Position overview

Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol & 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.

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 Mental Health Services
• Older Persons Mental Health Services
• Adult Inpatient Mental Health Services
• Alcohol & Drug Services
• Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services
• Justice Health Services

The AIMHS is across The Canberra Hospital, the University of Canberra Hospital, and North Canberra Hospital (NCH) sites, and includes services such as Adult Mental Health Unit, Ward 12B Mental Health Unit, Mental Health Short Stay Unit, Mental Health Clinical Liaison TCH and NCH, the Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit, the Adult Mental Health Day Service, Banksia Mental Health Unit (Banksia) and Acacia Mental Health Unit (Acacia).

The successful applicant of the HP2 social work position is responsible for conducting skilled clinical assessment and delivering individual and group based psychological interventions to people.

At this level it is expected that you will provide high quality interventions and achieve sound outcomes for people under routine supervision. It is also an expectation that you will contribute your expertise to the multidisciplinary team, provide supervision to staff to staff at level HP1, Allied Health Assistants and students and support the Allied Health Manager in change processes. You will be required to undertake quality initiatives to promote service delivery at a standard of best practice.

This is a full-time position working Monday to Friday within the AH team and will provide services to the Adult Mental Health Unit, 12B, Mental Health Short Stay Unit, and to any mental health surge wards that open at Canberra Hospital.

The AH team is made up of diverse group of allied health professions that work together to support the recovery goals of consumers admitted to any of the AH Adult Mental Health Inpatient facilities.

The position will report operationally to the Allied Health Manager of AAMHS. Professional governance of this position will come from the Discipline Principal Social work (MHJHADS).

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 perform independent professional judgement on moderately complex tasks. You will:

1. Provide a high level of appropriate skilled social work clinical assessment and interventions to consumers across the lifespan with severe, complex and /or acute mental health issues within the social work scope of practice and using established best practice frameworks.
2. Include carers, children, Nominated Persons, GPs, and other service providers in the recovery planning process, as required.
3. Adhere to risk management processes and identify risks, suggest mitigating actions and escalating issues appropriately.
4. Complete clinical records and administrative data collection to standards.
5. Participate in clinical supervision, continuing professional development and personal performance review process. Provide professional supervision and training to Health Professionals Level 1, students, Allied Health Assistants, and other support staff.
6. Initiate, coordinate and contribute to the implementation of clinical governance activities, quality improvement projects, research programs, and health promotion in areas relevant to service. Provide education to internal and external stakeholders.
7. 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.

• A strong capacity to understand and respond to the emotional and psychological needs of consumers.
• High standards of ethical practice, especially in relation to confidentiality, consent, and mental health laws. Ability to advocate for patients' rights and access to care, particularly in complex mental health settings.
• Proven ability to foster a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach in mental health care, working closely with other healthcare professionals.
• Contribute to the development of team objectives for short term tasks and strategic planning for longer-term initiatives.
• Work with independence, subject to limited direction against established priorities, practices, and methodologies to deliver quality outcomes. Produce work requiring little or no revision before finalisation.
• Make decisions using good judgement, expertise and knowledge, under limited guidance. Ensure decisions are governed by the application of regulations, best practice principles or the agency’s operating instructions and procedures.
• Commitment to continuous learning and improvement through regular reflection on professional practice.
• Participate in and/or provide professional supervision including review of professional practice where required. Maintain professional knowledge and continue to develop knowledge and expertise in relation to professional skills and professional regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

Essential

• Tertiary Qualification in Social Work
• Professional membership or eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)

Desirable

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

Experience

Essential

• A minimum of 12 months full-time equivalent paid, professionally relevant work and completed all other relevant professional requirements.

Desirable

• Prior experience in supervising staff will be highly 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.

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. Demonstrated ability to provide appropriate social work assessments and interventions to people with complex mental health illnesses or disorders, including people from diverse backgrounds, with a good knowledge of contemporary mental health issues.
2. Demonstrated understanding of the principles of recovery and the National Standards for Mental Health Services and evidence of developing knowledge of contemporary mental health issues and best practice approaches to mental health.
3. Proven effective communication skills including ability to work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team and to liaise and consult with carers, GPs and relevant agencies.
4. Demonstrated ability to evaluate social work and /or psychosocial intervention programs through quality improvement initiatives, and to plan and develop the service to meet the needs of the people.
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.