South West Healthcare
Aboriginal Liaison Officer
SOUTH WEST HEALTHCARE PRIMARY & COMMUNITY SERVICES
POSITION DESCRIPTION
POSITION TITLE:
Aboriginal Liaison Officer
STRUCTURE POINT:
Primary & Community Services
RESPONSIBLE TO:
Manager Aboriginal Health Programs
CLASSIFICATION:
Community Development Worker
HOURS OF DUTY:
Full time (40 hours per week)
ORGANISATION AND ENVIRONMENT:
South West Healthcare provides a comprehensive range of specialist services from
geographically separate campuses located at Warrnambool, Camperdown, Lismore
and Macarthur.
South West Healthcare provides acute, rehabilitation, and aged care together with
an extensive range of primary and community health services. Acute and Community based
Psychiatric Services are provided from the inpatient unit (Warrnambool Campus) and community
based mental health teams located in Warrnambool, Camperdown, Portland and Hamilton.
With a total of 36 aged care beds and 207 acute beds (including 15 acute psychiatric inpatient
beds), the organisation services a population in excess of 110,000.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
The aim of the Aboriginal Liaison Officer’s position is to improve the quality of care for the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients of South West Healthcare.
This position will reflect the “Improving Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Patients
(ICAP) Program”. The Aboriginal Liaison Officer will provide leadership in the implementation of
the ICAP Program throughout South West Healthcare.
The goals of this position are similarly aligned and aim to:
 Achieve accurate identification of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
 Improve access by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to health services.
 Support health services providing culturally sensitive health care and appropriate
referrals for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
 Recognise that high quality and culturally sensitive health care for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander patients is a whole of health service quality issue, not just the
responsibility of designated Aboriginal staff.
 As a means of improving access and quality, promote partnerships between health
services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in the planning and delivery
of service responses for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
The Aboriginal Liaison Officer will play a key role in implementing the ICAP Program at South
West Healthcare and will work in cooperation with other South West Healthcare staff in
achieving the desired outcomes.
South West Healthcare
Aboriginal Liaison Officer
SELECTION CRITERIA:
 To have a sound knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal culture, society and kinship
networks as well as the ability to communicate with, and be accepted by the Aboriginal
people and communities.
 Well developed interpersonal and communication skills, written and verbal, and the ability
to develop and maintain communications with Aboriginal people and communities,
hospital staff and government agencies.
 Ability to assist in the development of strategies and guidelines for programs, which
would improve access for Aboriginal people to mainstream and Aboriginal community
Controlled Health services.
 Sound computer knowledge with an understanding of the Microsoft suite.
 A knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal health issues.
 The ability to work as a member of a team with a range of community and professional
groups.
 Current driver’s licence.
 The willingness to attend meetings and conferences outside normal hours of duty and
which may require overnight stays.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES, DUTIES AND SKILLS:
General roles:
 Identify and follow-up all clients who present to Accident and Emergency. This includes
following up clients during normal working hours who may have presented out of hours.
 Assist Aboriginal patients and their families to achieve an understanding of hospital
procedures.
 Ensure that Aboriginal patients and their families have an appropriate explanation of
diagnostic tests and treatment options.
 Maintaining patient confidentiality as in accordance with hospital policy and practice.
 Providing follow up support at home for Aboriginal patients.
 Support frequent health checks for individuals and families so as to maintain the highest
possible quality of health.
 Assist individuals and families to access and utilise other health services and relevant
agencies existing within the broader community as well as Aboriginal Community
Controlled Organisations.
 To engage with health promotion and prevention programs in consultation with the local
Aboriginal community, the Regional Office of the Department of Human services and
other South West Healthcare staff.
 When requested and where appropriate or at the initiative of the Aboriginal Liaison
Officer, distribute program and health promotion materials, eg: pamphlets and posters, to
the Aboriginal community and interested individuals.
Community Liaison:
 Develop a broad knowledge and understanding of available health care services and
personnel within South West Healthcare, and recommend changes required to enable
these services to be accessible to the Aboriginal community.
 Assist in maintaining effective working relationships between South West Healthcare,
other health care agencies, relevant government agencies, and the local Aboriginal
Community Agencies.
 Maintain regular contact with and an effective working relationship with the local
Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and Aboriginal Medical Services.
South West Healthcare
Aboriginal Liaison Officer
Administration:
 Collect information and provide reports to the Department of Human Services Regional
Office with a view to improving the quality of Aboriginal health statistics in Victoria.
 Maintain daily timesheets, worksheets, electronic diaries and other information systems
as required.
 Contribute to the development of performance indicators.
 Meet with the supervisor on at least a monthly basis for professional and personal
support.
 Attend and participate in departmental meetings of South West Healthcare.
 Attend relevant Aboriginal community meetings, which do not detract from the primary
responsibility of the Aboriginal Liaison Officer programs. This is to be done with the
knowledge and agreement of the supervisor.
 Attend regular statewide Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer meetings.
 Attend relevant meetings related to the role to enhance the role of the health of
Aboriginal people.
 Perform additional roles as requested by the Manager of Aboriginal Health
GENERIC RESPONSIBILITIES
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Comply with all relevant legislative requirements, organisational policies, by-laws,
standing orders, vision or mission statements and values including, but not
restricted to:
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Infection Control policies
Confidentiality policy and privacy legislation
Occupational Health and Safety policies and regulations
Guidelines of the State Services Authority including the public sector employment
principles and Code of Conduct
Fire, disaster and other emergency procedures
Smoke Free Campus policy
Risk Management policies and guidelines
Consumer Participation Strategy
Attend orientation/induction or other mandatory training and relevant Health & Safety
updates in areas such as Fire, Emergency Responses and Manual Handling.
Promote the organisation in a positive manner
Participate as a cohesive member of the health care team
Respect the rights of individuals
Participate in Continuous Quality Improvement within the organisation
Accept responsibility for your own personal belongings
Respect and appropriately care for the organisation’s property and equipment
Participate in an annual Staff Development Review.
South West Healthcare reserves the right of amendment, addition or deletion to this position
description, as it considers necessary to serve the best interests of the organisation.
Craig Fraser
DIRECTOR OF PRIMARY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
February 2011