Position overview

Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and 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.

All care that we provide is driven by our values of being kind, reliable, respectful, and progressive. We’re also guided by contemporary mental health and human rights legislation which means we operate within a framework that ensures the rights and dignity of people are promoted and protected.

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 & Older Persons Mental Health Services
• Adult Inpatient Mental Health Services (AIMHS)
• Alcohol & Drug Services (ADS)
• Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
• Justice Health Services (JHS)

The successful applicant of the P3 Psychologist position is responsible for conducting skilled clinical assessments and delivering individual and group-based interventions to people. The successful applicant will also be required to undertake professional development and clinical supervision, participate in quality improvement initiatives, and contribute to multidisciplinary team processes.

The position will report operationally and clinically to the Allied Health Manager and Allied Health Clinical Lead of NCH Mental Health Services. Professional governance of this position will come from the Discipline Principal Social Work (MHJHADS).

This position is working within the Allied Health team and will provide services to the Acacia and Banksia units and to other inpatients teams within the AIMHS (Adult Inpatient Mental Health Services).

The multi-disciplinary team is made up of diverse group of health professions including Nurses, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Allied Health Assistants, Peer Recovery Workers, Administration Service Officers, Psychiatry Registrars and Consultant Psychiatrists. The team work together to support the recovery goals of consumers admitted to any of the Adult Mental Health Inpatient facilities.

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 exercise independent professional judgment on moderately complex tasks. You will:

1. Provide appropriate assessment and interventions using established principles, techniques, and methods, to people with complex and serious mental health conditions. Clinical assessment and intervention include but is not limited to:
   • Case formulation and treatment planning.
   • Psychoeducation and structured psychological therapy interventions in evidence-based therapies for mental health and other psychological conditions.
   • Specialist assessments and reports, including psychometric testing and outcome measures, and structured clinical interviews.
   • Crisis management and safety planning based on psychological principles.
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.

• Strong organisational skills with a high degree of drive.
• Be flexible, adaptable, and comfortable with a changing working environment.
• Commitment to achieving positive outcomes for mental health consumers.
• Ability to respond to and prioritise competing demands in a calm and efficient manner while maintaining high work standards.

Qualifications

Essential

• Be registered or eligible for general registration with Psychology Board of Australia.

Desirable

• Be approved or eligible for approval as a Psychology Board of Australia Principal and/or Secondary Supervisor for 4+2 interns and/or Higher Degree Students.
• Training in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Experience

Essential

• Level 3 Psychologist - A minimum of 3 years (ideally 5) professionally relevant experience in a related/relevant organisation/service.

Desirable

• Experience delivering Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
• 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.
• 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.

Key selection criteria

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

1. Proven clinical competence in psychological assessment, formulation, treatment, and intervention for people with complex mental illnesses/dysfunction.
2. Demonstrated understanding of the principles of recovery, The National Standards for Mental Health Services (2010), contemporary issues in mental health practice, and the implications for service delivery.
3. Demonstrated ability to facilitate a variety of groups including psycho education, therapy and/or skills development.
4. Demonstrated ability to provide and engage in supervision, to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team, establish priorities, exercise initiative, and deliver outputs within agreed timeframes.
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.