Join us in this full-time permanent role at the Mental Health Line as a Mental Health Professional, in beautiful Newcastle.
Employment Type: Permanent Full Time
Position Classification: Occupational Therapy Level 3, Psychology, Registered Nurse, Social Work Level 3.
Remuneration: Dependant on Qualifications
Hours Per Week: 38
Requisition ID: REQ311049
Mental Health Professional – The Mental Health Line
James Fletcher Hospital
This position is graded as an Occupational Therapist Level 3, Social Worker Level 3, Psychologist and Registered Nurse.
Job share /part time arrangements will be considered.
About the Service:
HNE Mental Health employs 1,600 mental health staff members delivering comprehensive and specialist mental health services. Comprising nine percent of the HNE Health workforce their commitment extends across a range of inpatient services and community mental health care, from early prevention and early intervention of treatment, rehabilitation and continuing care. The focus of the service is on providing timely and effective care to empower consumers to become resilient, independent and to self-manage their illness and recovery.
Working within the Excellence framework of service delivery, the Mental Health service have a comprehensive Model of Care that guides and supports our practice. The focus of clinical work is based on therapeutic engagement working with a diverse range of clinical presentations. Family and carer inclusion is also at the forefront of the mental health plans.
About the role:
The telephone triage aspect of this role requires a high level of acute mental health skills and experience to be able to make on the spot complex decisions regarding risk management over the telephone.
There is no face-to-face work and no case management, therapy or counselling. Telephone assessments can be very difficult and often people are acutely distressed and right on the edge of self harm or even suicide.
The service, Intake Services, encompasses three areas of service delivery:
- The Mental Health Line (MHL) is a 24/7 resource centre providing specialist triage and referral services for consumers of all ages, and their families and carers who require expert mental health care and advice. Staffed by mental health professionals the MHL is located in central Newcastle. The role is very much focussed on assessing risk and safety for people with mental health issues over the telephone
- The Northern Mental Health Emergency Care – Rural Access Program (NMHEC-RAP) provides coverage to three Local Health Districts in NSW. The focus is on providing mental health expertise via telehealth to remote Emergency Departments where local Mental Health specialists are not readily available. NMHEC-RAP is a supplement to the existing services in those local areas to ensure timely and appropriate access to mental health care.
- Mental Health First Responder (MHFR) is a service whereby Police and Ambulance can seek to have a person triaged via MyVirtualCare (telehealth) in the person’s home to determine whether or not they should be transported to ED for further assessment of their mental health.
The positions are all for a 24-hour, 7-day rotating roster including weekends and night shifts.
About You:
The successful candidates will hold degree qualifications in Occupational Therapy, Psychology, Nursing, Social Work. With your experience in Mental Health, and strong capabilities in assessments and communication, you will excel as part of the team working across three pivotal care lines for Mental Health.
You will join a supportive interprofessional team with extensive experience in Mental Health. You will receive comprehensive orientation, mentoring and training.
Ongoing education and support is provided through clinical in-service education and various learning opportunities. Discipline specific Clinical Supervision is available.
Information for Applicants:
All NSW Health workers are required to have completed a primary course of a COVID-19 vaccine which has been approved or recognised by the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA). Additionally, Category A workers are required to receive a booster dose three months after completing the primary course of COVID-19 vaccinations. New applicants must have completed the vaccination course prior to commencement with NSW Health, or provide an approved medical contraindication certificate (IM011 immunisation medical exemption form) certifying the worker cannot have any approved COVID-19 vaccines available in NSW.
Acceptable proof of vaccination is the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) Immunisation History Statement or AIR COVID-19 Digital Certificate. Booster doses are highly recommended for all health care workers who have completed the primary course of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Specific Diseases – this is a Category A position. Please read and understand NSW Health policy directive (PD2022_030). All new employees must agree to comply with the requirements outlined in the policy.
To be eligible for permanent employment in this position you must be an Australian Citizen, or a permanent resident of Australia, or a New Zealand citizen with a current New Zealand Passport. Employment of a temporary visa holder may only occur if no suitable local candidate is identified for the position; in this instance, you may only be offered employment in line with the conditions and expiry date of your visa.
An eligibility list will be created for future permanent full or part time and temporary full or part time vacancies.
Previous candidates need not re-apply.
Applicants will be assessed against the essential requirements and selection criteria contained within the position description (link below). For assistance addressing selection criteria visit: https://bit.ly/3vL5fq2
Stepping Up Website: is a resource designed to help indigenous job applicants apply for positions in NSW Health. For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/HNEHealthSteppingUp.
Salary Packaging: is beneficial to most HNELHD employees and may increase your take-home pay! Salary package a range of personal expenses including novated motor vehicle leases, relocation expenses, and HECS/HELP debt. Find out more by contacting SalaryPackagingPLUS! via [email protected] or 1300 40 25 23.
HNE Health employees may be eligible for a range of benefits such as allocated days off (ADO) for full time employees, long service leave, paid maternity leave, and salary packaging options including meal expenses.
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Need more information?
1) Click here for the Position Description
2) Find out more about applying for this position
For role related queries or questions contact Pamela Davis on [email protected]
Applications Close: 11 December, 2022