Strategies for facilitating social work placements in general practice.

Abstract

Hosting social work placements within general practice can provide opportunities to extend interdisciplinary skills, increase the ability to meet patient needs and improve understanding of social work asadiscipline. This paper is based on an Australian pilot project involving social work students being placed in general practice for their 500-hour placements. Collaboratively written by academics and practitioners from social work and general practice, itprovides key strategies guiding practices to optimise implementing social work student placements. It identifies strategies to design the placement, selectstudents and to prepare practices, supervisors and students to benefit student learning and the general practice. Preparing key stakeholders, providingtargeted supervision, longer appointments for social work students and involving allstakeholders are key strategies to successfully facilitate social work placements in general practice. Hosting social work students effectively can further develop multidisciplinary practice, connecting general practices even more with best practice, research and community.