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.

The Canberra Hospital (CH) Emergency Department (ED) is currently undergoing a period of significant transformation, marked by the successful delivery of several major initiatives over the past four years. These include the implementation of the Digital Health Record (DHR), the establishment of an Integrated Operations Centre (IOC), and the commissioning of a new Emergency Department within the Critical Services Building (Building 5).

The newly constructed ED offers a contemporary and expanded physical environment, incorporating innovative models of care. Key features include a dedicated paediatric treatment area, enhanced triage capacity with a specialised ambulance triage zone, and a behavioural assessment unit.

The department is characterised by a strong and collaborative workplace culture, which promotes integration across clinical units and professional disciplines.

The Clinical Director will provide strategic and operational leadership to the ED team, in partnership with the Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON). The role is supported by a skilled Business Manager, three Deputy Directors (including a Paediatric Lead), and a comprehensive medical workforce comprising over 40 FACEMs/FRACP-PEMs, more than 30 registrars, and a cohort of junior medical officers.

The position is further supported by an experienced and committed Executive team. The sustained performance improvements achieved at Canberra Health Services (CHS) over the past three years reflect the Executive’s dedication to whole-of-organisation reform, particularly in enhancing patient flow and access to inpatient beds.

The Clinical Director will work in close collaboration with the Clinical Director of the Division of Medicine and other Unit and Clinical Directors across CHS. Given the extensive interface between the ED and other clinical services, the role offers substantial opportunity for cross-unit engagement.
The Clinical Director will also participate as a member of the Canberra Health Services Operational Committee, providing strategic oversight and contributing to organisational direction within the scope of the role.

The role requires the cultivation of respectful and empathetic relationships with all business units and includes representation of the ED in public-facing forums such as media engagements, Ministerial correspondence, public health matters, and complaints or coronial investigations.

In addition, the Clinical Director will be responsible for advancing the four foundational pillars of Emergency Medicine at CHS: Education, Safety and Quality, Research, and Workforce Culture.

The position is governed by the provisions of the Public Sector Management Act 1994, the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct, and the professional standards set by the relevant Specialist College.

Key responsibilities

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

• Accountability for day-to-day operations of the service and endeavour to ensure that clinical, strategic and key performance indicators are met.
• Ensure that care delivery and clinical outcomes within the service reflect best practice.
• Work collaboratively with leaders of other clinical units in CHS to ensure delivery of safe, high-quality person and family centred care.
• Be responsible for the clinical supervision of Consultants, Registrars and Junior Medical Officers.
• Ensure that the Department maintains high quality educational programs for all levels of medical staff and medical students.
• Be responsible for conducting, supervising and encouraging research and quality assurance activities.
• Work collaboratively with the Executive team to promote organisational priorities.
• Undertaking other duties as directed, within the approved scope of clinical practice ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality person and family centred care.
• 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

In addition to meeting the core competencies to be recognised as a Fellow of the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine, (FACEM), the preferred candidate will have:

• Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change and provide responsive services to meet patients’ needs.
• Critical thinking skills and ability to form robust conclusions based on evidence and sound judgement.
• Effective communication skills and the ability to develop and maintain networks across Canberra Health Services and with external parties
• Ability to work within multi-disciplinary and management teams and adapt quickly to a changing environment.
• Experience in the practice of Emergency Medicine
• Strong organisational skills with a high degree of personal drive
• Ability to motivate others, with high level of insight into intrinsic motivation
• A good understanding of the principles of quality and safety to deliver exceptional care
• In addition to a commitment to work, health and safety (WH&S) and contributing to the CHS positive patient focus, display behaviours consistent with the organisational values of Reliable, Progressive, Respectful and Kind

Qualifications

Essential

• Be registered as a medical practitioner with the Australian Health Practitioner’s Regulation Agency, with no conditions, undertakings or reprimands (AHPRA).
• Hold a Fellowship of the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine (FACEM)

Desirable

• Master of Healthcare Leadership or equivalent
• Other leadership courses such as Leadership for Clinicians (RACMA), Oxford Healthcare Leadership program etc
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) and Australian Council of Healthcare Standards (ACHS) clinical indicators align with this role.

Experience

Essential

• Experienced clinician in a tertiary hospital setting working across the breadth of Emergency medicine, including Paediatric care.
• Experience in Leadership roles, either within the ED setting, or an equivalent multi-disciplinary environment.

Desirable

• Prior involvement in recruitment and retention strategies for medical workforce
• Development of Quality Assurance projects and initiatives
• Demonstrated track record in Research activities
• Demonstrated commitment to multi-disciplinary education.
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, Clinical Governance 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:

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

• 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.

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.

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 high performance as an experienced clinician in a tertiary hospital setting, with ability to work effectively as a leader of a complex, multidisciplinary clinical service and provide guidance and leadership to staff. This should include experience in strategic planning of physical and human resources for a tertiary Emergency Department and the ability to contribute to forward planning strategies for the operation of the Emergency Department.
2. Proven ability to lead clinical governance and demonstrated experience in the application of quality improvement activities, including clinical review, incident and complaint management and clinical audit.
3. Demonstrated high level interpersonal, and written and verbal communications skills in the context of a complex tertiary hospital environment.
4. A strong commitment to teaching at all levels (including medical, nursing and allied health professional staff, both postgraduate and undergraduate) with demonstrated experience and achievements in developing, maintaining and delivering organisational capacity and training programs, and mentoring the professional development of staff within the Department.
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.