Position overview

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the Forensic Mental Health Services (FMHS) custodial and community-based services in the ACT. FMHS is a business unit of the Division of Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drugs Services (MHJHADS). FMHS provides high-quality mental health care across the lifespan and across a range of settings, including a centralised community health facility, youth and adult custodial facilities, secure inpatient unit, and court settings. The care provided is underpinned by the National Principles for Forensic Mental Health Services and the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards. The service aims to provide collaborative care guided by core principles of recovery and safety involving the consumer, their carers, and other key services.

FMHS is one united service with three distinguishable, yet integrated service components as follows:

• Custodial Mental Health Services (CMHs) including:
  • CMH – Child and Adolescent at Bimberi Youth Justice Centre (CMH- CA)
  • CMH – Adult at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (CMH – A)
• Forensic Mental Health Inpatient Services including:
  • Dhulwa Mental Health Unit
• Forensic community-based services including:
  • Forensic Consultation and Intervention Service (FoCIS)
  • Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (ACT FTAC)
  • Mental Health Court Assessment and Liaison Service (MHCALS)

This position provides operational and clinical oversight of the FMHS custodial and community based services under the direction of the FMHS Operational and Clinical Directors. It is based at the Forensic Mental Health Services office at 1 Moore St, Canberra City, but incorporates multiple sites including the Alexander Maconochie Centre, Bimberi Youth Justice Centre, and ACT Law Courts.

As a specialist service, this role is expected to demonstrate knowledge and expertise in the delivery of forensic mental health services. FMHS supports ongoing learning via access to specialist clinical supervision, professional development opportunities, and further education relevant to forensic mental health.

Please refer to the ACT Health Professionals Enterprise Agreement for full details of employment conditions

Key Responsibilities

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

1. Develop, lead and manage the day-to-day operations of Forensic Mental Health Services to deliver quality clinical services within the context of community and custodial environments within the ACT.
2. Manage the financial, human, and administrative resources of Forensic Mental Health Services to promote and deliver safe and effective care for consumers and sound industrial relations for staff.
3. Provide oversight of the delivery of clinical services to ensure the provision of best practice assessment and interventions in forensic mental health.
4. Manage the delivery of forensic mental health care for people based within custodial or community settings in the ACT to align with the Statement of National Principles for Forensic Mental Health Services 2016.
5. Manage complex cross-agency and stakeholder relationships including with ACT Corrective Services, Justice and Community Safety (JACS), and Health and Community Services (HCSD) as well as statutory agencies.
6. Develop and implement comprehensive governance processes for Forensic Mental Health Services including Quality and Safety systems.
7. Identify and implement service developments, quality improvements, or change management strategies to ensure ongoing provision of evidence-based care and to enhance existing services to meet emerging operational or clinical needs.
8. Ensure that clinical outcomes and performance indicators are met and that Forensic Mental Health Services information systems are established and appropriately maintained.
9. Establish policies and procedures for the effective and efficient operations of the Forensic Mental Health Services consistent with statutory requirements, National Standards, and Work Health & Safety legislation.
10. Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with with forensic mental health services in other Australian jurisdictions through engagement at national forums.
11. 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.

• Demonstrated leadership and management skills.
• Ability to communicate complex clinical or systems concepts with influence.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with a range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated advanced verbal and written communication skills appropriate to a range of contexts.
• Ability to manage conflict and respond effectively to scrutiny and systemic challenges.
• Flexible, adaptable, and comfortable with a changing working environment.

Qualifications

Essential

• Psychologists/Occupational Therapists must be registered or eligible for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• Social workers must be a members of or eligible for membership of, the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
• Psychologists - Board Approved Supervisor (BAS) status with the Psychology Board of Australia or eligibility to obtain BAS
• Current driver’s licence

Desirable

• Post-graduate qualification in Forensic psychology or Forensic Mental Health.
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 7 years post-qualification experience
• Prior experience in the provision of clinical leadership and/or administrative management in a health service
• Prior clinical experience in public mental health

Desirable

• Prior clinical experience in forensic mental health, forensic psychology, or a related field
• Experience in or knowledge of the application of structured professional judgment tools for risk assessment and management
• 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.
• Minimum baseline security clearance or eligibility to obtain a security clearance.
• 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.
• Demonstrate computer literacy skills which are relevant to this role.

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 and must be addressed in your application:

1. Experience and demonstrated record of high achievement as a health manager or leader in a health care environment that has included change management and service development.
2. Proven clinical leadership experience in providing clinical oversight and direction in a complex healthcare environment.
3. Demonstrated high-level written and verbal communication skills demonstrating the ability to influence and including the preparation of submissions, business cases, and reports.
4. Demonstrated financial and human resource management experience and organisational skills in planning, policy development, and administration in a complex service delivery environment.
5. 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.