Position overview

Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol & Drug Services (MHJHADS) provide health services directly and through partnerships with community organisations. The services provided range from prevention and treatment to recovery, maintenance and harm minimisation. Consumer and carer participation is encouraged in all aspects of service planning and delivery. The Division works in partnership with consumers, carers and a range of government and non-government service providers to ensure the best possible outcomes for clients.

The Division delivers services at a number of locations, including hospital inpatient and outpatient settings, community health centres, detention centres, other community settings including peoples’ homes.

These services include:

• Adult Community Mental Health Services
• Older Persons Mental Health Services
• Adult Inpatient Mental Health Services
• Alcohol & Drug Services
• Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services
• Justice Health Services

The Adult Inpatient Mental Health Services (AIMHS) is across The Canberra Hospital, the University of Canberra Hospital (UCH), and North Canberra Hospital sites, and includes services such as Adult Mental Health Unit, Ward 12B Mental Health Unit, Mental Health Short Stay Unit, Mental Health Clinical Liaison TCH and NCH, the Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit (AMHRU), the Adult Mental Health Day Service (AMHDS), Banksia Mental Health Unit and Acacia Mental Health Unit.

The AMHRU, located at the University of Canberra Hospital (UCH), is an inpatient rehabilitation unit whose aim is to attain and maximise independence through bio-psychosocial rehabilitation in all aspects of daily living for graduated community re-integration.

The AMHDS is located adjacent to AMHRU and focuses on the delivery of recovery-focused interventions with people living in the community to help enhance their quality of life and/or improve their functional status. The AMHDS offers a variety of programs, including several group-based interventions and other specialist services that target people who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health conditions. Service delivery for both services are underpinned by evidence based mental health care, the principles of Recovery and the provision of collaborative care involving the person, their carers and other key stakeholders.

As a senior health professional, you will use your expertise in the theoretical and practical application of a range of specialist therapeutic interventions to promote recovery in individuals with moderate to severe mental illness in both an outpatient and in-patient setting. You will deliver discipline-specific evidence-based individual and group interventions to promote wellbeing and meaningful occupation, as well as use your skills and knowledge in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) to provide leadership and delivery of the DBT program, including individual therapy and DBT skills group.

This position is offered on a part‑time basis within this service environment.

Key Responsibilities

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

Under limited direction of the Allied Health Manager and Allied Health Clinical Lead, you will perform independent professional judgement on moderately complex tasks. You will:

1. Provide comprehensive, recovery focused and evidence based clinical assessment, treatment and therapeutic interventions for people with moderate-severe mental illness.
2. Contribute to the development, coordination, and implementation of the provision of client programs and services.
3. Include carers, children, Nominated Persons, GPs, and other service providers in the recovery planning process, as required.
4. Adhere to risk management processes and identify risks, suggest mitigating actions and escalating issues appropriately.
5. Complete clinical records and administrative data collection to standards.
6. Participate in clinical supervision, continuing professional development and personal performance review process. Provide professional supervision and training to Health Professionals Level 1&2 as appropriate, students, Allied Health Assistants, and other support staff. Provide education to internal and external stakeholders.
7. Initiate, coordinate and contribute to the implementation of clinical governance activities, quality improvement projects, research programs, and health promotion in areas relevant to service.
8. Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

Competencies

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following.

• A strong capacity to understand and respond to the emotional and psychological needs of consumers.
• High standards of ethical practice, especially in relation to confidentiality, consent, and mental health laws. Ability to advocate for patients' rights and access to care, particularly in complex mental health settings.
• Proven ability to foster a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach in mental health care, working closely with other healthcare professionals.
• Contribute to the development of team objectives for short term tasks and strategic planning for longer-term initiatives.
• Work with independence, subject to limited direction against established priorities, practices, and methodologies to deliver quality outcomes. Produce work requiring little or no revision before finalisation.
• Make decisions using good judgement, expertise and knowledge, under limited guidance. Ensure decisions are governed by the application of regulations, best practice principles or the agency’s operating instructions and procedures.
• Commitment to continuous learning and improvement through regular reflection on professional practice.
• Participate in and/or provide professional supervision including review of professional practice where required. Maintain professional knowledge and continue to develop knowledge and expertise in relation to professional skills and professional regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

Essential

For Occupational Therapy:

• Degree in Occupational Therapy.
• Registration or eligibility for registration with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
• Eligibility for professional membership of Occupational Therapy Australia.

For Social Work:

• Degree in Social Work.
• Eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
• Registration or eligibility for registration under the Working with Vulnerable People Act 2011.

For Psychology:

• Degree in Psychology
• Be registered or be eligible for general registration with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
• Eligibility for professional membership of Psychology Australia.

Desirable

• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Experience

Essential

• A minimum of three years post-qualification experience in a relevant clinical area.
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, and all other related frameworks.

Desirable

• Experience of working within mental health in either an inpatient unit or community setting.
• Prior experience in providing supervision to students, provisional psychologists, or allied health staff.

Prior to commencement

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

• Pre-employment National Police Check.
• Current registration issued under the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 is required.
• 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 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. Proven experience in working as a senior health professional with expertise in the theoretical and practical application of a range of specialist therapeutic group interventions and group programs for people with moderate to severe mental illness, in particular Dialectical Behaviour Therapy.
2. Demonstrated knowledge, experience and advanced clinical skills in mental health assessment and intervention in an inpatient or community mental health setting.
3. Demonstrated understanding of the principles of recovery and The National Standards for Mental Health Services (2010) and the implications for service delivery.
4. Proven ability to provide effective supervision and drive quality improvement initiatives.
5. Demonstrates understanding of, and adherence to, safety and quality standards, Work Health and Safety 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.