Social work in hospital : a need or a luxury?

Abstract

Recent years have seen the world of medicine take great strides forward, with advancements in technological and scientific discoveries. However various sources of literature show that the quality of patient care often seems to lack the human or personal touch hospitals seem to have become somewhat dehumanised. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate whether and to what extent this dehumanising process has settled into Malta's Acute General Hospital - St. Luke's Hospital. The fears, needs and preoccupations faced by patients and their families are discussed. The role of a Hospital Social Worker vis-a-vis the satisfaction of these needs is discussed, taking into consideration the patients', relatives and staff members' perception of this role. The possibility of developing a Social Work department within St. Luke's Hospital is explored, together with the implications that such a development would involve.