Position Title:
Classification:
Reports to:
Department:
Family/Carer Consultant
HS2
Director Consumer and Carer Relations
Mental Health Program
Southern Health provides health care across south eastern Melbourne, uniquely integrating in one organisation all primary, secondary and tertiary health services, as well as world-renowned research and teaching facilities.
We serve a core population of almost 900,000 people or 22% of the city's population, who depend on us for all aspects of their public health care needs, with our services drawn upon by a greater population of almost 1.3 million or 30% of
Melbourne. Southern Health also has a wider official specialist role for greater Melbourne, regional Victoria and interstate in such specialties as paediatrics, cardiology, transplants and neonatal intensive care with extensive university affiliations.
Over 13 000 staff work at more than 40 sites across south eastern metropolitan Melbourne, including the major hospital facilities of Monash Medical Centre Clayton and Moorabbin, Dandenong Hospital, Casey Hospital, the
Kingston Centre and Cranbourne Integrated Community Care Centre, and extensive community health facilities throughout the region.
In the last financial year our hospitals treated more than 180,000 inpatients, triaged more than 160,000 emergency presentations, performed over 40,000 operations, and assisted with the delivery of over 8,900 new Victorians.
In response to a number of internal service reviews and the release of the Because Mental Health Matters: The
Victorian Mental Health Reform Strategy 2009 – 2019, Southern Health Mental Health Program is currently undergoing a service redevelopment process. The 'whole of community and whole of government' perspective of the reform strategy encourages thinking of ways to build capability to respond to the early signs of mental health issues across multiple sectors by building partnerships between government, the public, private and non-government sectors and the mental health care system. In summary Because Mental Health Matters identifies four core elements in the delivery of mental health services; prevention, early intervention, recovery and social inclusion.
Purpose
The Family/Carer Consultant, in collaboration with Southern Health staff and management, will work with Families and other carers of Mental Health Program to address issues, needs and challenges by:

Enabling the family perspective to be included in all aspects of the mental health service’s planning, delivery, professional development and evaluation.

Facilitating the improvement of the mental health service’s responsiveness to families needs.

Liaising with families to ensure that their broad views are communicated to mental health services and other relevant services.
1

Key result Areas

Contribute to quality improvement, policy and program development in the Mental Health Program from a
Family/Carer perspective.

Facilitate Family/Carer access to complaint resolution processes.

Initiate, develop and participate in Family/Carer consultancy projects and activities for the Mental Health
Program in line with the Southern Health Mental Health Programs Consumer and Family/Carer Participation and involvement Strategy

Support and maintain the development of a network of Family/Carers who have interest in Family/Carer participation and involvement.

Respond to external reviews of Family/Carer Participation Projects.
Scope
Key relationships Internal





Consumers of mental health services and their families
Director of Adult Services
Staff of Mental Health programs.
Staff involved in training and professional development of clinical and non clinical staff
Staff of Southern Health
External


External Family/Carer consultants
Community Service organizations


The Carers Network
Victorian Mental Illness Awareness

Council
Operational / Clinical

Provide peer support service to families and carers of consumers of the Mental health program.

Provide or facilitate processes for regular feedback and suggestions from Family/Carers of the Mental Health
Program.

Actively contribute to a number of committees, including clinical practice improvement committee.

Provide education about Family/Carer participation by o Contributing to training of staff in sensitivity to Family/Carer perspectives o Facilitate access to appropriate training, education and support for Family/Carers who wish to contribute to participation strategies. o Support Family/Carers to participate in the delivery of training to staff

Report on and present quality improvement activities as appropriate.

Participate in collaborative structures and activities with other Family/Carer Consultants.
Financial Management
 Ensure that there is financial responsibility and accountability across the functions under the position’s control and develop and implement financial strategies that will ensure budgetary targets and key performance indicators are met.
 Initiate and implement actions to improve the financial effectiveness of all functions, under the positions control.
Human Resources
2






Participate and co-operate in consultative processes to improve health and safety.
Observe safe working practices and as far as you are able, protect your own and others’ health and safety.
Manage staff through effective recruitment, retention recognition and development strategies, ensure there are effective consultation and communication processes in place.
Monitor the operations and continuous improvement of the Southern Health Occupational Health and Safety
Management System within area of responsibility and provide a safe and positive workplace
Provide leadership and support for direct reports, appraise their performance and ensure that staff receive appropriate performance management, professional training and development opportunities.
Qualifications/ Registrations/ Licenses (italics indicated desirable)

Current drivers license

Tertiary qualification in health, education or welfare studies.
Technical Skills/ Knowledge / Experience

Significant experience as a Family/Carer of a Mental Health consumer.

Understanding of Public mental health service issues
 commitment to working with service providers and Family/Carers to improve mental health services for consumers and their families

Good organisational, prioritising and completion skills

Experience of participating in Mental Health Family/Carer Participation activities

An understanding of the diversity of the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of our community, and the impact this has on consumers and their families experiences of mental illness.
Capabilities (Refer to Southern Health Capability framework)

Well developed communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to consult, liaise, work creatively and have excellent relationships with Family/Carers and professional staff

Willingness to participate in personal education and training

Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as the ability to work collaboratively as part of a small team of Consumer and Family/Carer consultants
Integrity Honesty, open and transparent, admit mistakes, maintains confidentiality, fairness, builds trust.
Compassion Empathy, sensitivity, concern for others, interacts with dignity, tolerance, anticipates needs
Accountability Understands roles, uses resources wisely, delivers on time, timely decision making, achieves stretch goals, takes responsibility for performance
Respect Builds relationships, courteous, listens and understands, gives & receives feedback, sensitivity & understanding, values difference & individual worth
Excellence Supports creativity & innovation, proactive & solution focused, seeks out opportunities, embraces quality improvement, professionalism
Approved (Job title):
Date:
3