Description

Allied Health Professional – Lead Practitioner (CYMHS)

Position Number: Generic
Classification: Allied Health Professional Level 4
Award/Agreement: Allied Health Professionals Public Sector Unions Wages Agreement
Group/Section: Community, Mental Health and Wellbeing - Statewide and Mental Health Services - Child and Youth Mental Health Service 
Position Type: Permanent, Full Time
Location: North
Reports to: Team Leader – Child and Youth Mental Health Services (CYMHS)
Effective Date: July 2024
Check Type: Annulled
Check Frequency: Pre-employment

Essential Requirements: 
Satisfactory completion of an approved allied health professional tertiary qualification/program of study and registered with the relevant National Board or, in the case of self-regulated allied health professions, full membership/eligible for membership with the relevant professional association

• Current Working with Children Registration

*Registration/licences that are essential requirements of this role must remain current and valid at all times whilst employed in this role and the status of these may be checked at any time during employment. It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that registration/licences remain current and to advise the Employer if their circumstances change. This includes notifying the Employer if a registration/licence is revoked, cancelled or has its conditions altered.
 

Desirable Requirements:

• Current Driver’s Licence
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience relevant to the role

Holds or is working towards post graduate qualifications relevant to the role
NB: The above details in relation to Location, Position Type and Work Pattern may differ when this position is advertised – please refer to these details within the actual advert. The remainder of the content of this Statement of Duties applies to all advertised positions.

Primary Purpose:
The Allied Health Professional -Lead Practitioner works as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide clinical care to a high standard within a designated program or region or statewide stream. Working within a Multidisciplinary team framework, and supporting other staff within the discipline, the Lead Practitioner – Allied Health will:

• Ensure service delivery to children and young people, their families/significant other is in accordance with evidenced-based practice, person-centred, trauma-informed and meet the requirements of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, Legislative requirements, Agency Policy and relevant professional competencies.
• Actively contribute to the ongoing development of the program area and related change management processes through the implementation of the associated model of care, operational service model and clinical governance requirements.
• Provide high level clinical knowledge and expertise to ensure clinical standards of care are met, and the requirements of the National Outcome Casemix collection (NOCC) are completed across the designated program area, region and/or statewide stream.

Requirements

Duties:

1. Acts as a role model and deliver comprehensive, developmentally appropriate, and trauma-informed biopsychosocial mental health assessments and therapies, and a range of evidenced-based psychological, creative and other therapies.
2. Provide clinical leadership within a designated program area, region and or statewide stream.
3. Provide direct clinical care for a designated number of children and young people within a program area, usually those with a high level of care need/complexity.
4. Demonstrated expertise and understanding of the impacts of complex trauma on the dynamics of attachment, child development and the associated trajectory from these experiences.
5. Proactive participation in multidisciplinary team meetings.
6. Works with the Team Leader and the Clinical Lead to ensure that professional supervision, mentoring and support is available to staff and students as required.
7. Ensure the development and maintenance of effective relationships and communication channels with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, to promote timely and seamless access to specialist services and transition of care.
8. Ensuring that own clinical documentation and data collection requirements are completed within a timely manner and oversight of these requirements within the program area with support from Clinical Lead (Extended).
9. Inspires a positive attitude towards work, values the diversity of the team and support others to succeed, in providing direction within the work environment to negotiate and influence harmony and productivity.
10. Accept constructive feedback, maintain professional skills under pressure and adopt a solutions approach to issues and obstacles.
11. Actively participate in and contribute to the organisation’s Quality & Safety and Work Health & Safety processes, including in the development and implementation of safety systems, improvement initiatives, safeguarding practices for vulnerable people, and related training.
12. The incumbent can expect to be allocated duties, not specifically mentioned in this document, that are within the capacity, qualifications and experience normally expected from persons occupying positions at this classification level.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities:

The Lead Practitioner – Allied Health works under the direction of the Team Leader, with additional support from the Clinical Lead and clinical direction from the Consultant Psychiatrist who oversights the program area.

Within the scope of this role and level of delegation the Lead Practitioner – Allied Health provides clinical and direction to the clinicians within the specific program area. They will:

• Work collaboratively and effectively with the multidisciplinary team and internal and external service providers to promote a consumer-focused model of care, coordinate referrals, provide timely, efficient and effective service delivery and improved health outcomes for service consumer, and as a senior clinician, provide effective clinical leadership within a defined practice area.
• Accept accountability and responsibility for their own practise, working within the relevant professional framework and applicable professional codes of conduct and ethics and recognise/maintain their own professional development needs as well as contributing to performance development for other staff.
• Champion a child safe culture that upholds the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. The Department is committed to the safety, wellbeing, and empowerment of all children and young people, and expect all employees to actively participate in and contribute to our rights-based approach to care, including meeting all mandatory reporting obligations.
• Where applicable, exercise delegations in accordance with a range of Acts, Regulations, Awards, administrative authorities and functional arrangements as mandated by Statutory office holders including the Secretary and Head of State Service. The relevant Unit Manager can provide details to the occupant of delegations applicable to this position. 
• Comply at all times with policy and protocol requirements, including those relating to mandatory education, training and assessment.

Pre-employment Conditions:
It is the Employee’s responsibility to notify an Employer of any new criminal convictions during the course of their employment with the Department.

The Head of the State Service has determined that the person nominated for this job is to satisfy a preemployment check before taking up the appointment, on promotion or transfer. The following checks are to be conducted:

1. Conviction checks in the following areas:

a. crimes of violence

b. sex related offences

c. serious drug offences

d. crimes involving dishonesty

2. Identification check

3. Disciplinary action in previous employment check.

Selection Criteria:

1. Demonstrated knowledge, skill and expertise in providing clinical service delivery related to the program area and ability to provide high level clinical leadership, exercise professional judgement and initiative and to work under minimal supervision.
2. Compressive knowledge of relevant, evidenced-based contemporary approaches to child and youth mental health services together with experience working as a senior health professional in relevant clinical practice settings.
3. Demonstrated experience working in a recovery-orientated, trauma informed care approach to children, young people and their families/significant others to ensure positive outcomes within the program area.
4. Proven commitment to teamwork, together with advanced interpersonal skills, including written and verbal communication and the ability to provide leadership, manage conflict and maintain effective working relationships with all applicable stakeholders involved in planning and coordination of clinical care.
5. Demonstrated ability and commitment to be a positive role model, upholding the values of the organisation with a focus on the SMHS strategic priorities, and a commitment to ensuring support and clinical supervision strategies and in place for self and the staff within the designated program area or discipline-specific requirements.
6. Comprehensive understanding of the Legislative, NSQHS and Agency requirements as applicable within a child and youth mental health service inclusive of Work Health and Safety, Child Safeguarding, Workplace Diversity and relevant practice standards and codes of ethics.

Working Environment:

The Department of Health is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of patients, clients and the Tasmanian community through a sustainable, high quality and safe health system. We value leading with purpose, being creative and innovative, acting with integrity, being accountable and being collegial.

The Department of Health is committed to improving the way we work with vulnerable people, in particular implementing strategies and actions to promote child safety and wellbeing, empower, and prevent harm to children and young people.

The Department upholds the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights in our practice and is committed to the safeguarding and protection of the welfare and rights of all people, particularly those that may be at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. We place emphasis on the provision of culturally safe, respectful, and inclusive care that is responsive to diverse needs.

The Department seeks to provide an environment that supports safe work practices, diversity and respect, including with employment opportunities and ongoing learning and development. We value the diverse backgrounds, skills and contributions of all employees and treat each other and members of the community with respect. We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment or bullying in the workplace. All employees must uphold the State Service Principles and Code of Conduct which are found in the State Service Act 2000. The Department supports the Consumer and Community Engagement Principles | Tasmanian Department of Health.