Clinical Services Professional Level 3 Position Description

Position Title: Clinical Services Professional Level 3

Division: Operations Support & Specialist Services

Reporting to: Service Manager

About Northcott

Who is Northcott?

Northcott is a not-for-profit disability service provider that works with customers to realise their potential. As one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit disability service organisations, we provide services from metropolitan and regional locations throughout NSW and the ACT. We have more than 90 years of experience and expertise in the disability service industry. A registered NDIS provider, we employ close to over 2,500 staff and provide empowering, personalised services to over 13,500 people with disability, their families and carers each year.

What do we do?

Northcott provides personalised and dynamic support, delivered by a committed team who will optimise and maximise support and services for every customer. Our experience and expertise gives confidence to our customers they are in good, trustworthy hands, while our commitment to innovation and pushing boundaries allows us to tackle any challenge currently creating barriers for our customers to reach their potential. Northcott’s diverse range of service offerings and strong community partnerships gives customers easy access to the supports they need or want through a single gateway from our many locations.

What is our promise to each customer?

We will work creatively and relentlessly with each customer to unlock, discover and unleash their potential, supporting and empowering them to be the best they can be now and in the future. Our customers are not numbers, they are unique individuals. We personalise our services to each customer’s current and future needs and goals, every single one, to ensure their development and growth. As advocates for our customer’s inclusion, we will empower them with confidence, choice and opportunity so they can live their life, as they choose, in their own way.

Key Objective of the Service/Department

Northcott Therapy provides support to children, young people and adults with a range of disabilities including intellectual disability, physical disability, autism and global developmental delay. Assessments and therapy are conducted in a family centred way to enable the customer to live as independently as possible at home, in education or work and in the community. Northcott Therapy provides timely and evidence based therapy and clinical support to people with a disability, their families and support networks by providing information, support, training and advice within a capacity building approach.

Key Objective of the Position

• To provide a range of specialist clinical services to support children/and or adults with disabilities to meet their identified need/s
• To provide supervision and mentorship to less experienced therapists within the relevant specialty
• To be an ambassador for Northcott, representing the organisation and its services, its customers and their needs internally and externally
• To develop services, processes with an evidence-base within the relevant clinical areas.

Person Specifications (Skills & Knowledge)

• Genuine interest, passion and commitment to the human services industry
• Demonstrated critical thinking, problem solving and analytical skills
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills and the ability to engage with, establish and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to use initiative and work independently with excellent time management skills
• Demonstrated ability to deliver and evaluate quality customer service/outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to manage own caseload in an efficient and effective manner
• Competency in use of information technology
• Demonstrated commitment to self-directed learning and continuous professional development
• Thorough working knowledge of the mission and values of Northcott.

Essential Qualifications & Experience Required

• Tertiary qualifications in allied health or relevant field (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, dietetics, psychology, nursing, orthotics, social work etc.)
• Registration AHPRA or with the relevant professional association
• Extensive experience working as a clinician within the disability sector (5 years or more)
• Demonstrated expert knowledge and skills in a specific clinical specialty
• Knowledge of strengths-based practice, as well as family and person centred approaches
• Experience providing clinical supervision to allied health professionals
• Experience in working within clinical governance, quality improvement and risk management frameworks
• Experience in leading critical reflection, applying theoretical frameworks and referring to research and literature to inform clinical practice.

Delegation Level

• Nil

Core Competencies of the Role

• Clinical Knowledge
  • Acts as a role model and practices as an expert clinician
  • Demonstrates the use of person centered approaches with all customers/ families
  • Practices within professional and ethical standards
  • Demonstrates advanced independent clinical reasoning skills and the ability to expand on, adapt or change interventions when required
  • Ensures practice is evidence-based where available
  • Demonstrates reflective practice
  • Provides education/advice to others within areas of expertise
  • Demonstrates ability to apply skills, knowledge and experience using a range of different models (e.g. transdisciplinary)
  • Develops and applies solutions, new ideas and methods to promote continuous improvement in professional practice and achievement of service delivery outcomes
  • Demonstrates an active contribution to the organisation’s and therapy’s strategic plan.
• Service Delivery
  • Identifies and is part of a proactive response to therapy service issues and monitors service delivery to ensure customer outcomes are achieved in a timely fashion
  • Manages a clinical caseload including billable hours as set by your Service Manager
  • Assesses, plans, implements and reviews therapy services relevant to their specialty and profession
  • Independently manages assessment, execution of individual plans and provision on expert services for customers with complex needs
  • Takes responsibility and effectively manages customer concerns in a responsive and courteous manner
  • Operates autonomously or with limited supervision
  • Develops service offerings using expert knowledge and experience
  • Represents Northcott externally (e.g. at forums, external working parties, scientific meetings) as required.
• Teamwork
  • Demonstrates willingness and ability to support their Practice Lead with operational decisions, service development activities and management of local issues
  • Provides advice to team members on areas of specialisation
  • Demonstrates value of others’ input and expertise and a desire to learn from others.
• Problem Solving & Decision Making
  • Organises work, demonstrating flexibility and effective time management to meet deadlines
  • Prioritises duties/responsibilities in a manner consistent with service and organisational objectives
  • Effectively manages tasks or assignments including follow-up and delegation.
• Education/ Clinical Supervision
  • Participates in the induction and orientation of staff, students, volunteers etc.
  • Demonstrates an ability to initiate and coordinate local projects
  • Participates in the direct clinical supervision of staff, undergraduate students etc.
  • Supports junior staff in the development of expert assessment, service delivery and evaluation
  • Collaborates with others to develop and deliver education programs
  • Identifies clinical education needs for therapy services
  • Maintains own professional development program.
• Innovation
  • Identifies and adopts innovative clinical practice models
  • Contributes to the development and implementation of new service models which are customer focused and financially viable for Northcott Therapy.
• Research
  • Utilises research and literature in the provision of therapy services
  • Participates in own or others research related to their clinical speciality
  • Fosters and supports research amongst colleagues
  • Advises the organisation and/or acts as an organisational representative on issues relevant to their discipline for people with disability.

Duties

The typical duties of this position include:

1. Delivery of therapy services to a range of customers across various funding bodies
2. Identify and assist with the development of SMART goals for customers in accordance with assessment findings and in collaboration with the customer and or family/caregiver
3. Provide expert advice, reasoned recommendations and innovative solutions for the delivery of therapy services
4. Maintain knowledge and skill in clinical practice developments
5. Work constructively and cooperatively with managers, colleagues and key stakeholders
6. Raise issues within a solution focused framework and offer suggestions for change that improve outcomes
7. Actively participate in reception and provision of clinical supervision
8. Ensure that targets contained in Service Description Schedules are achieved and that customer management system (Carelink+) data input is consistent and timely
9. Attend, present and participate in internal and external professional development activities
10. Attend organisational and discipline specific meetings
11. Liaise with other services to promote Northcott Therapy and advocate for customers’ needs and rights
12. Maintain accurate clinical records, statistics, reports, related documentation and filing systems

This list is indicative only and is subject to change. All Northcott employees are required to comply with any reasonable work requests as directed by their employer from time to time.

Northcott Policy and Procedures

All Northcott employees are expected to be familiar with and adhere to Northcott policies and procedures.