Permanent Up to 0.8FTE Staff Specialist - Department of Drug Health Services - Western Sydney Local Health District |APPLY VIA E-CREDENTIAL
Western Sydney Local Health District
Permanent Up to 0.8FTE Staff Specialist
Department of Drug Health Services
Applications are invited from suitably qualified medical practitioners for the above position(s) in the Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD). This position will be located at the Department of Drug Health Services within WSLHD.
Successful applicants will:
Clinical
• Provide high quality, evidence based clinical care in the area of addiction medicine to patients and their families/significant others
• Experience in prescribing opioid treatment and accredited authorized prescriber in NSW, or willingness to do the same
• Ensure adequate communication between clinical and other health care providers, both within and external to WSLHD, including the provision of discharge summaries
• Ensure detailed patent care treatment plans support timely patient care
• Ensure effective and timely patient handover and transfer of care
• Ensure a high standard of clinical record documentation, including both paper-based and electronic systems, in accordance with WSLHD practice provide reliable and responsive on-call services (when privileged to do so)
• Participate in afterhours and daytime on call duties as required
• Depending on work requirements the incumbent may be transferred to other locations across Drug Health Service, WSLHD to perform work appropriate to their classification, skills, and capabilities.
Research and Teaching
• Achieve and maintain an intellectual environment conductive to high quality clinical teaching and research
• Participate in approved research projects where within or external to, the Department and
• Organise and participate in effective formal and informal clinical education of undergraduate and postgraduate medical personnel and medical students within Drug Health and WSLHD, in both clinic and non-clinical contexts, in accordance with relevant NSW Health and other guidelines.
Quality
• Strive for continuing improvement in all aspects of work and that of medical and non-medical colleagues, mindful of priorities and the expectation of high standards
• Actively support a “no blame” culture
• Undertake clinical governance activities, risk management and audit in order to improve the quality of service provision and
• Actively participate in quality improvement with respect to service delivery, standards of care, teaching and research, including but not limited to clinical outcome measures, peer review, morbidity & meetings, sentinel event monitoring, clinical risk management and root cause analyses
Performance Management
• Participate in the WSLHD “Performance Review and Management Framework for Senior Medical Practitioners”, which is mandatory for all Senior Medical Practitioners in WSLHD as outlined in the Staff Specialist’s (State) Award
• Demonstrate clinical competency within the clinical privileges granted by WSLHD
• Provide satisfactory demonstration that quality assurance, quality improvement and risk management’s obligations are met
Other
• Attend and contribute to department business and other relevant meetings
• Participate in activities within a facility, network, or LHD especially in relation to the departmental specialty
• Assist the director in strategic clinical service planning in WSLHD
• Participate in strategic planning for research and educational activities at the University of Sydney and its Western Clinical School and/or the University of Western Sydney campus in Blacktown, as appropriate
• Ensure that the director and nursing unit managers are fully informed in a timely fashion of any known circumstances relating to matters within the department, or any other activities of staff thereof, so they are aware early of incidents leading to adverse publicity or legal action against staff of WSLHD
• Provide appropriate, timely returns to the director indicting external funding, research output and publications, external consultation, professional work and liaison activities and quality assurance activities, as required.
• Provide responses as required in respect to internal hospital enquiries relating to the carrying out of these duties, patient complaints, Health Care Complaints Commission matters, and medico legal requests and
• Assist the service director in recruitment and other activities as required from time to time.
Drug Health in Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) provides services to individuals with substance use disorders, to their families and significant others and to community organisations. Services are offered across the continuum of care from population health and prevention and community-based assessment to outpatient and inpatient treatment in tertiary referral hospitals with input from multiple disciplines, including medical, nursing and allied health (psychology and other) teams.
Drug Health is built on the principle of “no wrong door”. Patients are often complex with comorbid conditions that include mental illness, liver disease, (including chronic hepatitis C infection), cognitive impairment and other complications. Services provide an integrated model of car – a “one stop shop” approach.
Services provided by Drug Health include:
• Inpatient treatment & inpatient consultation liaison
• Ambulatory withdrawal management and maintenance/chronic care programs
• Alcohol / Opioid / Stimulant / Cannabis treatment programs
• Hepatitis C & other BBV treatment
• Fibroscan screening
• Addiction psychology services including community counselling services
• Neuropsychology assessment
• Forensic services – Magistrates Early Referral into Treatment (MERIT) program and Adult Drug Court
• Other multi-disciplinary teams: Assertive case Management (ACMT) and Substance use in Pregnancy and Parenting Service (SUPPS)
Drug Health is closely linked with gastroenterology, clinical pharmacology, toxicology, and psychiatry departments to provide seamless patient journeys.
Drug Health research is part of the Westmead research hub and is linked to the Westmead Millennium Institute to enable a full spectrum of research and translational opportunities.
Successful applicants may be offered a conjoint university appointment within the Faculty of Medicine at the relevant University attached to each facility. The level of academic appointment will be commensurate with the qualifications, experience and scholarship and will be held only during the tenure of the Western Sydney Local Health District appointment. No remuneration is attached to the University appointment. The appointee will be responsible to the University for academic matters and to the District for clinical matters.
Conditions of appointment are in accordance with the Staff Specialists (State) Award
Essential Requirements for Appointment
1. Current registration as a medical practitioner with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) or eligible for same. The specialist qualifications relevant to this position include fellow of the Australasian Chapter of Addiction Medicine (FAChAM), Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP), or other specialist recognition as provided for the Staff Specialist (State) Award. Must have Australian Citizenship or Permanent Australian Residency. Must hold a current NSW Environment Protection Authority license (if applicable)
2. Sound clinical knowledge and experience in Addiction Medicine and high-level skills relevant to inpatient, consultation liaison and outpatient service.
3. Demonstrated commitment to quality improvement activities, clinical research and teaching
Selection Criteria
Please outline how you satisfy the selection criteria listed below. In addressing the selection criteria, include any relevant skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience:
1. Qualifications and credentials required for core scope of practice in the specialty.
2. Evidence of additional qualifications, skills and/or experience required for specific scope of practice for the specialty.
3. Demonstrated skills and attitudes appropriate for practice as a Senior Medical Practitioner including:
o Proven ability to work effectively and harmoniously with medical and other health services colleagues as part of a multi-disciplinary health care team.
o Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with patients and colleagues.
o Excellent organisational, supervision and collaboration skills with demonstrated ability to build respectful relationships.
o Maintaining and developing knowledge, skills and professional performance to the level required for contemporary practice.
o Experience and involvement in quality assurance activities and translation of research into practice to improve patient safety and quality.
4. Demonstrated ability to manage time and resources efficiently and contributing to the effectiveness and efficiency of the health care system.
5. Demonstrated aptitude for clinical leadership which is evidenced by:
o Systems thinking and risk-taking aptitude.
o Commitment to self -care and personal development.
o Capacity to maintain personal integrity, tolerate stress and demonstrate resilience.
o Commitment to building relationships, leading, and developing others.
o Results and outcome focused.
6. Commitment to good governance, achieving results and managing risks.
7. Demonstrated commitment to Education, Training and Research, as applicable to the position.
Working With Children Check
Applicants must provide evidence of a Working with Children Check issued by the Office of Communities Commission for Children and Young People. For more information on how to apply for the clearance, please visit the Commission for Children and Young People website: https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/working-children-check
The Position Description can be located via e-credential, please refer to the link below.
To apply for this position, please complete an online application by clicking on the link below:
Applications must be received by 5pm before the advertised closing date.
APPLICATIONS CLOSE 7 FEBRUARY 2025
CONTACT
Dr Robert Graham
9840 3888
Robert.Graham@health.nsw.gov.au
Alternate Contact Name
Dr Thao Lam
9840 3888
If you are having any issues regarding your application via e-credential, please contact the Specialist Medical and Dental Recruitment Unit on (02) 8838 2094 or via e-mail: WSLHD-SMADR@health.nsw.gov.au
