POSITION DESCRIPTION
GENERAL PRACTITIONER
OVERVIEW
Program: Sacred Heart Central
Reports to: Program Coordinator Health & Wellbeing
Supervise: Nil
Date of Last Review: December 2016
Classification: Community Medical Practitioner, Sacred Heart Mission Enterprise Agreement 2013 or subsequent Agreements
ORGANISATION CONTEXT
Sacred Heart Mission (SHM) works with people whose capacity to participate fully in community life is affected by deep, persistent disadvantage and social exclusion. Since opening our doors in 1982, the Mission has been providing a range of innovative, relationship based service responses which enable people to overcome disadvantage and realise their full potential. As a trauma informed organisation, our shared recognition of the impact of trauma informs and guides all of our interactions with the people who access our services.
SHM is an Equal Opportunity Employer and an Environmental Sustainability driven organisation. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, national origin, age or disability. We ensure staff and volunteers operate from fit for purpose facilities that adopt green building design and practices.
SHM has a number of staff committees across the organisation committed to championing best practice in these areas. Our EEO groups lead by example to break down the barriers to inclusion and to foster a diverse workplace where people are free from discrimination and disadvantage and are treated with respect and dignity. Our Green team has set targets for developing SHM’s environmental profile as a sustainable organisation and as a leader in the sector.
VISION
Our vision is of an inclusive, fair and compassionate community, which enables people to overcome disadvantage and realise their full potential.
MISSION
Our mission is to build people’s capacity to participate more fully in community life, by addressing the underlying causes of deep, persistent disadvantage and social exclusion.
We do this by:
▪ Ensuring access to the necessities of food, clothing, housing, health care and specialised services.
▪ Listening, understanding and responding to people in a holistic, caring, and respectful way, so they can take control of their lives.
▪ Delivering accessible, responsive, evidence informed and innovative services.
▪ Welcoming people in the spirit of social justice, co-operation and partnership to create better communities.
▪ Engaging sector partners, researchers, philanthropy, business, government and the broader community, to contribute their time, expertise and resources.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
SHM is made up of four Divisions – Community Services, Aged Care Services, People & Strategy and Business Services. The Community Services Division includes Sacred Heart Central (SHC), Women’s Services, Journey to Social Inclusion Mark II (J2SI) and the Rooming House Plus Project (RHPP). Within SHC there are several programs that provide an integrated service approach, and include:
▪ Support Services, which provide homelessness assistance (assertive engagement, crisis intervention, advocacy and support), Case Management, Assistance with Care for the Aged, a Wellbeing and Activities program, Partnerships with Alcohol and Other Drug Services and Mental Health Services, and a Homeless General Practice Clinic.
▪ The Meals Program, which provides a daily breakfast and lunch service (an average of 400 meals a day, every day of the year).
▪ The HoH Clinic, which provides complementary health services through a professional bank of volunteers including chiropractors, naturopaths, physiotherapists, hairdressers, counsellors and other professionals.
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
The GP clinic’s location alongside client support services is important because of its proximity to marginalised and at risk communities. The Program specifically seeks to target people who do not currently have a GP.
The targeted client group has poor health status and health outcomes and low level of engagement in traditional primary health services. The Program provides a flexible and innovative model of effective integrated medical service. The overall objective of this position is to provide an integrated clinical medical service over two sessions of three hours per week. A GP/Practice Nurse team will work in partnership with support staff to engage clients and provide a comprehensive medical service.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Accountability Major Activities
Clinical Service Delivery
▪ Provide patients and their carers with initial, comprehensive, preventive, coordinated and continuing medical care. ▪ Provide emergency and urgent medical attention to clients. ▪ Provide treatment to patients in accordance with best practice and
therapeutic guidelines.
▪ Conduct minor surgical procedures, trauma-related procedures and any other procedures routinely required.
▪ Immunise clients in accordance with National schedules and best practice.
▪ Provide a resource to clients, nurses and other host site staff in clinical matters.
▪ Support and counsel patients in a professional manner and in accordance with professional guidelines.
▪ Be proactive involved in patient health/disease management through care planning, case conferencing, health assessments and routine recalls.
▪ Liaise closely with clients’ support workers. Ensure that any relevant client duty of care issues (suicidal ideation, self-harm) are passed onto the SHC Coordinator or Manager.
▪ Maintain infection control.
Administration ▪ Attend any periodical meetings that may be relevant to the
program.
▪ Accurately complete timesheets and statistics on a routine basis. ▪ Provide all data required by the HIC for billing, incentive payment
Accountability Major Activities
General Duties ▪ Participate in the ongoing planning, evaluation and development
of the GP Program.
▪ Adhere to SHM policies and procedures.
▪ Participate in quality assurance activities as required.
Professional Development
▪ Attend and contribute to staff development and supervision programs and to attend relevant courses and mandatory in-house training when appropriate.
▪ Participate in peer review/practice review.
OH&S Exercise a duty of care to work safely, taking reasonable care to protect your own health and safety and that of your fellow workers, volunteers and clients including following safe working procedures and instructions.
RISK All SHM staff are responsible for considering, identifying and addressing risk (the effect of uncertainty on objectives) whether positive (opportunities) and/or negative (threats).
CQI (Continuous Quality Improvement)
All SHM staff are responsible for identifying areas of the strategic plan that ‘add value’, and for implementing and monitoring CQI initiatives. Staff are open to new ways of doing things, respond to challenges with innovative ideas and solutions and promote a continuous quality improvement culture.
TIC (Trauma Informed Care)
All SHM staff are responsible for engaging in learning and development to integrate their understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma within their work including active participation in the supervision and performance development process.
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
▪ A current Criminal Records Check.▪ A current Victorian Working with Children Assessment Notice. ▪ Valid driver’s license to drive in Australia.
▪ Registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority (AHPRA). ▪ Medical Practitioner’s Specialist GP Registration with AHPRA.
▪ RACGP Vocationally Registered General Practitioner.
▪ Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria current Practicing License.
QUALIFICATIONS
▪ Relevant tertiary qualifications.
KEY SELECTION CRITERIA
Essential
▪ Extensive experience in General Practice.
▪ Demonstrated previous experience in a community or Clinical and Primary Health Care Service.
▪ Knowledge and understanding of homelessness and homeless subculture.
▪ Demonstrated skills and ability to communicate sensitively with people from different cultural backgrounds.
▪ Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of issues affecting the health and well-being of people experiencing homelessness.
▪ A commitment to improving the health of people experiencing homelessness through primary health care.
▪ Excellent planning and organisational skills.
▪ Computer literacy and ability to use a PC as an integral diagnostic tool. ▪ Strong alignment to SHM Values.
Desirable:
▪ Experience working in a Homelessness Support Service. ▪ Ability to speak a community language.
APPROVED BY MANAGER ………..………..
ACCEPTED BY STAFF MEMBER ………..………..
DATE ………..
