Purpose of role

This position is responsible to establish the Social Work within Katunguls multidisciplinary team model and delivering general Social Work services to Katungul clients.

The position works collaboratively with the GP-multidisciplinary teams and Katungul’s Community Service teams. This position is in Narooma and is responsible for working across all three Katungul sites on a regular basis and various community / outreach sites.

Core objectives include:

Establish the Social Work Service:

• Liaise with the Manager Clinical Services to establish the priority target groups, referral pathway for accessing Social Work services and case mix / case load arrangements.
• Complete the service development work required to establish the Social Worker service within the context of Katunguls operating systems: including policies and procedures guiding the delivery of the Social Work services, intake/assessment process, feedback to referring GP, use of Communicare, management of Social Work documentation including assessments, reports, case work notes.
• Given this is a new position at Katungul, at the end of the first six-month period, liaise with the Manager Clinical Services to review and update this inaugural position description.

Managing referrals and case load:

• Work closely with the Intake/Triage RN to receive referrals.
• Review referral and communicate back to the Triage RN if the referral is accepted or declined. If declined provide advice to the Triage RN regarding a more suitable pathway for the client referred.
• For referrals accepted, formally add the client to your active case load and contact the client to arrange follow-up appointment. Obtain consent from the client to engage other providers they may be working with, especially if a case management approach is required.
• Manage intake and exit of clients to maintain a workable case load list.

Advocacy:

• Given this position is new, initially the requests for advocacy may be associated with issues such as: Housing, Centrelink, CTP scheme (including reviews for rehabilitation, return to work, health, and wellbeing).
• Work with clients seeking advocacy to identify their needs and priorities and develop advocacy strategies.
• In collaboration with the client or on their behalf, deliver the agreed advocacy strategies (which could include mediation, negotiation, representation, navigating systems) required to make progress on or resolve the client’s issues.
• Provide information, support, education to clients with regards to their issue so they feel empowered in the advocacy process.

Case Work:

• For clients presenting with complex issues and who are involved with multiple providers, collaborate with the client and their providers to establish a coordinated case management plan to assist the client navigate priorities, goals and access joined up care.
• Generate referrals to support the client to access other services as required.
• Facilitate case conference meetings as required to ensure all providers are working in a coordinated way to assist the client to meet their goals and address their priorities.

Therapeutic Supports:

• Provide assessments, interventions, individual counselling, and support in accordance with the Social Worker scope of practice and contemporary evidence-based practice.
• Involve family and carers as required.
• Provide assessments and reports to assist clients involved in CTP matters.
• Collaborate with the GP multidisciplinary team to enhance the clients GP management plan/care plan and/or mental health care plan where appropriate.
• Evaluate the outcome of the therapeutic interventions delivered and discharge clients appropriately.

External Providers:

• Establish a working relationship with key health and welfare related service providers (both NGO and Government) who operate across Katunguls footprint.
• Engage regularly with the network of service providers to be able to draw upon the working relationship when advocating on behalf of clients or to link clients to the services they need.

Service safeguards and requirements:

• As appropriate, participate in planned case conferences with GPs and relevant staff from the multidisciplinary team who are also involved in the client’s care.
• Engage families, carer’s, advocates, and significant others as per client consent arrangements.
• Comply with child protection reporting requirements.
• Comply with relevant legal and ethical standards including ethical practice, duty of care, confidentiality, relevant accreditation, and work health safety.
• Undertake clinical supervision in accordance with your registration requirements.

Clinic administration and reporting:

• Complete client progress notes in CommuniCare. Manage client related documentation e.g., advocacy plan, case plan, etc in the clients Communicare record.
• If client was referred by a GP or other provider, report back to referring provider re the outcome of the initial appointment and follow-up required.
• Maintain case work data and prepare reports for the Director Health Services as required (reports that will assist with reporting to funding body and advocacy to secure additional resources to expand the service).
• Attend team meetings and case work supervision as required.
• Adhere to ethical standards of clinical practice in accordance with AHPRA policy frameworks.

Accountability and reporting:

• Prepare and submit regular and accurate service data in accordance with Katungul policies and funding body requirements.
• Provide reports as required to the Director Health Services regarding activity, any key issues, or successes.

Qualifications / Experience

• Tertiary qualification in Social Work
• Current unrestricted AHPRA registration.
• Minimum two years’ experience post graduate experience in a Social Work role, including experience delivering therapeutic interventions, reflected in a high-level knowledge and skills in responding to the impacts of trauma.
• Previous work experience in a community setting within an Aboriginal organisation is desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to establish collaborative partnerships in the health and community services sector.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the issues and barriers that impact on the health outcomes of Aboriginal people is essential.
• Demonstrated understanding of Closing the Gap strategies as they apply in an ACCHO setting and to this role is essential.
• Attention to detail: excellent attention to detail and written skills when communicating with others, both internally and externally.
• Commerciality: ability to apply knowledge in a practical, commercial manner.

Other

• Ability to travel across Katungul’s footprint and work across all clinic sites.
• Ability to travel out of the area, including overnight stays to complete training or other professional development activities as required.
• Covid vaccination
• This position requires that the worker possess an NSW unrestricted Driver Licence
• A current Working With Children Check and a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (Police Check) clearance
• Must be able to do a pre-employment medical as well as a drug and Alcohol screening test and random testing as per company policy

If you feel you meet the above criteria, please apply for an initial confidential discussion.