• Use your broad range of Social Work abilities to help within a talented multi-disciplinary team.
• Permanent full time position, 40 hours per week (1.0FTE)
• NZ Registered Social Worker with current APC is essential. However, those graduating in 2026 and awaiting registration are welcome to apply.
  

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

Ashburton Hospital provides a range of Inpatient, Day patient, Outpatient and Community based health services to the wider mid-Canterbury community. The Hospital has 74 beds and annually admits around 5,000 patients, cares for 2,600 day patients and 15,000 patients attend outpatient appointments.

Rural health services employ around 550 full time and part time staff, which includes a clinical workforce in medicine, surgery and gynaecology, supported by nursing and allied health professionals with extensive experience in a wide range of clinical situations.

This role will involve providing Social Work to inpatient, outpatient and community services to Ashburton and Rural Health Service. You would be part of a small team of experienced Social Workers who work together to provide a generalist service across the life span where no 2 days will be the same.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Providing high-quality Social Work services which meets the needs of the inpatients, outpatients and community patients / clients of Mid Canterbury
• Providing evaluation, therapeutic and educational services to patients/clients of Ashburton
• Working within a multi-disciplinary team and liaising with health providers

In this role, you will be responsible for providing assessment and intervention for adults, children and families with illness and/or disability to support them to remain in their own environment for as long as possible.

About You

We are seeking an enthusiastic Social Worker to join our team in this full time, permanent position.

Your skills will include:

• A drive to ensure best health outcomes for people requiring Social Work services
• The ability to work within a team and contribute to the provision of high quality care
• Being self-motivated, organised and enjoy a challenge
• Knowledge of te ao Māori, tikanga, and te reo Māori OR a commitment to starting your journey and taking ownership of your learning and growth
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build and nurture relationships with patients, their supports, colleagues and service leaders

You will be a NZ Registered Social Worker with a current APC or a completing your degree in 2026 and awaiting registration

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To apply for the role please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal before 11:59pm on 20th October 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Courtney Bell at

To be eligible for this role you must hold the legal right to work and live in New Zealand, if you do not hold the legal right to live and work in New Zealand your application will be declined. We will be reviewing applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process before the closing date of this advert.