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.

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.

• 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.

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

Essential

• Degree in Social Work (or AASW recognised equivalent).
• Professional membership or eligibility for professional 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.

Specific requirements include but are not limited to the following.

Essential

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience working professionally in Social Work.
• Computer literacy skills.

Desirable

• Experience working in a health or a hospital setting.
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, and all other related frameworks.

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.

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.

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.

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	Frequently
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	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 demands	Frequency
Distance walking (large buildings or inter-building transit)	Frequently
Working outdoors	Occasionally

Manual handling	Frequency
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

Travel	Frequency
Frequent travel – multiple work sites	Occasionally
Frequent travel – driving	Occasionally

Specific hazards	Frequency
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