COURSE OUTLINE (2022-2023 First Semester)

Course Title Social Work and Health Care

Course Code SOWK6350 No. of Credits 6

Social Work & Social
Department Faculty Social Sciences
Administration
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Course Code
Nil Course Code
Nil
Course Coordinator(s) Ms. Fiona Man-Yan CHANG
Email fifooart@gmail.com Telephone No. 91984363
Other Course
Teacher(s)/Tutor(s) Dr. Tommy Liang
Dr. Joanne Leung
Dr. Eve Wong
Ms. Margaret Suen

Total: 60 Learning Hours (including 36 hrs classroom teaching/lecture, 24hrs

Learning Hours
reading/self- study/revision)
Student Quota 28 students

Course Type  Core Course  Compulsory √ Elective  Other ________________

Offer in Academic Year √ 1st Semester  2nd Semester  Summer  Year Long  Other ______

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course introduces the evolving development of an empowering social work practice in healthcare. It is an
integral learning of psychosocial assessments, empowerment skills, and evidence-based approaches for
working with the Chinese and local population to cope with a range of health challenges. The course covers
multi-level methods of holistic care from diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation to palliative phase. Major methods
at individual, family and community levels include case management, patient education, health promotion,
body-mind-spirit model, healing arts, mindfulness-based practice, trauma-informed care, end-of-life care,
bereavement support, self-help, mutual support and care for the care-givers.

The course emphasized the importance of experiential learning and sharing of clinical experience. Interactive
exercises, live demonstration, video illustration, case studies and readings will be provided to build up the
knowledge, skills, sensitivity, collaborative capacity, professional ethics and personal strengths of the students.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon the completion of this course, students are expected to be able to

1. Knowledge:
- understand the delivery of healthcare social work and the roles of social workers in healthcare
- examine the bio-psychosocial needs of the individuals and families with health concerns, and social work
practice to address them
2. Values:
- work in accordance with social work values and code of ethics in healthcare settings
- respect the boundaries of the helping relationship and other professionals
3. Skills:
- develop practical skills and techniques to empower the individuals and families with health challenges
- increase self-care capacity to cope with health, life and death, trauma and mental issues
GUIDELINES ON GRADING AND STANDARDS OF ASSESSMENT

1. Class Attendance and In-class Participation (10%)

Students are expected to attend fully in class. Active participation and contribution to class discussions,
experiential activities, sharing and group presentations are requirements of the course.

2. Self-Reflective Essay (20%)

Self-refection is a fruitful part of the learning process for both personal and professional awareness.
Students are required to submit a self-reflective essay of 1,500 to 2,000 words on or before 23:59 of
1 November, 2022. Late submission would not be accepted.

The content of the reflection paper includes:

- a brief description of a personal and/or professional experience in working with individual/families
with health challenges
- any new, meaningful and deeper understanding on the experience
- examine any inspiration and ideas about healthcare social work practice/healthcare policy in Hong
Kong

Reminder: Keep all personal details confidential

3. Group Project and Presentation (30%)

Six groups of 4 students are formed to design a social work program with a selected target population with
health care issues.

Each group is expected to prepare a 30-minute presentation and facilitate 15-minute class discussion.
The content includes:
- background and need assessment
- rationale behind the program design
- theoretical knowledge of working approaches, goals and methods
- program details and outcome measurement
- roles of social workers
- reflections, insights and recommendation for healthcare social work practice

4. Written Term paper (40%)

The term paper is an academic essay of 3,000-4,000 words on a selected topic related to health care in
response to ONE of the following questions:

Option A - A theoretical paper to formulate your working philosophy and approaches of social work
practice in healthcare. Please examine on the different schools of thoughts.

Option B - A critique on a social work program in healthcare setting. Please state the pros and cons of
having such a project. Give recommendations with theoretical ground to improve the program.

Option C - A topical paper. Please select a specific clinical or community health issue to examine how
social worker might address the issue. Craft your rationales and recommendations supported by
theoretical and research evidence.

The paper has to follow APA academic writing style, with full referencing, comprehensive review of the
updated literature and high originality. Students have to demonstrate a synthesis of relevant knowledge
and social work practice in healthcare context.

The paper should be in 1.5 line spacing and page numbering and submitted through the Turnitin system,
on or before 23:59 of 1 Dec 2022. Late submission would not be accepted.

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COURSE CONTENT AND SCHEDULE
No. Date Topic
1. 5/9/22 Course introduction
Healthcare in Hong Kong
Overview on social work practice in healthcare
2 19/9/22 Bio-psychosocial needs of patients and caregivers (Dr. Tommy Liang)
Holistic care model

3 26/9/22 Self-help and mutual support

Patients' right and responsibilities
Policy advocacy

4 3/10/22 Working in pediatric wards (Dr. Joanne Leung)

Case management and discharge planning

5 10/10/22 Crisis management (Ms. Margaret Suen)

(Reading Week) suicide/domestic violence/trauma/disaster /infectious disease
6 17/10/22 Adolescent medical care (Dr. Eve Wong)
Teamwork in healthcare

7 24/10/22 Oncology psychosocial care

Arts-inspired practice

8 31/10/22 Elder Care

Palliative care
Grief and Bereavement
9 7/11/22 Care-giving, support for families and care-givers
Experiential Family Therapy

10 14/11/22 Complementary/integrative/community care

Roles and proficiency of social workers in healthcare
Social work values and ethics in healthcare delivery
Self-care practice
11 21/11/22 Group Presentation

12 28/11/22 Group Presentation

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Course Learning Outcomes Aligned Programme Learning Outcomes
1. Apply multi-disciplinary knowledge, approaches, 1,2,3,4,5,6
theories and research in health care social work,
demonstrating originality and creativity in service
delivery
2. Integrate up-to-date working approaches and 1,2,3,4,5,6
practical know-how to provide the best care and
tackle novel challenges, meeting the needs of
patients/families/caregivers
3. Collaborate professionally with the stakeholders 1,2,3,4,5
in the healthcare system, including healthcare
professionals, patients, families, care-givers and
the general public

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 4. Be sensitive and adherent to personal and 1,2,3,4,5
professional ethics in healthcare social work
practice with cultural consideration

5. Build up professional competence in health care 1,2,6

social work practice and advocacy skills in
healthcare policy

COURSE TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Course Teaching and Learning Activities Aligned Course Learning Outcomes
1. Lectures and class discussion to encourage 1,2,3,4,5
mastery of critical thinking and professional
practice
2. Experiential activities to promote professional 1,2,3,5
practice and enhance creativity in service
delivery
3. Sharing by experienced social workers to have a 1,2,3,4,5
comprehensive understanding of the novel
working approaches and frontline experiences

4. Self-reflection/observation by students to 1,2,3, 5

enhance ethical and reflective practice

5. Group presentation to promote quality care to 1,2,3,4,5

the needy with health challenges

6. Policy reviews/sharing by self-help organizations 2, 3, 4

to advocate for policy change

COURSE ASSESSMENT METHODS

Aligned Course Learning
Assessment Method Description Weight
Outcomes
1. Class Attendance and Continuous assessment 10% 1,2,3,4,5,6
In-class Participation
2. Self-Reflective Essay Submit on or before 1/11/2022 20% 1,2,3,4,5,6

3. Group Presentation Presentation on 21/11/2022 and 30% 1,2,3,4,5,6

28/11/2022
4. Term Paper Submit on or before 1/12/2022 40% 1,2,3,4,5,6

For grading rubrics, please refer to Appendix I.

ESSENTIAL READINGS:
Texts for the Course
1. Chan, C. L. W., & Rhind, N. (1997). Social Work Intervention in Health Care: The Hong Kong
Scene. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
2. Beder, J. (2013). Hospital Social Work: The Interface of Medicine and Caring. New York:
Routledge.
3. Leung, G. M., & Bacon-Shone, J. (2006). Hong Kong’s Health System: Reflections,
Perspectives and Visions. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
4. Dziegielewski, S.F. (2019). The Changing Face of Health Care Social Work: Opportunities and

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 Challenges for Professional Practice. (3rd Ed.). New York: Springer Publishing Company.

Further Readings
5. Lee, M.Y., Ng S.M., Leung, P.P.Y., & Chan, C.L.W. (2018). Integrative Body-Mind-Spirit Social
Work: An Empirically Based Approach to Assessment and Treatment. Oxford University Press.
6. Gehlert, S. & Browne, T.A. (2011). Handbook of Health Social Work (Second Edition). Hoboken, NJ:
Wiley Publishers.
7. Chan, C. (2001). An Eastern Body Mind Spirit Approach: A training Manual with One-second
Techniques. Hong Kong: Department of Social Work & Social Administration, HKU.
8. Chan, C. L. W. (2003). An Eastern Body-Mind-Spirit Approach—A Training Manual. Hong Kong
Journal of Social Work, 37(1), 103-105.
9. Chan, C., Ying Ho, P. S., & Chow, E. (2002). A body-mind-spirit model in health: an Eastern
approach. Social work in health care, 34(3-4), 261-282.

Mental Health
10. Bland, R., Drake, G., & Drayton, J. (2021). Social work practice in mental health: An introduction.
Routledge.
11. Golightley, M., & Goemans, R. (2020). Social work and mental health. Sage.
12. Wong, D.F.K., Lam, A.Y.K.,Chan, S.K., & Chan. S.F.(2012). Quality of life of caregivers with
relatives suffering from mental illness in Hong Kong: roles of caregiver characteristics,
caregiving burdens, and satisfaction with psychiatric services. Health Qual Life Outcomes,
10(15), 1-9
13. Wong, F.K.D (2011). Cognitive behavioral group treatment for Chinese people with depressive
symptoms in Hong Kong: participants’ perspectives. International Journal of group psychotherapy,
61(3),438-459

14. Cheung, M. (2006). Therapeutic games and guided imagery: tools for mental health and school
professionals working with children, adolescents, and their families. Lyceum Books, Incorporated.

Grief/Loss/Bereavement
15. Chow, A. Y., Caserta, M., Lund, D., Suen, M. H., Xiu, D., Chan, I. K., & Chu, K. S. (2019). Dual-process
bereavement group intervention (DPBGI) for widowed older adults. The Gerontologist, 59(5), 983-994.
16. Eisma, M. C., Lenferink, L. I., Chow, A. Y., Chan, C. L., & Li, J. (2019). Complicated grief and post-
traumatic stress symptom profiles in bereaved earthquake survivors: a latent class analysis. European
journal of psychotraumatology, 10(1), 1558707.
17. Lloyd-Williams, M. (Ed.). (2018). Psychosocial issues in Palliative Care: A community based
approach for life limiting illness. Oxford University Press.
18. Neimeyer, R. A. (Ed.). (2015). Techniques of grief therapy: Assessment and intervention.
Routledge.
19. Li, J., Stroebe, M., Chan, C. L., & Chow, A. Y. (2014). Guilt in bereavement: A review and
conceptual framework. Death Studies, 38(3), 165-171.

Individual/Family Counseling
20. Al-Ashwal, F. Y., Kubas, M., Zawiah, M., Bitar, A. N., Mukred Saeed, R., Sulaiman, S. A. S., ... &
Ghadzi, S. M. S. (2020). Healthcare workers’ knowledge, preparedness, counselling practices, and

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 perceived barriers to confront COVID-19: A cross-sectional study from a war-torn country,
Yemen. PloS one, 15(12), e0243962.
21. Kokorelias, K. M., Gignac, M. A., Naglie, G., & Cameron, J. I. (2019). Towards a universal model of
family centered care: a scoping review. BMC health services research, 19(1), 564.
22. Bor, R., Miller, R., Gill, S., & Evans, A. (2008). Counseling in health care settings: A handbook for
practitioners. Macmillan International Higher Education.
23. Irving, H. H. (2002). Family mediation: theory and practice with Chinese families (Vol. 1). Hong Kong
University Press.
24. 馬麗莊. (2011) 厭食症與家庭治療. 香港: 匯智出版.

Group Work

25. 梁玉麒,游達裕,區結蓮 (2011). 千帆並舉 - 社會工作小組新貎. 香港: 策馬文創.

26. Yalom, I. D. (1983). Inpatient group psychotherapy. Basic Books.
27. 香港復康會社區復康網絡 (1998). 長期病患者冶療小組導師手冊. 香港： 香港復康會.
28. 香港復康會社區復康網絡 (1997).自助組織手冊(第二版). 香港：香港復康會社區復康網絡

Self-Help/Mutual Support
29. Adams, R. (1990). Inpatient group psychotherapy. Springer.
30. Powell, T. J. (1990). Working with self-help. National Association of Social Work.
31. Mok, E., & Martinson, I. (2000). Empowerment of Chinese patients with cancer through self-help groups
in Hong Kong. Cancer Nursing, 23(3), 206-213.
32. Mok, B. H. (2004). Self-help group participation and empowerment in Hong Kong. J. Soc. & Soc.
Welfare, 31, 153.
33. Leung, J., & Arthur, D. G. (2004). Clients and facilitators’ experiences of participating in a Hong Kong
self‐help group for people recovering from mental illness. International journal of mental health
nursing, 13(4), 232-241.

Creative Practice in Healthcare

34. Samuels, M., & Lane, M. R. (2011). Creative healing: How to heal yourself by tapping your hidden
creativity. Wipf and Stock Publishers.
35. Rogers, N. (2011). The Creative Connection for Groups, Person-centered Expressive Arts for Healing &
Social Change. Palo Alto, CA: Science & Behavior Books.
36. Rappaport, L. (2009). Focusing-Oriented Art Therapy: Accessing the Body’s Wisdom and Creative
Intelligence, London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
37. Warren, B. (Ed.). (2008). Using the creative arts in therapy and healthcare: a practical introduction.
Routledge.
38. Jones, P. (2005). The Arts Therapies: A Revolution in Healthcare. Hove, East Sussex; New York, NY:
Brunner-Routledge.
39. Malchiodi, C. A. (Ed.). (2012). Art therapy and health care. Guilford Press.
40. Chang, F. (2012). Repossessing Femininity from Breast Cancer with Expressive Arts. In Malchiodi, C.
(Ed.) (2012). Art Therapy and Health Care, Guilford (to be published).
41. Chang, F. (2012). Integrating Person-centered Expressive Arts with Chinese Metaphors. In
Kalmanowitz, D., Potash, J. S. & Chan, S. M. (Eds.). (2012). Art therapy in Asia: To the bone or
wrapped in silk. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley.
42. Chang, F., & Ho, S. (2000). From expression to empowerment: Using creative arts as self-healing media
for cancer patients. In Fielding, R. & Chan, C. L. W. (2000). Psychosocial oncology and palliative care in
Hong Kong: The first decade (Chapter 10). Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
43. Chang, M. Y. F. 張文茵 (1998), 藝術自療坊 - Self-healing through Expressive Arts Group. In Community

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 Rehabilitation Network of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation (Ed.) (1998). 長期病患者治療小組導師
手冊 - Therapeutic Groups for the Chronically Ill and Families. Hong Kong: Community Rehabilitation
Network of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation.

Roles of Healthcare Social Workers and Collaborative Teamwork

44. Chan, W. C. H. (2014). Relationships between Psycho-Social Issues and Physical Symptoms of Hong
Kong Chinese Palliative Care Patients: Insights into Social Workers' Role in Symptoms
Management. The British Journal of Social Work, 44(8), 2342-2359.
45. Kitchen, A. & Brook, J. (2005). Social work at the heart of the medical team. Social Work in Health Care,
40(4), 1-18.
46. Wong, C. K., Chan, B., & Tam, V. (2000). Medical social workers in Hong Kong hospitals: Expectation,
authority structure and role ambiguity. International Social Work, 43(4), 495-516.
47. Yip, K. S. (2004). Medicalization of social workers in mental health services in Hong Kong. British
Journal of Social Work, 34(3), 413-435.
48. Chan, K. F., Ng, Y. N., Bian, Z. X., Shi, Y., Lee, S. P., & Ng, K. Y. (2008). Social Work at the Chinese
Medicine System in Hong Kong: Opportunities and Challenges. Social Work in Health Care, 46(4), 39-
55.
49. Ma, J. (1997). Foundation knowledge for the health care social worker in Hong Kong. Social work
intervention in health care. The Hong Kong scene, 23-38.
50. Ma, J. L. C. (1999). The role of social workers in the Hong Kong psychiatric service. Hong Kong Medical
Journal, 5, 48-56.
51. Maghsoudi, T., Cascón-Pereira, R., & Beatriz Hernández Lara, A. (2020). The Role of Collaborative
Healthcare in Improving Social Sustainability: A Conceptual Framework. Sustainability, 12(8), 3195.

Healthcare Policy
52. Moniz, C. & Gorin, S. (2014). Health Care Policy and Practice: A Biopsychosocial Perspective (4th Ed.).
New York: Routledge.
53. Dziegielewski, S.F. (2013). The changing face of health care social work: Opportunities and challenges
for professional practice. (3rd Ed.). New York: Springer Publishing Company.
54. Kong, X., Yang, Y., Gao, J., Guan, J., Liu, Y., Wang, R., ... & Ma, W. (2015). Overview of the health care
system in Hong Kong and its referential significance to mainland China. Journal of the Chinese Medical
Association, 78(10), 569-573.
55. Schoeb, V. (2016). Healthcare service in Hong Kong and its challenges. The role of health professionals
within a social model of health. China perspectives, 2016(2016/4), 51-58.
56. Education Bureau. (2015). Health and Healthcare in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Personal, Social and
Humanities Education Section, Curriculum Development Institute.
57. Hong Kong SAR Government. (2019). Overview of the Health Care System in Hong Kong. Retrieved on
30 June, 2020 from https://www.gov.hk/en/residents/health/hosp/overview.htm

Useful Journals
British Journal of Health Psychology
Illness, Crisis & Loss
Journal of Loss and Trauma
Psychology and Health
Palliative & supportive care
Palliative medicine
Social Work in Health Care
Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
Patient Counseling and Health Education
Psychosomatic Medicine

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 Journal of Mental Health Counseling
Patient Education and Counseling
Health & social care in the community
Health & social work
Journal of adult protection
Journal of allied health
Journal of family violence
Journal of health and human services administration
Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research & Practice (JPORP)
Journal of the National Society of Allied Health

Useful Websites
Hospital Authority https://www.ha.org.hk/visitor/ha_index.asp
The Hong Kong Cancer Fund https://www.cancer-fund.org/
Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society https://www.hkacs.org.hk/tc/
London Arts in Health Forum www.lahf.com
The Society for Arts in Health Care www.thesah.org
Foundation for Hospital Art www.hospitalart.com
Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong www.adahk.org.hk
Art in Hospital www.aih.org.hk

MEANS/PROCESSES FOR STUDENT FEEDBACK ON COURSE

Adopt University mechanism. Students will be invited to complete the SETL questionnaire to evaluate
their learning experiences at the conclusion of the course. Questionnaire items relate to the overall
evaluation of the course as well as an evaluation of teaching.

Students’ ongoing feedback on teaching and learning would be encouraged through different
communication platform including class room, Moodle, email.

COURSE POLICY (including plagiarism, academic honesty, attendance etc)

Submission of Assignments
All assignments should be submitted on time. All written assignments should be in APA format with proper
references. According to the Departmental regulations, late submission of assignment will receive the
following penalties:

Date of submission
Soft copy of the term paper and self-reflective essay should be submitted to the Moodle one week and four
days (before the mid-night) after the last lecture respectively

Penalty for late submission

Late for % of marks to be deducted

1 day 10%

2 days 20%

3 days 30%

4 days 40%

5 days 50%

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 6 days 60%

7 days 70%

More than 7 days No mark will be given

Plagiarism
The University Regulations on academic dishonesty will be strictly enforced! Please check the University
Statement on plagiarism on the web: http://www.hku.hk/plagiarism/.

Academic dishonesty is behavior in which a deliberately fraudulent misrepresentation is employed in an

attempt to gain undeserved intellectual credit, either for oneself or for another. It includes, but is not
necessarily limited to, the following types of cases:

1. Plagiarism - The representation of someone else's ideas as if they are one's own. Where the
arguments, data, designs, etc., of someone else are being used in a paper, report, oral presentation,
or similar academic project, this fact must be made explicitly clear by citing the appropriate
references. The references must fully indicate the extent to which any parts of the project are not
one’s own work. Paraphrasing of someone else’s ideas is still using someone else's ideas, and must
be acknowledged.

2. Unauthorized Collaboration on Out-of-Class Projects - The representation of work as solely one's own
when in fact it is the result of a joint effort. Where a candidate for a degree or other award uses the
work of another person or persons without due acknowledgement.

Penalty
1. The relevant Board of Examiners may impose a penalty in relation to the seriousness of the offence.

2. The relevant Board of Examiners may report the candidate to the Senate, where there is prima
facie evidence of an intention to deceive and where sanctions beyond those in (1) might be invoked.

ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION

All lectures will be conducted in English, demonstration supplemented with Cantonese, particularly if
guests are involved.

ACADEMIC COUNCIL APPROVAL

Signature___________________________ Date 22 July, 2022 _

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