Position overview

Canberra Health Services (CHS) is focussed on the delivery of high quality, effective, person-centred care. We provide acute, sub-acute, primary and community‐based health services, to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and surrounding regions. More information can be found on the CHS website.

Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services (MHJHADS) offers compassionate, recovery-focused care for youth and adults across Canberra. Whether in hospitals, community centres, justice facilities, or even at home, MHJHADS provides specialised support tailored to each stage of life—from children and adolescents to older adults. Services include inpatient psychiatric care, community outreach, and harm minimisation programs, all designed to meet complex mental health needs with dignity and respect.

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provides specialist inpatient and community based mental health assessment and treatment services for children and adolescents experiencing moderate to severe mental illness/disorder with significant functional impairment, associated complex needs and risk. CAMHS also governs several specialist MHJHADS services including:

• CAMHS Acute Services
  • CAMHS Hospital Liaison Team (CAMHS HLT)
  • At Home Intensive Treatment Team (AHITT)
  • Child and Adolescent Unit (CAU)
  • CAMHS Day Program
• CAMHS Community Teams
  • CAMHS North and South
  • Single Point of Access (SPA)
  • Adolescent Mental Health Outreach Service (AMOS)
  • The Cottage Program
  • CAMHS Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Program
• Specialist Youth Mental Health Outreach (SYMHO)
• Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Consultation Service (PIMHCS)
• Eating Disorder Program
• Eating Disorder Residential Treatment Centre
• Intellectual Disability Service

The Clinical Director duties is 0.50FTE and the successful candidate will work the remainder up to 1.0FTE in a clinical capacity within CAMHS.

Key responsibilities

Under limited direction of the Director of Clinical Services (DOCS) you will work collaboratively with the Clinical Directors in the Division and across CHS to achieve strategic objectives. The Clinical Director has a key leadership role in workplace culture and building high performance teams. You will:

• Provide clinical services in your specialist field as part of the clinical department of which you are a member, including inpatient and outpatient services, and participation in the on-call roster,
• Ensure appropriate clinical governance mechanisms are in place and that services adhere to the National Safety and Quality Health Standards,
• Provide expert clinical advice and input alongside the Operational Director for Ministerial briefs, coronial briefs, business case submissions and complaint resolution as required,
• In collaboration with the DOCS, ensure timely recruitment of medical staff and effective line management of program medical staff including rostering, leave planning and performance management,
• Represent the Division in internal and external forums and committees and work collaboratively with external strategic partners, and
• Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation

About you

CHS is committed to workforce diversity and to creating an inclusive workplace. As part of this commitment, we welcome applications from all diversity groups. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability and people who identify as LGBTQIA+ are particularly encouraged to apply.

Competencies

To be successful in this position, it is expected that the successful candidate will include but are not limited to the following attributes:

• Strong organisational, communication and interpersonal skills,
• Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate and manage, change, and provide responsive services to meet the needs of consumers and the organisation,
• A strong focus on person centred care and a commitment to quality outcomes,
• Ability to liaise effectively with staff at all levels and across disciplines,
• Ability to work within multi-disciplinary and management teams and adapt quickly to a changing environment, including managing confidential and sensitive information

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered or eligible for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
• Hold a Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) or an equivalent higher specialist qualification and evidence of satisfactory participation on the RANZCP Continuing Professional Development Program is mandatory.
• Obtain a Compliance Certificate from OMU (Occupational Medicine Unit) relating to assessment, screening & vaccination processes against specified infectious diseases.

Desirable

• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Experience

Essential

• Several years’ work experience in a similar role and role environment
• 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

• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act 2015 and other related legislation.
• Experience or knowledge of the responsibilities of this role in alignment to the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, Clinical Governance Framework, Partnering for Exceptional Care Framework and all other related frameworks.

For Senior Specialist we will also expect that you:

1. Have demonstrated advanced clinical experience outlined in a CV that clearly and comprehensively outlines the applicant’s professional history.
2. Have been employed at the equivalent of a Specialist Band 5 for a period of at least three years.
3. Have demonstrated their advanced ability to provide leadership to their colleagues through either clinical or administrative means.
4. Have gained demonstrable advanced experience and attained such ability in the relevant speciality that is acceptable to CHS, to justify a recommendation for advancement to Senior Specialist by the Review Panel.
5. Be able to demonstrate their ability to undertake duties and responsibilities deemed by CHS as those expected of a Senior Specialist.
6. Be able to demonstrate that they are performing at a level consistent with this competency framework.

Please note prior to commencement successful candidates will be required to:

• Undergo a 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.
• Obtain and maintain Canberra Health Services Credentialing and scope of clinical practice requirements for medical professionals.

Important information

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.

What you require (key selection criteria)

These are the key selection criteria for how you will be assessed in conjunction with your resumé and experience.

1. Proven extensive clinical experience as a staff specialist with the ability to provide evidence-based, person-centred care, and a demonstrated ability to manage clinical, nonclinical, and managerial duties.
2. Demonstrated ability to lead systems that support clinical governance, quality and safety, and the management of human, financial and operational resources to ensure high quality, safe and sustainable clinical services.
3. Demonstrated strong commitment to the development of a research, teaching and learning orientated multidisciplinary work environment within a tertiary teaching hospital.
4. Demonstrated high-level leadership, communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to develop highly performing multidisciplinary teams and a positive workplace culture.
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.

Where possible include specific examples of your work.

For consideration at the Senior Specialist level, you will require the above and:

1. Clinical: Show advanced clinical expertise in their speciality area, which may include the ability to work without supervision, as recognised by their peers.
2. Safety and Quality: Provide leadership through:
   1. a demonstrated ability to be effective in leading safety and quality activities, including experience relevant to specialist college accreditation
   2. providing senior medical input to the safety and quality activities of the medical unit and clinical division, and
   3. participating actively in specialist college accreditation, as overseen by the Australian Medical Council.
3. Teaching: Provide senior input using demonstrated experience in the development and provision of teaching and training at CHS and services in the surrounding region.
4. Research: Undertake speciality-specific research and/or have relevant publications of research in a respected health or medical journal.
5. Administrative functions: Support the medical unit director in the administration of the unit and provide senior medical input to the development of policies and practices of the unit.

Senior Specialist applicants must also provide two detailed supporting statements from referees including:

1. A supporting statement from the relevant medical unit director or equivalent, attesting to:
   1. the applicant’s ability to work at a senior level in the relevant unit or department,
   2. compliance with CHS policy and guidance documents, and
   3. behaviour consistent with CHS’ values
2. A supporting statement from a second referee who is a Senior Specialist.

Work environment description

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.