Position overview

This is an Identified position in accordance with Section 13(1) of the Public Sector Management Standards 1996 and is only open to an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural identity is considered essential and therefore confirmation of cultural identity may be requested.

Canberra Health Services (CHS) has a strong commitment to the provision of holistic, person and family-centred care service, focusing on culturally safe, trauma-informed, and connected care to Aboriginal communities, families and individuals from the ACT and region. CHS is leading reform designed to improve the health and wellbeing of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in accordance with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan, the ACT Agreement develop Close the Gap initiatives and the CHS Together, Forward 2023-2025 report.

The Aboriginal Health Worker (AHW) – Palliative Care, plays a vital role in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, families, and communities throughout the palliative and end-of-life journey. This position ensures culturally responsive care and strengthens connections between patients, families, and essential health services. The AHW provides practical, social, and emotional wellbeing support, to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accessing Canberra Health Services including but not limited to Canberra Hospital, North Canberra Hospital, University of Canberra Hospital, Clare Holland House, and support within the community settings.

The AHW – Palliative Care role acts as a cultural conduit between Aboriginal communities, families, and Canberra Health Servies, offering expert advice to senior managers, clinicians, and multidisciplinary teams on culturally responsive best practice approaches in both clinical and non-clinical contexts. Responsibilities include developing and embedding culturally responsive referral pathways, supporting implementation of Sorry Business/Sad News and Cultural Protocols guidelines, providing advocacy, and fostering collaborative partnerships across CHS. The Aboriginal Health Worker – Palliative Care will also contribute to strategic planning, service development, and evaluation, while offering culturally responsive support in patient care planning and review to ensure that care is aligned with the needs, traditions, and values of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers.

Key Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following.

Culturally Responsive Care

Provide culturally responsive and respectful support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, families and communities throughout the palliative and end of life care journey.

Advocacy and Liaison

Act as a liaison between patients, families, and healthcare teams to ensure cultural needs and preferences are understood and incorporated into care plans. Facilitate culturally responsive discussions about goals of care, advance care planning, and end-of-life preferences, ensuring patient, family and community voices are included.

Holistic Support

Address physical, emotional, spiritual, and cultural needs, inclusive of facilitating access to culturally safe spaces and privacy for cultural rituals, Men’s/Women’s Business, Sorry Business and other relevant cultural practices within hospital and community settings.

Education and Guidance

Educate, guide and support patients, families, and health professionals about palliative and end-of-life care options, cultural considerations, and available support services.

Care Coordination

Assist in coordinating care across multiple services (hospital, community, aged care, and home-based care) to ensure continuity and culturally safe transitions.

Assist patients and families to navigate complex health systems, aged care, NDIS, and social services, reducing barriers to care.

Work within a complex, yet collaborative setting to support multidisciplinary teams to achieve optimal outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and families.

Bereavement and Grief Support

Provide emotional and practical support to families during and after end-of-life care, including Sorry Business facilitation and linking to counselling and/or community supports.

Community Engagement and Outreach

Build and maintain strong working relationships with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), Elders, and community groups to strengthen trust and service uptake.

Documentation and Reporting

Maintain accurate records of assessments, care plans, and interventions in the Digital Health Record (DHR).

Quality Improvement and Co-Design

Participate in audits, feedback collection, and co-design initiatives with Aboriginal communities to improve palliative and end-of-life care models and outcomes.

Risk Identification and Escalation

Identify psychosocial, cultural, and clinical risks (e.g., unsafe discharge, carer burnout) and escalate promptly to the multidisciplinary team.

Other duties

Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

Competencies

Specific competencies include but are not limited to the following.

• Cultural Knowledge and Community Links:
  Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, with established connections to local Aboriginal communities in the ACT and surrounding regions.
• Understanding of Key Issues:
  Demonstrates strong understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and the impact on wellbeing. Has experience providing social support, service linkage, group work, community education, advocacy, and health promotion within Aboriginal communities.
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills:
  Displays effective clinical communication using information technology, written, verbal, and interpersonal skills. Demonstrates the ability to manage conflict and difficult situations.
• Stakeholder Collaboration:
  Assists in collaborating with key stakeholders to identify opportunities for improvement in participation in programs and projects aligned with Closing the Gap strategies.
• Quality Improvement and Clinical Knowledge:
  Understands quality improvement principles and evidence-based practice and demonstrates initiative and organisational skills to develop projects and programs in a health and/or clinical setting. Understands and utilises clinical knowledges to illicit better outcomes for patients and families.
• Cultural Liaison and Leadership:
  Provides liaison support for individuals, families, and communities; fosters culturally safe workplaces; offers guidance to team members; and facilitates respectful, culturally safe access to services. Works both autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team, demonstrating strong oral and written communication skills and proficiency in computer systems.
• Organisational Skills and self-care management:
  Exhibits strong organisational skills and a strong work ethic. Ability to manage cultural and colonial loads and demonstrated ability in balancing competing priorities and community and operational needs.
• Adaptability and Flexibility:
  Demonstrates the ability to adapt to change and provide responsive services in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

Essential

• Holds or willing to obtain a Certificate III qualification in Aboriginal Primary Health Care or other equivalent qualification in a health-related field relevant to the role.
• Cultural knowledge and understanding of ACT and surrounds Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural dynamics and proven ability to navigate through these nuances.
• Hold a full drivers licence and willingness to use such for work purposes.

Desirable

• Holds or be willing to attain a Cert IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care (Practice) and attain registration with AHPRA as a practicing Aboriginal Health Practitioner.

Experience

Essential

• Identified Position:
  This is an identified position and as such is only open to Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander People. Confirmation of Aboriginality maybe required before appointment to this position.
• Experience:
  Minimum of 3 years in a similar role, preferably within a health or community services setting.
• Clinical Knowledge:
  Demonstrated understanding of clinical terminology and healthcare environments.

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience with digital health records.
• Experience in working in palliative and/or end-of-life care spaces.
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework and all other related frameworks.

Prior to commencement

Appointment to this position is conditional on being granted and retaining appropriate clearances:

• Pre-employment National Police Check.
• Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.
• Current registration issued under the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 is required.
• Provide Confirmation of Aboriginality (may be required).

Important information

All employees are required to:

• Adhere to the Canberra Health Services Values and the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct.
• Act in accordance and comply with all relevant Safety and Quality policies and procedures.
• Comply with all relevant clinical and/or competency standards.

CHS is leading the drive to digitally transform health service delivery in Australia through the implementation of a territory wide Digital Health Record. Computer literacy skills are required which are relevant to this role as you will be responsible for completing required documentation and becoming a proficient user of the Digital Health Record and/or other Information Technology systems; once proficient, you will need to remain current with changes, updates, and contingencies.

What you Require (Key Selection Criteria)

These are the key selection criteria for how you will be assessed in conjunction with your resumé and experience.

1. Clinical liaison and education:

   Demonstrated ability to provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed healthcare, education and facilitate navigation and liaison services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within health, palliative care and end-of-life care settings. This includes a thorough understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, health needs, and cultural protocols, with the ability to embed these into clinical and non-clinical contexts.

2. Communication and Collaboration:
   Well-developed written and oral communication skills, with proven experience in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Demonstrated ability to build and sustain collaborative relationships and partnerships with internal teams, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), Elders, and external stakeholders to improve service access to achieve positive outcomes.
3. Problem-Solving in Complex Systems:
   Demonstrated ability to navigate and coordinate care across complex health systems, including hospital, community, aged care, and social services, ensuring continuity and culturally responsive transitions
4. Program, Project and Policy Development and Evaluation:
   Demonstrated experience and initiative in leading the development, implementation, review, and co-design of projects, programs and policy, using evidence-based approaches to enhance culturally responsive palliative and end-of-life care models.
5. Safety, Quality, and Values Alignment:
   Demonstrates understanding of, and adherence to, safety and quality standards, Work Health and Safety requirements, and commitment to delivering a positive patient experience. Displays behaviours consistent with Canberra Health Services’ values of Reliable, Progressive, Respectful, and Kind.

Work environment description

The following work environment description outlines the inherent requirements of the role and indicates how frequently each of these requirements would need to be performed. Please note that the ACT Public Service is committed to providing reasonable adjustments and ensuring all individuals have equal opportunities in the workplace.