Social Workers at Clare Holland House are a part of the multidisciplinary team that provides specialised palliative care services to a range of clients in inpatient, home based and outpatient settings. Our Social Workers collaborate with patients, carers, referrers, other health professionals and multidisciplinary teams to achieve safe, high quality patient care.

This position supports the delivery of Social Work services within Clare Holland House and its range of specialist palliative care services. You will play a key role in delivering high quality patient centred care and associated functions to support service delivery in this clinical area.

Clinical supervision and professional development is provided through team structures, supervision support, competency-based assessments and professional development opportunities.

1. Provide appropriate skilled clinical social work assessment and psychosocial interventions across a range of specialist palliative care services (Home Based Palliative Care, Inpatient (Hospice) Outpatient), including individual and group work to patients and carers, with support.
2. Exercise independent professional judgment on routine matters and perform novel and complex or critical tasks under professional supervision, decreasing as expertise increases.
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.

• Strong organisational skills with a high degree of drive
• Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change and provide responsive services to meet clients’ needs.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to perform novel, complex, critical or difficult tasks with professional supervision.

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

Essential

• Degree in Social Work (or equivalent).
• Professional membership or eligibility for professional membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
• Drivers Licence
• Relevant tertiary qualifications and a minimum of 1 year experience working professionally in Social Work is required.
• 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

• Experience in supporting patients with end-of-life care needs.
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.
• Fulfil the responsibilities of this role in alignment to the CHS Exceptional Care Framework and all other related frameworks.

Specific requirements include but are not limited to the following.

Appointment to this position is conditional on being granted and retaining appropriate clearances:

• 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.

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.

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 social work assessment and psychosocial interventions which are responsive to patient needs in a healthcare setting that provides care for patients at the end of life.
2. Proven effective communication skills, both written and verbal, with an ability to communicate sensitively with patients and colleagues and work effectively with hospital and community-based stakeholders.
3. Demonstrated ability to work within multidisciplinary team/s and prioritise workload according to clinical indicators, risk management frameworks and organisational requirements.
4. Demonstrated ability to participate in professional supervision, performance management, continuing professional development and assist in the education of students.
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.

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	Occasionally
Unpredictable People e.g. Dementia, mental illness, head injuries	Occasionally
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	Occasionally

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	Occasionally
Lifting 16kg+	Occasionally
Climbing	Occasionally
Running	Never
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	Occasionally
Excessive noise	Occasionally
Low lighting	Occasionally
Handling of dangerous goods/equipment e.g. gases; liquids; biological.	Never
Slippery or uneven surfaces	Occasionally