Social workers' counselling role in psychiatric services in Hong Kong

The role as a counsellor has long been recognised as an inherent role for social workers in psychiatric services. In Hong Kong, this role was recognised but not supported by the government. This paper is an account of an original research on the counselling role of social workers in psychiatric services in Hong Kong. In this research, 63 social workers in various psychiatric services were interviewed. Their perception and activities in this role were analysed. The findings show that this role was frequently performed and supported by their agencies, the policy and the public. Unfortunately, activities in this role were highly task- and problem-oriented, with insufficient theoretical and professional backup. Finally, counselling was delivered in the forms of brief advice on patients' immediate problem.