Project Officer - Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health

If you have a passion for improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s health, this position is what you are looking for!

The Project Officer will work closely with the Program Manager, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, the Senior Program Manager and the whole SEMML team to plan and deliver the Medicare Local’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health program.  The program aims to help close the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereon referred to as Aboriginal) life expectancy and general life expectancy within the Medicare Local catchment.

The project officer will work with both mainstream services (such as general practices, Southern Health and private allied health services) and Aboriginal services to improve the cultural safety for Aboriginal people in mainstream primary care services, and enhance access to integrated health care.  This will be through a variety of approaches including facilitating delivery of cultural safety training, championing quality improvement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in mainstream health services, building partnerships between mainstream and Aboriginal health and wellbeing services, and building and maintaining systems to support Aboriginal people to navigate the primary health system.  Partnering with Aboriginal organisations and elders is an essential part of the role.

The Project Officer will be provided with an orientation and will have opportunities to meet and train with other Project Officers working throughout Victoria.  They will be an active member of the state-level network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health project officers.

The Project Officer will ensure that the program is delivered to a high standard, and will routinely monitor progress and report to the Manager, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health on its development and delivery.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

• Experience with Aboriginal people and an understanding of the historical and contemporary issues that affect Aboriginal people;
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and organisations;
• An understanding of and empathy for general practice, and the ability to develop and deliver information, resources and to facilitate training;
• Strong strategic management skills including the ability to set priorities and act to achieve desired outcomes within specified timeframes;
• Highly developed interpersonal and partnership skills (including liaison and negotiation skills) and a demonstrated commitment to meaningful community consultation and networking. An ability to monitor and report against key performance indicators to both internal and external stakeholders.

Desirable:

• Qualifications in a relevant field such as health promotion, public health, community development or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies;
• Experience and success in implementing systems change in the general practice setting;
• Experience in improving linkages between primary health care providers and other providers (primary health integration);
• Knowledge of:
  • The private allied health and dental health sectors.
  • Computer applications including word processing, internet and email applications.

Expected personal skills and abilities:

• Ability to relate to people in a positive and dynamic way;
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people;
• Personal commitment to quality service provision;
• Willingness to identify and solve problems in a respectful and collaborative manner; and
• High level of integrity and loyalty to the organisation.

Accountability and key relationships

The project officer will be accountable to the Manager, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.  The program will be guided by a reference committee comprising of the Dandenong District Aborigines Cooperative, Southern Health, and the South Eastern Health Providers Association.  Key relationships will need to be maintained with those organisations on the reference committee, with private providers working in Aboriginal health, with the regional office of the Victorian Department of Health and with other key Aboriginal community-controlled organisations.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Build awareness and understanding of historical and contemporary issues most relevant to Aboriginal people in the region, and engage mainstream primary care services in improving Aboriginal health;
• Work with Medicare Local staff to establish a new program, including new key performance indicators for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in the Medicare Local;
• Maintain and extend consultative and effective working relationships with general practices, the local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service, community health services and other private mainstream providers;
• Organise meetings of the program reference group and ensure that actions are followed through;
• Maintain and extend strategies to improve the capacity of general practice and other mainstream primary care providers to deliver culturally appropriate primary care services to Aboriginal people (including facilitating cultural safety training and quality improvement initiatives in mainstream primary health provider organisations);
• Develop and implement strategies to enhance access to primary care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who see mainstream providers, particularly in relation to best practice chronic disease management;
• Be involved in regional committees that aim to improve care and services for Aboriginal people, when required;
• Participate in the statewide and national meetings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health project officers in divisions of general practice and/or Medicare Locals as required
• Monitor and report on all activities to the Manager, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, ensuring that key performance indicators are met;
• Participate in internal staff meetings and team meetings; and
• Undertake other tasks that contribute toward improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health as required.

For a copy of the position description and selection criteria see the attachment.  Alternatively, log on to www.dcgpa.com.au or contact Peter Larter at p.larter@dcgpa.com.au or phone (03) 8792 1900.