Qatar - HMC honours social workers for efforts during pandemic

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula

Doha: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) organised a special event to honour the leadership and staff of the Department of Social Services at all HMC facilities for the extraordinary efforts they made to serve patients and their family members, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event, held recently at the Millennium Hotel, was attended by Mahmoud Saleh Al Raisi, Chief of Continuing Care Group at Hamad Medical Corporation, and Dr. Suad Suaidan Al Hamad, Executive Director of HMC's Department of Social Services, and a number of officials and staff from the department. 

Dr. Suad Al Hamad stressed the importance of social work in extending social and psychological support to patients as well as access to therapeutic services at all points of care facilitated by the corporation's social workers. This role is underpinned by improving patients' quality of life enabling them to access to healthcare services they need”.

“The Department of Social Services works hand in hand with multidisciplinary teams to create a healing environment for patients through social work research whereby patients get the help they need to overcome various challenges, particularly those associated with their ailments and their surrounding conditions,” she said.

“Due to the advancement of healthcare services and the expansion of healthcare facilities in Qatar and to the rising demand for social services, the role of social work has gained more importance at healthcare facilities as they tend to ease the burdens of such facilities through the expedient discharge of recovering patients, in collaboration with stakeholders, to a safe and secure environment. We, at the Department of Social Services set forth the sociomedical policies and continue to develop such policies on an ongoing basis to have them standardised and aligned with patients' needs,” Dr. Suad added.

Maliha Al Shamali, Deputy Executive Director of HMC's Department of Social Services, pointed out that the role of social workers is pivotal in helping patients subdue impediments they could possibly face because of their ailment, such as not being able to work to make ends meet or even lose their jobs, which , in turn, would be disruptive to and have adverse impact on patients' social relationship at home or work . This is where the social work takes the lead as a means to rehabilitate patients, provide with the support they need, and help restore their role as active members within the parameters of their own families and the society as a whole.

“Patients who are not able to cover some of their healthcare expenses may get financial assistance, through HMC's Department of Social Services' direct and indirect coordination with community NGOs (such as charitable organisations), Maliha added.

During the event, which witnessed a large audience of participants, certificates of appreciation were distributed to honoured members from the social work circle. Among the honoured members was Mohammad Othman, Acting Head of Department of Social Services at Hamad General Hospital, who stated that the department is keen to organise events where patients are engaged in social and other activities throughout the year as part of HMC's commitment to provide safe, compassionate, and effective healthcare services to all patients. The department saves no effort in providing patients, especially children, with psychological and social support in dedicated events such as marking the World Paediatric Kidney Day during which recreational activities are organised for children where guests are provided with healthy foods and gifts. These events are usually sponsored by various social work organisations in partnership with HMC's Department of Social Services. 

Dr. Suad expressed her gratitude to officials at HMC's Department of Social Services, including Abdul Rahman Al Sahli, Head Department of Social Services, at Wakra Hospital; Haya Al Mraikhi, Head of Department of Social Services at Rumaila Hospital; Ibrahim Al Marhoon, Head of Department of Social Services at Communicable Disease Centre; Ibtihal Mursi, Head of Department of Social Services at Home Healthcare Services; Muna Al Sayyed, Head of Department of Social Services at Dukhan Hospital, and all social workers for their continued dedication to serving patients.

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