Position overview
Community Health and Integrated Care (CHIC) provides integrated and effective services in the areas of rehabilitation, aged care and community care in a broader range of sites throughout the ACT, including The Canberra Hospital and The University of Canberra Hospital, community health centres and the homes of clients. This includes health care and support for people with acute, post-acute and long-term illnesses.
The CHIC Psychology and Counselling team provides evidence-based care assessment and intervention services across inpatients and outpatients settings. Roles currently exist for a psychologist (Clinical Neuropsychologists, Clinical Psychologists, general registration).
You may work across several areas, including:
- Inpatient psychology services at the University of Canberra Hospital
- UCH is a sub-acute care facility that provides specialist rehabilitation services. Psychologists provide individual therapy for people with a range of conditions and injuries, including neurological disorders, amputations, musculoskeletal injuries, and chronic conditions.
- Outpatient psychology services Brindabella Day and Ambulatory Rehabilitation Services (BDARS)
- BDARS provides Allied Health led interprofessional rehabilitation and health promotion through a number of ambulatory and community-based services. Psychologists provide individual therapy for people with a range of conditions and injuries, including neurological disorders, amputations, musculoskeletal injuries, and chronic conditions.
- The Allied Health Led Spinal Pain Service.
- Clients who are referred to the Allied Health Led Spinal Pain Service are provided with education, non-surgical management recommendations and individual physiotherapy and psychological assessments and interventions.
- The Pain Management Unit.
- The core business of the PMU is providing outpatient care for individuals living with chronic pain. The allied health professionals at the PMU play an integral role in the multidisciplinary team facilitating group-based assessment and intervention.
The position reports to the Psychology and Counselling Manager, with day-to-day operational coordination and service planning through the associated clinical team as appropriate.
Supervision is available for the PBA registrar program. Supervision is provided by a Senior Clinical Psychologist who is a Psychology Board of Australia (PBA) approved supervisor for Clinical Psychology Area of Practice Endorsement. Opportunities also exist for the provision of supervision and training of other staff and students.
The overall functions of the Clinical Psychologist will:
- Promote positive client outcomes through the provision of high-quality clinical services, networking, health promotion activities and education in/across designated areas or units as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Provide individual or group service delivery.
- Perform normal professional work under general professional guidance.
- May perform novel, complex, critical or difficult tasks with professional supervision.
- Participate in the supervision and training of other staff, as directed.
Key Responsibilities
Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Under limited direction of the Manager CHIC Psychology and Counselling service you will promote positive patient outcomes through the provision of Clinical Psychological assessments and interventions for clients engaged in inpatient and ambulatory rehabilitation or aged care services and in the pain management unit. You will:
- Provide appropriate skilled psychological assessment and intervention across a range of clinical areas, with support.
- Exercise independent judgement on routine matters and perform novel, complex or critical tasks under professional supervision, decreasing as expertise increases.
- Liaise with carers and other service providers as required.
- Active contribution in the development, analysis, evaluation and planning of services in specific area of work, as required.
- Actively contribute to education programs for area of clinical service delivery.
- Active contribution in the organisation as appropriate and the implementation of clinical governance activity, quality improvement projects, research programs, and health promotion in areas relevant to service.
- Participate in supervision, continuing professional development and performance appraisal and development.
- 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.
Displays skills across the eight core psychology competencies (AHPRA Psychology board, 2025)
- Competency 1: Applies and builds scientific knowledge of psychology to inform safe and effective practice.
- Competency 2: Practises ethically and professionally.
- Competency 3: Exercises professional reflexivity, deliberate practice and self-care.
- Competency 4: Conducts psychological assessments.
- Competency 5: Conducts psychological interventions.
- Competency 6: Communicates and relates to others effectively and appropriately.
- Competency 7: Demonstrates a health equity and human rights approach when working with people from diverse groups.
- Competency 8: Demonstrates a health equity and human rights approach when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, families and communities.
Displays organisational competencies in line with the ACT health professional work-level standards, including:
- Provides clinical care to a well-defined caseload under close supervision
- Participates in quality improvement activities and/or research activities as directed
- Provides procedural supervision to HP1s, AHAs, and psychology and AHA students as required.
Qualifications
Specific qualifications include, but are not limited to, the following.
Essential
- Postgraduate Psychology qualification - Masters/Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology or Clinical Neuropsychology.
- Hold general registration with the Psychology Board of Australia under AHPRA.
Desirable
- Enrolled in (or eligible for enrolment) the Clinical Psychology Registrar Program for Area of Practice Endorsement with the Psychology Board of Australia.
- Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.
Experience
Specific experience include but are not limited to, the following.
Essential
- Applicants must have a minimum of 12 months paid work experience, post-qualification, in a related/relevant organisation/service.
Desirable
- Previous experience working with a multidisciplinary team in an acute care setting.
- Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework and all other related frameworks.
Please note prior to commencement successful candidates will be required to:
- Undergo a pre-employment National Police Check.
- Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.
- Comply with CHS credentialing and scope of clinical practice requirements for allied health professionals.
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 the 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.
- Proven ability to provide skilled Clinical Psychology assessment and interventions, consistent with the Psychology Board of Australia’s Area of Practice Endorsement competencies in Clinical Psychology.
- Ability to work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
- An understanding of how to evaluate clinical services through quality initiatives, and to contribute to planning and development of the service to meet the needs of the clients.
- Well-developed written and oral communication skills with a proven ability to successfully interact and work collaboratively with patients and carers.
- Demonstrates understanding of, and adherence to, safety and quality standards, work, health and safety (WH&S) and the positive patient experience. Displays’ behaviour consistent with CHS’s 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.
| Administrative | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Telephone use | Frequently |
| General computer use | Frequently |
| Extensive keying/data entry | Occasionally |
| Graphical/analytical based | Occasionally |
| Sitting at a desk | Frequently |
| Standing for long periods | Occasionally |
| Psychosocial demands | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Distressed People e.g. Emergency or grief situations | Frequently |
| Aggressive & Uncooperative People e.g. drug / alcohol, dementia, mental illness | Frequently |
| Unpredictable People e.g. Dementia, mental illness, head injuries | Frequently |
| Restraining e.g. involvement in physical containment of clients/consumers | Never |
| Exposure to Distressing Situations e.g. Child abuse, viewing dead / mutilated bodies; verbal abuse; domestic violence; suicide | Occasionally |
| Physical demands | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Distance walking (large buildings or inter-building transit) | Occasionally |
| Working outdoors | Occasionally |
| Manual handling | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Lifting 0 - 9kg | Occasionally |
| Lifting 10 - 15kg | Never |
| Lifting 16kg+ | Never |
| Climbing | Never |
| Running | Never |
| Reaching | Never |
| Kneeling | Never |
| Foot and leg movement | Never |
| Hand, arm and grasping movements | Never |
| Bending/squatting | Never |
| Bend/Lean Forward from Waist/Trunk twisting | Never |
| Push/pull | Occasionally |
| Sequential repetitive movements in a short amount of time | Never |
| Travel | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Frequent travel – multiple work sites | Occasionally |
| Frequent travel – driving | Occasionally |
| Specific hazards | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Working at heights | Never |
| Exposure to extreme temperatures | Never |
| Operation of heavy machinery e.g. forklift | Never |
| Confined spaces | Never |
| Excessive noise | Never |
| Low lighting | Never |
| Handling of dangerous goods/equipment e.g. gases; liquids; biological. | Never |
| Slippery or uneven surfaces | Never |
Directorate: Canberra Health Services
Division: Community Health and Integrated Care (CHIC)
Business Unit: Psychology and Counselling
Position number: P32641, P69998
Position title: Psychologist
Classification: Psychologist Level 2
Location: University of Canberra Hospital
Reporting relationships:
Direct Manager: Manager of Psychology and Counselling
Canberra Health Services (CHS) is focussed on the delivery of high quality, effective, person-centred care. We provide acute, sub-acute, primary and community‐based health services, to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and surrounding regions. More information can be found on the CHS website.
Our Vision: creating exceptional health care together
Our Role: to be a health service that is trusted by our community
Our Values: Reliable, Progressive, Respectful and Kind