Position overview

The RACS Occupational Therapy service is a dynamic team of occupational therapists and allied health assistants (AHAs) providing exceptional care through high quality assessment and therapeutic intervention.  We treat and manage patients with a range of medical conditions including: neurological, orthopaedic, complex medical and frail aged.

The Senior occupational therapist is an important leadership role within Occupational Therapy and is responsible for the coordination and provision of day-to-day occupational therapy services to a range of patients within a designated clinical area. This includes the provision of evidence based assessments and interventions to facilitate positive patient outcomes. Senior occupational therapists are responsible for the professional supervision and support to other occupational therapists, allied health assistants and students.

Key Responsibilities

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

• Provide a high level of evidence based clinical assessment and interventions across a range of clinical areas to facilitate positive patient outcomes.
• Provide leadership and clinical oversight to the occupational therapy team in your designated clinical area.
• Provide high level communication and liaising with patients, family, staff and other service providers to facilitate effective service provision.
• Exercise independent clinical judgement in solving problems and managing cases where principles, procedures and techniques require expansion, adaptation or modification.
• Contribute to the planning, development and evaluation of service development/quality activity relevant to your clinical area.
• Provide clinical supervision and training to health professionals level 1 & 2, allied health assistants and students
• Participate in your own professional education, supervision and performance review process.
• 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, clinical, communication and interpersonal skills
• Displays critical thinking skills and forms appropriate conclusions based on evidence and sound judgement
• Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change and provide responsiveness to meet patients and staff needs
• Ability to work respectfully in partnership with the Occupational Therapy team, multidisciplinary team, patients and stakeholders.

Qualifications

Essential

• Tertiary qualifications (or equivalent) in Occupational Therapy
• Be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• Hold a current driver license

Desirable

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

Experience

Essential

• A minimum of 3 years’ experience working professionally in a clinically relevant area
• Prior experience providing services to adults in a rehabilitation setting

Desirable

• 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.

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 competency and skilled application of knowledge in providing a high standard of occupational therapy practice including assessments and interventions, that integrates evidence based practice, for clients with functional impairment resulting from neurological, orthopaedic, aged, general medical conditions in a rehabilitation and/or aged care setting.
2. Proven ability to operate effectively within and occupational therapy and multidisciplinary team, contributing positively to team operations and working relations through excellent communication and developing leadership skills.
3. Demonstrated ability to deliver patient centred services that meet high safety and quality health care standards
4. Demonstrated ability and experience in the supervision of occupational therapists, allied health assistants and students.
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.