This report draws on data from Freedom of Information requests, interviews with hospital social workers, and a UK-wide online survey.

Key findings
Social workers are often employed by the local authority but support discharges from acute NHS hospitals.

Almost 40% of staff in hospital social work teams do not hold a formal social work qualification.

Flexible and agile working is common, but this has had a detrimental impact on communication between social work and clinical staff in the hospital, and between social workers and patients, by reducing familiarity and opportunity for face-to-face conversation.

Hospital social work has changed due to Covid-19 restrictions, as social work teams were often moved out of hospitals and have not returned.

Discharge to Assess is also changing the nature of hospital social work, as long-term decision-making in a hospital setting is discouraged and patients are moved out of acute hospital settings sooner.

Social workers bring value to the multi-disciplinary hospital team, by centring the importance of individual choice and of the patient’s relationships.

Social workers also report having a greater focus on the patient’s past and their potential future, than clinical colleagues.