following competencies:

  • Attention to detail
  • Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
  • Sound judgement
  • Excellent verbal and written communication
  • Influencing skills
  • Personal integrity
  • Planning and organisational skills
  • Ethical behaviour
  • Relationship-building ability
  • High levels of drive and energy
  • Process-oriented approach
  • Ability to work independently
  • Conflict management
  • Effective self-management

These qualities will enable the successful candidate to deliver high-quality rehabilitation support within a multidisciplinary healthcare environment.

Why Apply?

This opportunity offers qualified Social Workers the chance to contribute meaningfully to patient recovery within a specialised rehabilitation setting. The role provides exposure to complex rehabilitation cases while working alongside experienced healthcare professionals committed to delivering patient-centred care.

Candidates who are compassionate, organised, and committed to improving the lives of patients and their families are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should email their application to:

External Employment Application Form

External applicants are required to complete the Life Healthcare External Employment Application Form when applying for this vacancy. Ensure that the application form is completed accurately and submitted together with an updated CV and any supporting documents requested in the job advertisement.

Applications should be emailed to [email protected] before the closing date of Monday, 6 July 2026. Incomplete or late applications may not be considered.

Closing Date: Monday, 6 July 2026

Internal applicants should discuss their application with their line manager before applying.

Both internal and external applicants will be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applicants who do not receive feedback within two weeks after the closing date should consider their application unsuccessful.

Life Healthcare is an Equal Opportunity Employer.