Counselling
We provide counselling to patients and their loved ones to help them cope with the impact of their medical condition and resulting life changes.
Care Arrangement and Discharge Planning
We assist patients with complex psychosocial and discharge-planning needs by conducting timely assessments and interventions. We also help patients and their families cope with personal, emotional and bio-psychosocial issues affecting hospitalisation and care delivery by connecting them with community resources and supportive counselling.
Financial Assistance
We assess and administer accessible financial assistance schemes for patients and families in need.
Crisis Intervention
Psychosocial assessment, counselling support and practical assistance are provided to patients in a crisis, including victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, self-harm or attempted suicide, neglect and other forms of abuse.
Education, Teaching and Networking
We offer clinical supervision to NUS social work students. Additionally, we actively engage in inter-professional teaching for NUS medical students from Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine through lectures, talks and patient interactions. We are also involved with the National Medical Social Work (MSW) Chapter training and regional workgroups with government and volunteer organisations.
Support Groups
The Department runs group work to further provide educational and emotional support to specific groups of patients and their loved ones.
Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme: The Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme is run by the multi-disciplinary team at National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) to support cardiac patients through their recovery process. Our MSW team facilitates psycho-education talk and support group sessions for cardiac patients, providing a platform for learning and mutual sharing.
Empowered Living (HIV Support Group): Empowered Living is a joint psycho-education programme administered by the Medical Social Services Department at Singapore General Hospital and the Department of Medical Social Work at NUH. The programme serves as a safe platform for group sharing, and provides psycho-education on nutrition, sexual health and other issues.
'Incredible Years' Parents Support Programme: The Incredible Years Parenting programme is an evidence-based treatment initiative for families with children with behavioural issues and defiant disorder. It focuses on strengthening parents' competence and building positive parent-child relationship. It aims to:
Equip parents with strategies to work with young children and their behavioural issues;
Promote their social, emotional and academic competence;
Foster mutual support among parents.
Kids Connect: Kids Connect is a holiday support programme targeted at children (7 to 12 years old) whose parents or loved ones are impacted by cancer. The group sessions, which comprise play and other creative activities, aim to help children moderate their feelings by providing avenues to express these feelings and explore strategies to cope with them.
Rheumatology Support Group: This patient support group provides a platform for patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis to network and support one another. Together with the other members of the multi-disciplinary team from the Rheumatology clinic, patients share and learn how to manage and overcome day-to-day challenges that they face as they cope with their unique condition.
CARE System (Caring Action in Response to Emergency)
The Department leads and coordinates the hospital's psychological response through its CARE teams during national emergencies and incidents involving mass casualty.
In addition to Medical Social Workers, staff members from various departments undergo our training and become members of the CARE team. In times of crisis, extensive CARE coverage is implemented at the Emergency Medicine Department, Relative Holding Area, and strategic locations to effectively reach out to those affected.
Hospital Peer Support Programme - CARE buddies
The Department has been at the forefront in pioneering and sustaining the hospital's peer support programme for staff.
The NUH CARE Buddies Programme is designed to offer formal training to staff, empowering them to provide psychological support to peers dealing with critical incidents, stress, personal events and burnout. Currently, CARE Buddies Teams have been established in all wards and outpatient areas. Over 500 staff interested in this support programme have earned an internationally recognised certification.
