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.

We are committed to workforce diversity and creating an inclusive workplace.

The Endocrinology Department at Canberra Hospital is the tertiary referral centre for endocrinology in the ACT and surrounding areas of NSW. We provide outpatient and inpatient care to people with a wide range of endocrine conditions including, but not limited to pituitary disorders, thyroid disease, adrenal disease, gonadal disorders and metabolic bone disease. We also provide diabetes care, with an interdisciplinary team, for all types of diabetes, including hyperglycaemia in pregnancy.

The position of staff specialist endocrinologist will provide outpatient care in endocrinology, diabetes, and hyperglycaemia in pregnancy. The endocrinologist will also provide inpatient care to people admitted with acute endocrine emergencies, as well as provide advice to those admitted under other teams in Canberra Hospital with diabetes and other endocrine conditions, including the peri-operative care of patients having pituitary surgery. The endocrinologist will also contribute to the department in terms of teaching, trainee supervision, quality improvement activities and/or research, and to the broader hospital community.

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 Divisional Clinical Director you will:

• Provide competent and efficient clinical management of diabetes and endocrinology conditions in the outpatient setting. Subspecialty areas will include, but are not limited to, management of diabetes in pregnancy. You may also be asked to contribute to the care of consumers in satellite locations.
• Provide high quality care to people admitted with endocrine emergencies, including provision of after hours / on call care
• Provide expert advice to other clinical teams at Canberra Hospital relating to diabetes and endocrine conditions, including the management of severe electrolyte disturbances and peri-operative care for people undergoing pituitary and adrenal surgery.
• Participate in the supervision, training and professional development of junior medical staff and medical students
• Provide upskilling and education to the wider interdisciplinary team
• Work effectively with medical and other health service colleagues, as part of a collaborative interdisciplinary health care team
• Contribute to the clinical governance of the Department, by undertaking clinical audits, and practicing evidence-based medicine
• Conduct, supervise and encourage quality improvement activities
• 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

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• High level clinical skills in endocrinology and diabetes, in both outpatient and acute inpatient care
• Specialist skills in management of diabetes, including, but not limited to diabetes technologies and diabetes in pregnancy
• Specialist skills in management of endocrine conditions, including, but not limited to pituitary disorders, adrenal disease and thyroid disorders
• Time management and organisational skills to manage a busy outpatient clinic, including supervision of trainees
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proven ability to work effectively and cooperatively in an interdisciplinary team
• Demonstrated ability to apply specialist knowledge in complex endocrine cases
• Commitment to medical education and supervision of endocrine trainees, junior medical officers, medical students and contribution to upskilling of nursing and allied health professionals
• Ability to and interest in improving models of care and optimising efficiencies in a busy workplace

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.

Qualifications

Mandatory

• Be registered or eligible for registration as a medical practitioner with the Australian Health Practitioner’s Regulation Agency, with no conditions, undertakings or reprimands (AHPRA).
• Hold or be eligible for a Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP) by the end of January 2026.
• Not be the subject of an unresolved scope of clinical practice review of by Medical Dental Appointments Advisory Committee or a current inquiry by AHPRA.
• Clinical experience in endocrinology in a similar work environment
• Experience in acute inpatient care of endocrine and diabetes emergencies
• Experience in working in a busy diabetes and endocrinology outpatient clinic
• Recent experience in inpatient and outpatient management of pre-existing diabetes in pregnancy, including expertise in the use of diabetes technologies in this setting
• The successful applicant will need to be available for rostered after hours and on call work.
• Hold a current driver’s license
• 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.
• Fulfill 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

• 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.
• Fulfil the responsibilities of this role in alignment to the CHS Exceptional Care and all other related frameworks

Experience

Mandatory

• Recent experience in the endocrine peri-operative management of pituitary surgery

Desirable

• Experience or knowledge of the CHS 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.
• Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.
• Comply with Canberra Health Services Medical and Dental Appointments Advisory Committee (MDAAC) 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.
• Approval for second job will need to be submitted annually. Commitment to second job must not impact on the agreed clinical duties of the specialist at Canberra Hospital.
• Adherence to agreed attendance hours including agreement to annual job planning for clinical operational requirements is required.
• It is expected that the successful applicant will have a track record as a successful member of a clinical team and demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching at all levels including medical, nursing and allied health professional staff and students. There is opportunity to be involved in teaching at the Australian National University Medical School.

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.

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

1. Proven high level clinical care in the practice of Endocrinology and Diabetes. This includes the ability to manage a busy outpatient clinic with a range of clinical presentations and complexity of clients, and provide care to inpatients with acute endocrine emergencies.
2. Excellent negotiation, interpersonal, written and oral communication skills. Including demonstrated effective engagement with an interdisciplinary care team.
3. A demonstrated strong commitment to the importance and provision of quality assurance activities, research and/or teaching of staff at all levels, including medical, nursing, scientific and allied health professional staff, post postgraduate and undergraduate.
4. Ability to and interest in developing or improving models of care and optimizing efficiencies in a busy workplace.
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 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.