Position overview

The division of Cancer and Ambulatory Support provides a comprehensive range of cancer screening, assessment, diagnostic and treatment services and palliative care through inpatient, outpatient, and community settings. The Division is also responsible for Walk in Centres, Central Outpatients and Central Health Intake.

The Cancer Psychosocial Service aims to improve outcomes for people with cancer and their families, by providing a comprehensive psychosocial service within the inpatient, outpatients, and community settings. The Cancer Psychosocial Service is located at the Canberra Region Cancer Centre.

The Senior Social Worker will understand issues relating to oncology and the impact of cancer on a person and their family / carer, including adjustment to the changes and challenges of a cancer diagnosis and its treatment for patients and families and grief, loss, and bereavement counselling. They will demonstrate a commitment to working within an Interprofessional environment. The overall function of the position is to promote positive client outcomes through the provision of high-quality counselling, assessment, and care planning interventions as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Key Responsibilities

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

Under limited direction of the Cancer Supportive Care Clinical Nurse Consultant along with clinical support from the Psychosocial Lead you will:

1. Provide a high level of appropriate skilled clinical assessment and interventions across a range of clinical areas.
2. Exercise independent professional judgment in solving problems and managing cases where  principles, procedures and techniques require expansion, adaptation, or modification.
3. Liaise with carers and other service providers to facilitate effective service provision. Consult and liaise with external community agencies/groups to develop partnerships for health promotion and other service delivery activities identified in the business plan.
4. Initiate and coordinate quality improvement activities in areas of specialty.
5. Contribute to the development, evaluation and analysis of policies and procedures applicable to professional practice.
6. Provide professional supervision and/or training to other staff and students as directed. Participate in supervision, continuing professional development and performance management.
7. Complete clinical and administrative data collection and evaluation to standard.
8. 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.

• High level clinical skill to conduct psychosocial assessments, counselling and complex interventions for patients and families affected by cancer.
• High level of verbal communication skills including the ability to communicate complex information and systems to patients, families and treating teams.
• High standard of ethical practice, such as maintaining patient confidentiality and making sound decisions.
• Independent workload management, such as work under limited direction.
• Critical and self-reflection, including the ability to learn from situations and problems.
• High level ability to provide clinical supervision, direction and support to Social Work colleagues at the HP2 and HP1 level.

Qualifications

Specific qualifications include, but are not limited to, the following.

Essential

• Relevant tertiary qualifications and a minimum of 3 years’ experience working professionally in social work.
• Current membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers.

Desirable

• 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

• Minimum 3 years’ experience working professionally in social work.

Desirable

• Experience or knowledge of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and its subsequent impacts on the psycho-social outcomes for patients at various stages of their cancer trajectory.
• Experience working with people with chronic and/or life limiting conditions.
• Knowledge of cancer related services and supports available within the ACT.
• 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.
• 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 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.

1. Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to provide a high level of skilled clinical social work counselling, assessment and care planning interventions for the provision of oncology psychosocial services in community or hospital-based health services.
2. Demonstrated ability to work within multidisciplinary team/s and prioritise workload according to clinical indicators, risk management frameworks and organisational requirements.
3. Demonstrated ability to participate in and provide social work supervision schedules that include adherence to the AASW Practice Standards and to engage in and deliver team education, both with professional staff and social work students.
4. Demonstrated ability to liaise with service providers and the external community, agencies/groups to develop partnerships for health promotion, service delivery activities identified in the business plan and to provide continuum of care and appropriate service provision.
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.