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 Psychologist position is responsible for conducting skilled clinical assessment and delivering individual and group based psychological interventions to people.

The successful applicant will be required to undertake professional development and clinical supervision, participate in quality initiatives, and contribute to multidisciplinary team processes. It is an expectation that the successful applicant will provide supervision to staff at the Health Professional 1 level as well as to students and clinically related staff (such as Allied Health Assistants).

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.

This is a full-time position working Monday to Friday within the AH team.

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 appropriate assessments and interventions using established principal techniques and methods, to people with complex and serious mental health conditions.
2. Participate in the therapeutic group program, including evaluation of the program.
3. Adhere to risk management processes, identifying and escalating issues appropriately.
4. Complete clinical and program records to standards required and meet data collection requirements.
5. Participate in clinical supervision, continuing professional development and personal performance review process. Provide professional supervision and training to Health Professionals Level 1, Allied health Assistants, students, and other support staff.
6. Actively contribute to the implementation of clinical governance activities, quality improvement projects, research programs, and health promotion in areas relevant to service.
7. Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

• Demonstrates effective planning, time management, and prioritisation skills, with a consistent commitment to meeting clinical and service responsibilities in a timely and proactive manner.
• Adapts readily to changing service needs, consumer priorities, and workplace demands, maintaining composure and delivering responsive, person centred care.
• Works constructively as part of a multidisciplinary team, contributing to shared goals, respecting diverse professional perspectives, and supporting coordinated and integrated care.

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

Essential

• Relevant Tertiary qualifications.
• Registration with the Psychology Board of Australia under AHPRA.
• Proficiency with digital clinical systems, with the ability to use the CHS Digital Health Record and other required IT systems, maintain documentation standards, and remain up to date with system changes.

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 one years’ experience working professionally, post qualification in a related/ relevant organisation/service.

Desirable

• Previous experience working within the area of mental health.
• Fulfil the responsibilities of this role in alignment to 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.
• 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 ability to provide clinical assessment and interventions for mental illness and Psychological dysfunction in an adult acute inpatient setting.
2. A demonstrated understanding of the principles of recovery and the National Standard for Mental Health Services and evidence of a developing knowledge of contemporary mental health issues and best practice approaches to mental health.
3. Effective communication skills with the ability to work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team. Including ability to liaise and consult with carer’, GPs and relevant agencies.
4. Demonstrated ability to evaluate psychological intervention programs through quality improvement initiatives, and to plan and develop the service to meet the needs of people.
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	Frequently
Unpredictable People e.g. Dementia, mental illness, head injuries	Frequently
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	Frequently

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

Manual handling	Frequency
Lifting 0 - 9kg	Frequently
Lifting 10 - 15kg	Occasionally
Lifting 16kg+	Occasionally
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	Occasionally
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