The position is situated within Adult Community Mental Health Services (ACMHS), under the Intake Services Teams, which is a specialist mental health service that provides health care and support for people aged from 18 years old. ACMHS provides evidenced based and personalised care planning for recovering people while also collaborating with carers, Nominated Persons, supporters and other key stakeholders.

ACMHS teams operate across the Australian Capital Territory, adhering to both the Adult Community Mental Health Model of Care and the Older Persons Community Mental Health Model of Care. ACMHS program area services the community’s mental health needs in the areas of intake, recovery, supported and therapeutic accommodation, therapy, older persons, neuropsychology, assertive community outreach, homeless outreach, and intensive home treatment. The Intake Services Teams - Adult Community Mental Health Services (ACMHS) includes the Home Assessment and Acute Response Team (HAART) and includes a Police Ambulance Clinician Early Response (PACER) service, as well as Access Mental Health Team (AMHT), consisting of Access Triage 24/7 crisis phoneline and Access Comprehensive.

HAART provides acute and crisis interventions to facilitate hospital diversion, outreach assessment and treatment to people experiencing and living with a moderate to severe mental illness and complex needs in a community setting. HAART provides assessments and intervention for acute mental health presentations.

PACER is a tri-service mental health co-response capability which works in partnership with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and ACT Ambulance Services to provide a Police Officer, Ambulance Paramedic, and a Level 3 Mental Health Clinician who will provide a timely mobile response to people experiencing mental health crisis.

HAART, inclusive of PACER operates seven days a week, including weekends and public holidays. The position holder will be required to work a rotating roster of 8 and 10-hour shifts and reports to the HAART Team Leader.

Applicants may apply using the CHS online employment website and must attach two recent referee reports, a current resume and no more than a two-page written response that demonstrates your experience against the selection criteria.

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

Under limited direction of the HAART Team Leader and or Clinical Lead/CNC you will perform assessment and crisis intervention for people presenting with acute mental health issues. You will:

1. Provide early/immediate advanced mental health assessment and treatment, including where a person may require a joint police/ambulance/clinician response when experiencing a mental health crisis. Note that the PACER service does not form part of the level 2 duties expectation as PACER is a level 3 Clinician requirement.
2. Provide medication management, physical assessment for efficacy or effect, physical health care observations, if, and as required, such as blood pressure, pulse, temperature, respiratory rate, and other measures to monitor for potential side effects of medication administration with prescribed substances as directed.
3. Provide high standard clinical discipline-specific expertise, actively apply recovery-based intervention principles, and work collaboratively with people, carers, and community agencies/other stakeholders to provide care co-ordination and educative practices.
4. Complete case notes to the required standard in the Digital Health Record (DHR) and meet reporting and data collection requirements, as well as initiating, coordinating and leading quality improvement activities.
5. Undertake duties as directed including participating in clinical supervision and engagement in professional development activities.
6. Work within the scope of practice of the Mental Health Act 2015 and other relevant legislation, and if appointed as a Mental Health Officer, then to meet the requirements of this role and apply these principles in crisis decision making.
7. Assist in the provision of primary, secondary, and tertiary consultation services, community development and education, liaison and linkage to other government and non-government agencies that also provide care to people experiencing acute mental illness.
8. Compliance with the frameworks around clinical audits, incident management, occupational violence, staff orientation, clinical review, the National Standards for Mental Health Services, the National Safety and Quality Health Service standards and the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards.
9. Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

Specific competencies include but are not limited to the following.

• Advanced Mental Health Assessment experience working with specialised client group/s including medication administration, supervision, and management of prescribed substances, physical assessment and healthcare observations for the person in treatment.
• Understanding of the Mental Health Act 2015 and how it informs treatment options, rights, and care
• Application of recovery-based interventions, trauma informed care, and strengths-based approaches to care provision.
• Understanding risk and appropriate escalation of concerns through the team leader and team, such as MDT processes, RISKMAN, clinical supervision and other supportive frameworks.
• DHR competence and ongoing standard expectations for updating skillset to ensure statistical and data collection requirements are met.
• Clear communication skills in both verbal and written ability to work with carers, consumers, nominated persons, and support services/government agencies in accordance with the Mental Health Act 2015.
• Understanding of the frameworks encompassing the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards, and the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

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

Essential

• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) approved nursing qualifications and be registered or be eligible for registration with AHPRA as a Registered Nurse
• The successful applicant will need to have a current driver’s license.
• The successful applicant will need to work on a roster that includes weekends and after-hours work.
• Understand 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, Clinical Governance Framework, Partnering With Consumers Framework and all other related frameworks.

Desirable

• Post Grad Qualification in relevant discipline or another relevant stream.
• Experience working in community mental health teams, as well as understanding the partnership with emergency services personnel that promotes the spirit of cooperation and collaboration, respect for each other’s philosophy, priorities, knowledge, skills, and experience
• Approved as a Mental Health Officer under the Mental Health Act 2015, or eligible to be approved as a Mental Health Officer and is ready to undertake and complete that training.

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

Essential

• 4 years’ fulltime equivalent experience in nursing or hold a post graduate qualification in a relevant field.
• Hold an advanced knowledge of medications utilised in mental health, as well as appropriate administration, monitoring, for efficacy or side effect, and storage of prescribed substances.

Desirable

• Experience working in community mental health teams, as well as understanding the partnership with emergency services personnel that promotes the spirit of cooperation and collaboration, respect for each other’s philosophy, priorities, knowledge, skills, and experience

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.

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.
• The successful applicant will need to work on a roster that includes weekends, after-hours work and nightshift.

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. Under limited professional supervision, demonstrate advanced skills to undertake relevant mental health and risk assessment of people experiencing acute symptoms of mental illness and the application of contemporary and evidence-based skills in relation to crisis intervention, including medication administration and physical assessment for efficacy or potential side effects arising from prescribed substances.
2. Demonstrated understanding of the principles of recovery, the National Standards for Mental Health Services, and the Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan, including a knowledge of current mental health services within the ACT and a sound understanding of the Mental Health Act 2015 and other required legislation, including protocols for storage and administration of prescribed medications.
3. Demonstrated effective communication and high-level negotiation skills, and an understanding of and willingness to participate in research, quality improvement activities, and clinical supervision.
4. 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 necessary to this role. You will be responsible for completing clinical documentation and becoming a proficient user of the Digital Health Record and/or other Information Technology systems. Staff will need to already hold or undertake DHR training and gain proficiency, as well as remaining current with changes, updates, and contingencies.
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	Frequently
Sitting at a desk	Frequently
Standing for long periods	Frequently

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

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

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	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	Occasionally

Specific hazards	Frequency
Working at heights	Occasionally
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

Manual handling	Frequency
Lifting 0 – 9kg	Occasionally
Lifting 10 – 15kg	Never
Lifting 16kg+	Never
Climbing	Occasionally
Running	Never
Reaching	Occasionally
Kneeling	Occasionally
Foot and leg movement	Occasionally
Hand, arm and grasping movements	Frequently
Bending/squatting	Occasionally
Bend/Lean Forward from Waist/Trunk twisting	Occasionally
Push/pull	Occasionally
Sequential repetitive movements in a short amount of time	Occasionally