The Roles Of Social Welfare Department (Medical Social Services) In Our Hospital

The Social Welfare Department at Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu (FNHE) is a humanitarian arm dedicated to enhancing patient experience. In alignment with the hospital’s initiatives, our department provides comprehensive support, aid and relief to ensure a smooth and seamless access to our healthcare services as well as to facilitate recovery

We have various responsibilities to our patients and they include providing : Individualized care, Casework management, Assessment and diagnosis of patients social problems and then working with the patient on sustainable ways of resolving identified psychosocial issues. We also contact patient’s relatives when needed. We Provide guidance and advocacy for our patients on crucial matters when the need arises.

Furthermore, as part of our obligations to the patients and hospital community, we do the following:

1. Clinical ward rounds,we work as part of the multidisciplinary team where we recognize the demand and needs of the patients, investigating their case and focusing on the socio-environmental situations surrounding the patient’s illness.
2. Counselling/psycho education which is an evidence-based therapeutic intervention for patients and their loved ones that provides information and knowledge about various facets of the illness and its treatment so that they can work together with mental health professional for a better overall outcome.
3. Repatriation services involving taking back a patient (usually when abandoned/vagrant) to their communities/state of origin.
4. Psychotherapy involving the use of talk therapy/regular interaction to help patients change behaviour, increase happiness, and overcome problems. This is done with individuals, groups and families.
5. Follow-up services: We achieve this through visits and scheduled phone calls to encourage patients to attend their regular check-up, create an atmosphere of satisfaction with the hospital services, reduce the rate of re-hospitalization, create opportunity to intervene on patient’s potential problems, bridge communication gap between patients and social workers.
6. Crisis intervention services: We work collaboratively with the
   emergency unit of the hospital to initiate initial assessments of the patients to address the social determinants of the patient’s situation as well as collaboratively develop follow-up plans and facilitate care.
7. Home visitations aimed at improving care-giving by exploring the relationship between patients and their environment, allowing the family to interact in a setting that is often most comfortable for them.
8. Referral services whereby patients are sent to treatment centres which has more resources, facilities and amenities, technical competence and other resources to provide desired services.
9. Rehabilitation services designed to improve the lives of patients by giving them the emotional, cognitive and social skills and assistance to help them restore functioning. This is basically achieved with the support of family members of the patients.

From:
Information Unit
Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu