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 Division of Surgery is responsible for delivering inpatient and outpatient surgical services to the ACT and surrounding region. The Division includes Surgical Bookings and Pre-Admission Clinic, Anaesthesia, Pain Management Unit, Operating Theatres, Post-Anaesthetic Care Unit, Day Surgery Unit and Extended Day Surgery Unit, specialist surgical ward areas, medical and nursing outpatient services, ACT Trauma Service, Intensive Care Unit, Capital Region Retrieval Service and the Trauma and Orthopaedic Research Unit. These Units are supported by administration support officers.

The Canberra Hospital ICU includes a new 4-bed Paediatric Intensive Care Unit within a 48-bed Adult ICU. The ICU routinely cares for medical and surgical patients, including those with major trauma, cardiac, thoracic and neurosurgical needs. Annual ICU admissions are around 2500, including 100 paediatric cases. The ICU department employs 16 ICU specialists, 30 ICU trainees (Senior Registrar/Registrar) and 12 junior medical officers (Registrar/SRMO).

The number of paediatric presentations has increased recently and the new the PICU will provide short-term (24-48 hours) support and monitoring for children, either aiding in their recovery or preparing them for transfer to a higher-level PICU if care exceeds local capacity. It collaborates with interdisciplinary teams, including Paediatric Medicine, Paediatric Surgery and tertiary PICU referral networks at Sydney Children Health Network (SCHN).

The PICU Specialist will be responsible for providing critical care to children in the ICU and a strong focus on PICU service development for the region. The PICU specialist will be supported by general ICU specialists (who have specific paediatric interest and experience) and paediatric anaesthetists as required.  Based on interest and level of adult experience, the position may also include participation in the adult ICU on-call roster.

A performance assessment will be conducted within three months following commencement of employment. At least every twelve months, a performance review will be undertaken that includes expectations in respect of management responsibilities, quality improvement and clinical governance activities, post graduate and undergraduate teaching activities, continuing education, research, health outcomes.

CHS maintains strong research links with the ANU, University of Canberra, and the Australian Catholic University. The hospital has well developed post graduate teaching programs. A fully equipped medical library is available on site with a large collection of hard copy and online journals and textbooks. Candidates may be considered for conjoint positions at the ANU at an academic level commensurate with their qualifications and experience. Academic positions are held for the duration of the candidate’s CHS employment and will be subject to regular performance reviews.  No remuneration is attached to the university position.  The employee will be responsible to the university on academic matters and to CHS for clinical/ research matters. For more information about to conjoint positions with the ANU please contact Professor Paul Fitzgerald, Director, ANU School of Medicine and Psychology ANU College of Health and Medicine (EA - Cheryl Morse: cheryl.morse@anu.edu.au).

Medical Staff at CHS enjoy excellent conditions. Our Enterprise Agreement is available at https://www.health.act.gov.au/careers/applying-work-us/enterprise-agreements. The position holder is expected to operate within the Public Sector Management Act (1994), the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct and the professional requirements specified by the appointee’s Specialist College. In general, the numeration package offered is very competitive compared to other states and territories across Australia and New Zealand and the package can be negotiated based on the level of experience.

The position holder is expected to operate within the Public Sector Management Act (1994), the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct and the professional requirements specified by the appointee’s Specialist College.

Key responsibilities

Under limited direction of the Executive Director, Division of Surgery and in collaboration with the Clinical Director of the adult ICU, you will:

• Deliver clinical care expected of an experienced medical practitioner in the discipline of Intensive Care Medicine, in line with College of Intensive Care Medicine Guidelines.
• Assist in the development of a multidisciplinary team delivering care to critically ill children including those with life-threatening single and multiple organ system failure, those at risk of clinical deterioration, and those requiring resuscitation and/or management in an intensive care or high dependency unit.
• In partnership the ICU leadership, contribute to ensuring that the day-to-day operations of the service are effective and meet agreed clinical, strategic, and key performance indicators.
• Communicate with stakeholders across and outside of CHS (paediatricians, paediatric surgeons, NETS and Sydney Children Hospital Network) to enable effective relationships with patients, families, other team members and referring clinicians, and other health services, to facilitate collaborative, multidisciplinary patient care.
• With respect to specific paediatric education and skill training, participate in supervision of the ICU multidisciplinary team including nurses, senior and junior medical officers, and allied health professionals.
• Conduct, supervise, and encourage research and quality assurance activities, in line with the ICU’s research and quality assurance program.
• 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:

In addition to meeting the core competencies for Intensive Care Specialists to be recognised as a Fellow of the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM) of Australia and New Zealand, the preferred candidate will have:

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, including both oral and written skills, communicating with patients, students, other health professionals and the public.
• High level of interest and commitment to teaching of medical students, interns, residents, registrars and nurses, and a commitment to maintaining personal professional development.
• Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change in an intensive care unit environment.
• Be proficient in the performance and education of technical skills required to manage the critically ill child.

In addition to a commitment to work, health and safety (WH&S) and contributing to the CHS positive patient focus displaying behaviours consistent with the organisational values of Reliable, Progressive, Respectful and Kind.

Qualifications

Mandatory

• Fellowship of CICM with endorsed paediatric or equivalent specialist qualifications, or provisional paediatric fellow of CICM who will be completing the fellowship requirement soon.
• Registered or eligible for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), with no conditions, undertakings or reprimands.
• Current paediatric advanced life support.
• 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

• Recognised as an Intensive Care Specialist by Services Australia to claim MBS items for Intensive Care Medicine.
• Have an understanding of 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 for Exceptional Care Framework and all other related frameworks.

Experience

Mandatory

• Clinical experience commensurate with the required qualifications and key selection criteria listed in this duty statement.

Desirable

• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, Clinical Governance Framework, Partnering With Consumers 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.
• Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.
• Comply with 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. <Delete if not applicable>

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.

Please apply online by submitting a copy of your CV along with a cover letter responding to the below Selection Criteria:

1. Proven intensive care medicine experience and skills in managing paediatric patients needing multi-organ support with ability to facilitate clinical practice guidelines in the paediatric ICU setting.
2. Well-developed communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills, and ability to collaborate and negotiate with other staff and services, work as part of a multidisciplinary team and provide leadership where required, to enable timely transfer of critically ill paediatric patients who need tertiary level care.
3. Demonstrated commitment to the maintenance and further development of skills applicable to the area of Paediatric Intensive Care, including involvement in continuing medical education.
4. A strong commitment to the importance and delivery of teaching at all levels, including medical, nursing, scientific and allied health professional staff, both postgraduate and undergraduate.  Experience in teaching in the simulated learning environment is essential and further qualifications in this area are highly desirable.
5. Demonstrated 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 relevant 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.