Julie Crawshay on Working With Hospital Social Workers in NSW
One of the most useful people I met during our brain cancer journey was not a doctor at all. It was a hospital social worker. I am Julie Crawshay, a carer here in Sydney, and I want more families across NSW to know this quiet resource exists, because in the rush of scans and appointments it is easy to walk straight past it.
What a hospital social worker actually does
In NSW public hospitals, social workers are part of the care team. They are there to help with the practical and emotional weight of a serious diagnosis, not just the medical side. That can include talking through how a family is coping, helping plan a safe discharge home, and connecting you with services you may not have known to ask for.
In my experience they can help with things like:
- Explaining what supports exist and helping you start the right applications.
- Pointing you toward Centrelink, Carer Gateway or Cancer Council services.
- Arranging interpreters if English is a second language in your home.
- Coordinating equipment or care so a return home is safe rather than rushed.
- Offering a calm space to talk when everything feels like too much.
They will not know your exact entitlements to the last dollar, and they will usually point you to the relevant service to confirm details. But they understand how the pieces fit together in NSW, and that map is worth its weight in gold when you are exhausted.
How to make the most of them
You do not always have to wait to be referred. In many hospitals you can ask a nurse or your treating team to connect you with the social work department. When you meet, it helps to be honest about what is hard, whether that is money, transport, caring for children, or simply fear about the future. Social workers hear all of it, and the fuller the picture, the better they can help.
I found it useful to keep a short list of questions between appointments so I did not forget them when the moment came. I also learned to bring a support person, because a brain tumour can affect memory and concentration, and two people remember more than one.
If you live in regional NSW and travel to Sydney for treatment, ask the social worker about travel and accommodation assistance, because there are schemes designed for exactly that situation. They can also connect you with community and telehealth options closer to home.
I would gently say to any carer reading this: asking for help from a social worker is not a sign you are failing. It is how the system is meant to work. When Julie Crawshay finally sat down with one, I stopped feeling so alone in the corridor.
Please treat this as general guidance. Services and referral pathways change, so confirm current details with your hospital and the relevant service. Julie Crawshay hopes you find your own steady hand along the way.
By Julie Crawshay, Sydney, Australia