Patient Support Services (PSS) provides support for the patients of Canberra Hospital through a range of services, including Wardspersons, Hospital Assistants, Central Equipment and Courier Services, Ward Clerks and the Patient Liaison and Admission Team.

The Director of PSS is responsible for providing operational and strategic leadership, governance and direction for support services for the Canberra Hospital. Reporting to the Nursing and Midwifery Director (NMD), the Director of PSS covers a breadth of services that the NMD is accountable.

In collaboration with the NMD, the Director of PSS will oversee a wide range of patient support services management and administration activities in a large complex health service and exercise the skills and understanding of strategic oversight in the operational planning and delivery of the portfolio which enable the provision of efficient, high-quality and safe patient care.

The Director of PSS portfolio includes operational management of:

• Wardspersons
• Hospital Assistants
• Central Equipment and Courier Services
• Ward Clerks
• Patient Liaison and Admission Team

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

Under limited direction of the NMD, the Director of PSS will:

• Coordinate and manage rostering, workforce allocation, recruitment and resource utilisation within the portfolio
• Develop, monitor and report on service-level performance indicators and metrics to support quality, operational and strategic objectives. Work collaboratively across CHS to support contemporary models of care and service delivery.
• Provide leadership for the PSS portfolio in all aspects of professional development, workforce planning and quality improvement inclusive of the National Standards for Quality and Safety in Healthcare within the work environment.
• Monitor and support quality, safety and service improvement activities aligned with organisational frameworks.
• Provide operational advice and reporting to support decision-making within the division
• Provide effective leadership to support a high-performing workforce
• fostering a culture that values continued development, learning, and improvement.
• Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and support teams to deliver high-quality outcomes with the ability to manage competing priorities and respond flexibly to changing service needs.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills to support service delivery, workforce and resource management, as well as budget management skills to implement operational efficiencies in the provision of optimal healthcare.
• High level interpersonal skills to influence and provide key information to support decisions with key stakeholder groups.

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

Essential

• A tertiary qualification in nursing.
• Registered or eligible for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

Desirable

• A postgraduate qualification in health administration / management, or related field.

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following.

Essential

• A minimum 5 years full time equivalent experience in nursing.
• A minimum of three years’ management experience within a tertiary or complex health care setting.
• Proven success in managing large diverse teams and implementing strategic initiatives.

Desirable

• Knowledge of CHS Strategic Plan 2024-2029
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, and all other related frameworks.
• Sound knowledge of the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards, Clinical Care Standards and experience in ensuring these standards are met.

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.

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
• 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 record of achievement in operational service planning and implementation at a management level within a complex healthcare care setting, including an understanding of the complexities and difficulties associated with the provision of a 24-hour, 7 day a week service.
2. Demonstrated high level conceptual, analytical and innovative problem-solving skills in service delivery, human resource management, financial management and quality and risk management.
3. Highly developed communication, negotiation and delegation skills and a proven commitment to quality improvement.
4. Knowledge and understanding of current issues, developments, future directions with the ability to lead and manage cultural improvements that contribute to PSS and CHS change initiatives.
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	Occasionally

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

Physical demands	Frequency
Distance walking (large buildings or inter-building transit)	Frequently
Working outdoors	Never

Psychosocial demands	Frequency
Distressed People e.g. Emergency or grief situations	Occasionally
Aggressive & Uncooperative People e.g. drug / alcohol, dementia, mental illness	Occasionally
Unpredictable People e.g. Dementia, mental illness, head injuries	Never
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	Never

Specific hazards	Frequency
Working at heights	Never
Exposure to extreme temperatures	Never
Operation of heavy machinery e.g. forklift	Never
Confined spaces	Never
Excessive noise	Never
Low lighting	Never
Handling of dangerous goods/equipment e.g. gases; liquids; biological.	Never
Slippery or uneven surfaces	Never

Manual handling	Frequency
Lifting 0 – 9kg	Occasionally
Lifting 10 – 15kg	Occasionally
Lifting 16kg+	Never
Climbing	Never
Running	Never
Reaching	Occasionally
Kneeling	Never
Foot and leg movement	Never
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	Frequently