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 Canberra Health Services Rheumatology Unit provides inpatient, outpatient and consultative services to patients from the Australian Capital Territory and surrounding regional New South Wales. The Staff Specialist Rheumatology works in a multidisciplinary team of nursing, administrative and medical staff, including Rheumatology trainees, to deliver timely, efficient and person-centred care. The role contributes to comprehensive clinical service delivery, clinical governance, quality assurance, education, research and teaching.

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 comprehensive Rheumatology inpatient and outpatient services, both on-site and off-site, and participate in the Rheumatology on-call roster and consultative service.
• Fulfil and maintain annual Royal Australasian College of Physicians and Australian Rheumatology Association continuing professional development requirements, maintain safe professional practice and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency standards, and complete performance appraisal requirements with the Unit Medical Director - Rheumatology.
• Contribute actively to clinical governance and quality assurance activities, including clinical audits, morbidity and mortality reviews, clinical pathway development and other activities that support best clinical practice.
• Contribute to unit-led education, research and teaching activities, including teaching, supervising, mentoring and training Rheumatology trainees, Junior Medical Officers, relevant hospital clinical staff and community-based health practitioners.
• Attend and contribute to hospital and unit handover and other relevant meetings as required.
• Work collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team to support timely, efficient and person-centred Rheumatology services.
• 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:

• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with commitment to the Rheumatology Unit and CHS organisational needs and values.
• Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate changing clinical, logistical and departmental requirements.
• Professional communication and interpersonal skills, with a commitment to confidentiality.
• Ability to liaise effectively with staff at all levels and work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Clinical leadership and sound judgement in the delivery of safe, high-quality Rheumatology and internal medicine services.
• Commitment to clinical governance, quality assurance, audit, service improvement and positive patient experience.
• Capability to teach, supervise, mentor and train medical and other health professionals.
• Commitment to research, evidence-informed practice and development of clinical practice guidelines.
• Understanding of Work Health and Safety, relevant safety and quality standards, and the National Safety and Quality Health Service indicators as they align with the role.
• Behaviour consistent with the CHS values of Reliable, Progressive, Respectful and Kind.

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.

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

• Registration, or eligibility for registration without conditions, as a medical practitioner with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency / Medical Board of Australia.
• Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP), with formal subspecialty training in Rheumatology.
• Membership in good standing with the Australian Rheumatology Association.
• Not be the subject of an unresolved scope of clinical practice review by a Medical Dental Appointments Advisory Committee or a current inquiry by Ahpra.
• 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

• Current driver licence.
• 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

• Current and ongoing relevant clinical experience in Rheumatology and internal medicine.
• Experience providing comprehensive inpatient, outpatient, consultative and on-call Rheumatology services.
• Experience contributing to clinical governance, quality assurance, clinical audit, morbidity and mortality review and clinical pathway development.
• Experience in teaching, supervising, mentoring and training trainees, Junior Medical Officers and other health practitioners.
• Computer literacy relevant to required clinical documentation and use of the Digital Health Record and other information technology systems.
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, Clinical Governance Framework, and all other related frameworks.
• 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

• Current and ongoing experience managing adult, paediatric and adolescent rheumatological presentations.
• Experience across clinical Rheumatology practice, including community-based practice and Rheumatology/internal medicine unit settings.
• Experience managing arthritis, inflammatory rheumatic diseases, multiple comorbidities, synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, biological treatments, checkpoint inhibitor-related presentations, sport and soft-tissue presentations, connective tissue diseases, vasculitides, spinal pain, pain syndromes and osteoarthritis.
• Interest or experience in imaging of rheumatic diseases, patient-reported outcomes and clinical leadership.
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, and all other related frameworks
• 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

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. Demonstrated experience in clinical Rheumatology and internal medicine, including both adults and adolescents and the rational use of synthetic disease-modifying medications and complex biological treatments for inflammatory rheumatic diseases.
2. Commitment to clinical leadership, governance, service delivery, teaching and research, with skills, experience and personal vision that complement the needs of a busy Rheumatology department and CHS patients.
3. Proven high-level communication and interpersonal skills, with evidence of safe clinical practice while working collaboratively in a busy multidisciplinary environment.
4. Demonstrated commitment to patient-centred Rheumatology service delivery, teaching, training and supervision, research, audit, quality assurance and development of clinical practice guidelines.
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.

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.