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Position Overview

The Social Work and Psychology Department is a contemporary evidence-based service including around 17 FTE social workers providing high quality inpatient and outpatient care at North Canberra Hospital (NCH). The Department provides care and support to patients and families across critical and acute inpatient areas and specialised outpatients settings, including medical and surgical areas, intensive care unit, the emergency department, maternity and hospital in the home.

As the After Hours Emergency Department Senior Social Worker you will provide a range of social work clinical services and support to patients, families and carers with a focus on the Emergency Department. These include;

  • Assessments and interventions to address complex psychosocial needs. This may include working with traumatic injury, psychological trauma, family violence, new diagnosis, adjustment to health condition, management of chronic health conditions, loss and grief, safety concerns, mental health and alcohol and other drug issues.
  • Referral and liaison with health and other service providers.
  • Advocacy to promote and address patients’ needs.
  • Counselling and emotional support.
  • Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to facilitate a positive patient journey and provide a high-quality clinical service.

Clinical supervision is provided through team and department structure. Access to formal professional development funds is available and outlined in our EBA.

You will play an integral part of the team, supporting students and junior staff.

Note: Due to operational needs this position(s) is a rostered shift work position with set hours/ days and the requirement to work rostered public holidays and shutdown periods. Payment and entitlements for shift workers is described in the ACTPS Health Professionals Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026.. The emphasis placed on each duty will vary according to the requirements of each position.

Key responsibilities

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

  1. Provide a high level of appropriate skilled clinical assessments and psychosocial interventions across a range of clinical areas, including individual and group work to consumers and carers.
  2. Exercise independent professional judgment in solving problems and managing cases where principles, procedures and techniques require expansion, adaptation or modification.
  3. Liaise with patients, carers and service providers, to enhance and improve clinical outcomes and develop partnerships for health promotion and other service activities identified in the business plan.
  4. Actively contribute to the supervision and education of staff and students. Actively participate in supervision, continuing professional development and performance management.
  5. Actively contribute to the implementation of clinical governance activity, quality improvement projects, research programs and health promotion in areas relevant to service.
  6. Actively participate in team meetings, complete clinical and administrative data collection and case records to a consistent high standard.
  7. Practice in accordance with the professional body’s code of conduct, practice standards and organisational guidelines and legislative requirements.
  8. Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

Competencies

Specific responsibilities and behavioural capabilities include but are not limited to the following:

  • High level of clinical skills, including assessment and identifying and implementing complex interventions.
  • High level of verbal and written communication skills including the ability to communicate well with patients, families and treating teams.
  • High standard of ethical practice in line with CHS and AASW standards, such as maintaining patient confidentiality and making sound decisions.
  • Independent workload management, such as work under limited supervision.
  • Critical and self-reflection, including the ability to learn from situations and problems.
  • Problem solving and negotiation skills.
  • High level of organisational skills and high level of motivation.
  • Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change and provide a responsive service in a changing environment.

About you

CHS is committed to workforce diversity and to creating an inclusive workplace. As part of this commitment, we welcome applications from all diversity groups. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability and people who identify as LGBTQIA+ are particularly encouraged to apply.

Position Requirements / Qualifications

Mandatory

  • Degree in Social Work (or AASW recognised equivalent).
  • Professional membership or eligibility for professional membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
  • Minimum of 3 years’ experience working professionally in Social Work.
  • Computer literacy skills.
  • 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.

Desirable

Please note prior to commencement successful candidates will be required to:.

  • Undergo a pre-employment National Police Check.
  • Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.
  • Current registration issued under the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 is required.
  • 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.

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 knowledge of and ability to provide a high level clinical psychosocial assessment, counselling, and complex interventions, which is responsive to patient and families.
  2. High level of communication skill which is demonstrated through the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external service providers and stakeholders and work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
  3. Demonstrated critical self-reflection and active participation in professional supervision and provide clinical supervision to professional staff and students.
  4. Demonstrated initiation in undertaking innovative quality improvement activities through policy review, quality improvement processes and research to develop evidence-based practice.
  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.

AdministrativeFrequency
Telephone use Frequently
General computer use Frequently
Extensive keying/data entry Frequently
Graphical/analytical based Occasionally
Sitting at a desk Frequently
Standing for long periods Frequently
Psychosocial demandsFrequency
Distressed People e.g. Emergency or grief situations Frequently
Aggressive & Uncooperative People e.g. drug / alcohol, dementia, mental illness Frequently
Unpredictable People e.g. Dementia, mental illness, head injuries Frequently
Restraining e.g. involvement in physical containment of clients/consumers Never
Exposure to Distressing Situations e.g. Child abuse, viewing dead / mutilated bodies; verbal abuse; domestic violence; suicide Frequently
Physical demandsFrequency
Distance walking (large buildings or inter-building transit) Frequently
Working outdoors Occasionally
Manual handlingFrequency
Lifting 0 - 9kg Frequently
Lifting 10 - 15kg Frequently
Lifting 16kg+ Occasionally
Climbing Occasionally
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
TravelFrequency
Frequent travel – multiple work sites Occasionally
Frequent travel – driving Occasionally
Specific hazardsFrequency
Working at heights Never
Exposure to extreme temperatures Occasionally
Operation of heavy machinery e.g. forklift Never
Confined spaces Occasionally
Excessive noise Frequently
Low lighting Occasionally
Handling of dangerous goods/equipment e.g. gases; liquids; biological. Never
Slippery or uneven surfaces Occasionally

Directorate: Canberra Health Services

Division: North Canberra Hospital

Business Unit: Acute Allied Health Services

Position number: LP6929+

Position title: Emergency Department After Hours Social Worker - Health Professional Level 3

Classification: Health Professional Level 3

Location: North Canberra Hospital, Bruce Canberra

Reporting relationships: Direct Manager:  Social Work Critical Care Team Leader +1: Director of Social Work and Psychology

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