“Being a medical social worker is more than just a job, but an important part of my life. It’s a blessing to be able to serve children,” said Assistant Social Work Officer Roy Ng who just won the HA Young Achiever Award. He thinks of himself as a hiking pole, “We walk through the ups and downs with patients’ families. We help sort out information and share experiences to lift them up when they need it.”

Going the extra mile

Roy mainly takes care of haematology and oncology cases, and inevitably comes across some terminally ill patients. He said, “I try my best to help patients and families fulfill their last wishes without regrets.” Roy recalled a girl whose life was at stake, and her father was longing to bring her out for birthday. Roy quickly gathered the healthcare team and worked out a plan together to stabilize her condition and transfer her onto a wheelchair and rehab bus to a nearby indoor playground. Seeing the smile on patients’ faces is Roy’s biggest motivation.

On one weekend, Roy was urgently called back to the hospital to help the parents of a child who suddenly passed away. They raised that the burial must be done before sunset due to religious reasons. However, the death documentation office was closed, so the body could not be claimed with usual procedures. Yet, Roy did not give up, “There were just about three hours left. We asked around and searched everywhere, and finally confirmed that the police could issue a permit under urgent circumstances.” He then rushed to the police station with the parents while contacting the cemetery staff to stand by. It was completed by sunset at the end.

▲A patient gifted this charm to Roy to thank him for being a “captain” who communicated what he wanted to healthcare staff. Roy wears it every day as a reminder to pay attention to patients’ needs.

Putting out fires while keeping patients company

Apart from routines like handling financial assistance applications, the medical social workers at HKCH need to have a thorough understanding of different paediatric diseases and treatments, and work closely with interdisciplinary teams in order to provide the best support. Urgency is another feature of their work. Karre Chung, Social Work Officer of the Medical Social Service Unit said, “We deal with crises all the time, from calming parents who have a sudden breakdown, to searching for patients who don’t show up at follow-up appointment.”

All medical social workers in the unit are specifically employed for HKCH and do not need to rotate. This allows them to see through the whole treatment journey, which enhances service continuity and rapport building with patients’ families. Ms Chung explained, “For example, we could allocate more resources to equip colleagues with child counselling skills, such as sandplay therapy and drawing that help children express themselves, like feeling neglected when all the attention goes to their sick siblings.”

▲Karre Chung (left) said her staff often rack their brains to make things happen for patients. A colleague once boldly asked a university to issue a certificate to its critically-ill student who could not wait till graduation. In the end, the university president showed up at the hospital with the faculty to present the certificate personally. It was a dream come true to the family.

A bridge between the lab and frontline to safeguard patients’ health

Congrats to our Infection Control Officer and Consultant (Pathology) Dr Sally Wong. Her performance in her previous post at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital has earned her the HA Young Achiever Award as well.

▲Dr Sally Wong