Position overview
Community Health and Integrated Care (CHIC) is a vibrant and diverse Division within Canberra Health Services providing multidisciplinary rehabilitation, aged and community-based care across a range of settings.
This position will be based at the University of Canberra Hospital with the opportunity to support leadership of the inpatient teams and ambulatory services at the University of Canberra Hospital and the Acute Care of the Elderly at the Canberra Hospital.
The CHIC speech pathology service is a dynamic team of speech pathologists and allied health assistants providing exceptional care through high quality assessment and therapeutic intervention. We treat and manage patients with a range of medical conditions including neurological, complex medical and frail aged in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Speech pathologists have direct clinical supervision from a senior speech pathologist and are supported by an experienced team of clinicians.
The senior speech pathologist will be responsible for supporting and leading a small team of clinicians in the outpatient services initially with the opportunity to work across the broader team in inpatient rehabilitation and aged care units as required. The senior speech pathologist will be expected to coordinate services and support more junior staff members in the team alongside other HP3s within the team.
Outpatient services include provision of care through home visits, on site clinics, videofluroscopy (VFSS) and speech pathology led Fibroendoscopic Evaluation of Swallow Studies (FEES). Support is provided as required for VFSS/ FEES competency, however these prerequisites are desirable.
Key Responsibilities
Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Under direction of the speech pathology team manager, you will provide high quality speech pathology services that facilitate positive patient outcomes to a range of patients within a designated caseload area. You will:
- Provide appropriate assessments and interventions using contemporary evidence-based principles, techniques and methods. Interventions may be delivered in an individual or group setting.
- Work collaboratively as part of your work area team and liaise with other service providers as required.
- Complete case and administrative data collection and evaluation to CHS standard.
- Participate in implementation of clinical governance activity, quality improvement projects, research programs and health promotion in areas relevant to service.
- Participate in supervision, continuing professional development, performance management and contribute to the teaching and training for areas of clinical service delivery.
- 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 high degree of initiative.
- Display critical thinking skills and strong clinical reasoning with ability to form defensible conclusions based on evidence and sound judgement.
- Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change and provide responsive services to meet patients’ needs and support team members.
- Effective communication, including active listening skills, and an ability to negotiate.
Qualifications
Essential
- Relevant Degree or Diploma in Speech Pathology from a recognised tertiary institution.
- To hold or be eligible for a practising membership of Speech Pathology Australia.
- Hold a full and current driver’s licence.
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 adult rehabilitation and/or aged care.
- The successful applicant may need to be available for occasional weekend and after-hours work, with access to flex time.
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.
- 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.
- Be available for weekend and/or after-hours work.
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.
- Recent experience in the assessment, diagnosis and management of patients in the following clinical areas relevant to community rehabilitation and aged care services:
- neurological swallowing, communication and cognitive disorders
- neurodegenerative conditions
- diagnostic dysphagia assessment
- aged care communication and dysphagia
- Demonstrate high level verbal and written communication skills, ability to work progressively within and across teams including coordination of client services, management and continuum of care with other health professionals and service/care providers.
- Ability and experience in providing clinical supervision to junior staff and students
- Ability to develop and implement quality improvement activities and participate in research activities, continuing professional development and evidence-based practice.
- 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.
| Administrative | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Telephone use | Frequently |
| General computer use | Frequently |
| Extensive keying/data entry | Occasionally |
| Graphical/analytical based | Occasionally |
| Sitting at a desk | Frequently |
| Standing for long periods | Frequently |
| Psychosocial demands | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Distressed People e.g. Emergency or grief situations | Occasionally |
| Aggressive & Uncooperative People e.g. drug / alcohol, dementia, mental illness | Occasionally |
| Unpredictable People e.g. Dementia, mental illness, head injuries | Occasionally |
| Restraining e.g. involvement in physical containment of clients/consumers | Occasionally |
| Exposure to Distressing Situations e.g. Child abuse, viewing dead / mutilated bodies; verbal abuse; domestic violence; suicide | Occasionally |
| Physical demands | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Distance walking (large buildings or inter-building transit) | Occasionally |
| Working outdoors | Occasionally |
| Manual handling | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Lifting 0 - 9kg | Occasionally |
| Lifting 10 - 15kg | Never |
| Lifting 16kg+ | Never |
| Climbing | Never |
| Running | Occasionally |
| Reaching | Occasionally |
| Kneeling | Occasionally |
| Foot and leg movement | Occasionally |
| Hand, arm and grasping movements | Occasionally |
| Bending/squatting | Occasionally |
| Bend/Lean Forward from Waist/Trunk twisting | Occasionally |
| Push/pull | Occasionally |
| Sequential repetitive movements in a short amount of time | Occasionally |
| Travel | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Frequent travel – multiple work sites | Occasionally |
| Frequent travel – driving | Occasionally |
| Specific hazards | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Working at heights | Never |
| Exposure to extreme temperatures | Never |
| Operation of heavy machinery e.g. forklift | Never |
| Confined spaces | Never |
| Excessive noise | Never |
| Low lighting | Never |
| Handling of dangerous goods/equipment e.g. gases; liquids; biological. | Never |
| Slippery or uneven surfaces | Never |
Directorate: Canberra Health Services
Division: Community Health and Integrated Care
Business Unit: Speech Pathology
Position number: 20405
Position title: Senior Speech Pathologist
Classification: Health Professional Level 3
Location: University of Canberra Hospital - Various
Reporting relationships:
Direct Manager: speech pathology team manager
Manager +1: Director
Canberra Health Services (CHS) is focussed on the delivery of high quality, effective, person-centred care. We provide acute, sub-acute, primary and community‐based health services, to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and surrounding regions. More information can be found on the CHS website.
Our Vision: creating exceptional health care together
Our Role: to be a health service that is trusted by our community
Our Values: Reliable, Progressive, Respectful and Kind