• Grade 2
• Rewarding next step for an innovative, patient focused and driven clinician
  
• Working in a dynamic, supportive, large multi-disciplinary team
  
• Full time, ongoing position located at Dandenong Hospital

Working in Healthcare has never been more important or meaningful.

Our Journey:

The Secure Extended Care Unit (Unit 4) is a 50 bed Inpatient Unit based at Dandenong Hospital. SECUs provide medium to long-term inpatient treatment and rehabilitation for people who have unremitting and severe symptoms of mental illness or disorder with an associated significant disturbance in behaviour that preclude their living in a less restricted environment.

SECU has a recovery-based model of care. It provides mental health services to patients identified as needing a longer stay in a bed based service to support extensive treatment, assessment, formulation and management recommendations. Our collaborative multi-disciplinary team made up of: Social workers; Occupational Therapists; Clinical and Neuro Psychologists; Exercise Physiologist; Dietician; Speech Therapist; Psychiatrists and Nurses, provides targeted treatment and rehabilitation programs that maximise individual functioning, minimise the barriers to recovery, and promote return to community living.

We are looking for an experienced Occupational Therapist Grade 2 for a Full-Time ongoing role based at Dandenong Hospital.

A Week in the Life of an Occupational Therapist Grade 2 - SECU

Start your day by grabbing a cuppa and checking in with the team. We have an energetic, fun loving team who like to start their day with a laugh together. You’ll be seeing the patients on your caseload for individual assessment and intervention. This might look like going shopping, whipping something up in the kitchen together or working on their budgeting skills to name just a few options.

You’ll be involved in leading or co-facilitating sessions in our group program. We run a range of group sessions where you can contribute your ideas to planning engaging sessions. Some sessions we’re running at the moment are breakfast groups, bowling groups, cleaning groups, and groups where patients plan their own outings and then go on them together – we recently spent a day at the Melbourne Museum!

You might spend some time writing reports that will help secure funding (e.g. from the NDIS) to ensure our patients will have the support they need after discharge. You'll also spend some time meeting with external stakeholders to ensure that the services a consumer will work with after discharge are in the loop well before discharge, and well equipped to support our consumers.

You'll be encouraged to generate ideas for how to improve our service and to see them through to fruition. Recent projects we have worked on are introducing Tai Chi into our group program and developing a business case for upgrading our courtyard spaces to better facilitate engagement in meaningful activities. You will have some time dedicated to your own learning including clinical supervision. You'll have opportunities to develop your leadership skills and support more junior staff.

The Occupational Therapist is a specialist clinical mental health role where you will:

• Use a recovery-focused approach to support consumers to build their independence and support their transition to community living
• Support consumers to build and maintain their independent living skills during their admission via onsite and community based intervention
• Implement both rehabilitative and compensatory strategies to promote meaningful engagement
• Strive to achieve our vision of; “Valuing and supporting each person’s unique journey to a life inspired by hope and potential”.

What you bring:

• A genuine interest in Mental Health and a commitment to working within the recovery model
• A proactive and creative approach to problem solving
• A collaborative approach to working with the team
• A sense of humour – because working in mental health can be tough, but it doesn’t feel that way when you’re having a laugh with your team
• Experience running groups is desirable
• Knowledge of the NDIS is desirable

You also have:

• Occupational Therapy Qualification
• Current AHPRA registration
• Current Driver's Licence

In Return:

• You will be a part of an encouraging OT team and a supportive MDT.
• You will be a part of a large network of mental health OTs within Monash who love to catch up and share ideas.
• You will have opportunities to develop your leadership skills whether that be through supervising more junior staff, developing quality improvement projects, leading meetings and/or collaborating with others in the network.
• You will have protected time with a clinical supervisor for regular, individual supervision.
• We love to see your passion, enjoying what you do best, while building rapport with your patients to ensure that each day brings hope to their recovery and discharge.

For a confidential discussion and to explore the opportunity further, please call Emily Miranda on 9792 7475 or email [email protected]

Monash Health is a great place to work!

Our employees enjoy a range of benefits including:

• protected individual and group supervision from experts
• salary packaging options that increase your take-home pay
• a comprehensive Health and Wellbeing program
• free flu vaccinations
• private health insurance at discounted rates
• health imaging services
• + more

Monash Health is the largest public health service in Victoria, employing more than 22,000 people who work across 40 locations delivering healthcare services through our five hospitals and our extensive network of rehabilitation, aged care, community health and mental health facilities. We recognise the value of equal employment opportunity and is committed to patient safety and promoting fairness, equity and diversity in the workplace. At Monash Health we are relentless in our pursuit of excellence and work to our six guiding principles and ICare values.

How to Apply

We’re only able to accept applications submitted via the Monash Health online Mercury System.

For a confidential discussion and to explore the opportunity further, please call:

Emily Miranda, Senior Occupational Therapist

T: (03) 9792 7475, E: [email protected] using the subject line: Occupational Therapist - SECU - Dandenong Hospital enquiry via EthicalJobs.