News

Faces of Ramsay – Alison Rawson – Social Worker

Mar 18, 2025

This World Social Work Day we celebrate our social work teams for their compassion and commitment to helping those in need.

With almost three decades of experience, Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) social worker Alison Rawson loves her job and is driven by a desire to bring about change.

As Coordinator of Social Work in the Mental Health Unit Ms Rawson oversees a team that supports patients through challenges including mental health, homelessness, family and domestic violence (FDV) and access to the National Disability and Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

“We have a fabulous team. We want the best for our patients and put in the time to give them the best opportunity to have a fulfilling life,” said Ms Rawson.

Ms Rawson is part of a northwest district leadership group that includes representatives from key government agencies such as WA Police and the Department for Child Protection, and non- government agencies who work collectively to resolve complex challenges to achieve positive outcomes for the local area.

The first 22 years of Ms Rawson’s careers included work in the justice system with young people that offend, dangerous sex offenders, in rural and remote Western Australia, in the court system and policy development. Social work is a diverse role from casework, assessments, family therapy, advocacy, research, policy, counselling and community work. Social workers are the interface between people and their social, cultural, physical, and natural environments. It was her desire to go back to “grass roots” work- case management- that led her to JHC in 2018 where she first worked in the antenatal clinic and paediatric ward with women, children, and families.

Now she is a critical driver of policy change at JHC to benefit survivors and perpetrators of FDV and work collaboratively with community services for all our patients.

“We see patients daily who are survivors of FDV with the majority still in those abusive relationships,” said Ms Rawson.

“We are working hospital-wide to better identify and support these patients and support perpetrator accountability.”

Policy change and education is critical with training being regularly provided by experts in the field.

“I've loved every job that I've had in all my years of 28 years. I've been afforded so many opportunities to work in different areas and given permission to run with ideas where it’s expected I will be able to show benefit,” said Ms Rawson.

“With FDV we’re guided by best practise and what has been implemented elsewhere and is working.

“I am actually really proud of the work that’s being done here with the backing it has had from our leadership and the passion of the social workers who are driving this,” said Ms Rawson.