WNSWLHD - Visiting Medical Officer - Virtual Adults. Apply via eCredential

Employment Type: Visiting Medical Officer
Position Classification: Sessional
Remuneration: As per VMO Determination
Hours Per Week: As per roster
Location: Negotiable

Applications Close: 5 January 2025 - 11.59pm

Western NSW Local Health District is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability and people from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply for our advertised positions. If you require any assistance with your application or have any questions about this position, please get in touch with the contact person listed in this advertisement.

About the opportunity

VirtualADULTS is an innovative service, whereby patients with acute medical concerns who contact Health Direct (or other community-based services) will be connected directly to an Emergency Physician (EP) via video-enabled telehealth. Through this telehealth interaction, EPs will assess, diagnose, and manage patients in real time, aiming to provide care at home or in the community whenever safe and feasible. If necessary, they will determine whether a visit to the Emergency Department is the most appropriate course of action. The goal is to deliver personalized care promptly and in the right location across NSW.

NSW Western Virtual is looking to recruit Emergency Physicians (FACEMs) into the virtualADULTS Western Hub. Patients who contact Health Direct and would have previously been directed to Emergency Departments across NSW, will instead be connected with a VirtualADULTS FACEM, who will assess, diagnose, and manage patients in real time, aiming to provide care at home or in the community whenever safe and feasible, or directing them to the most appropriate care provider, at the right time.

The virtualADULTS Western Hub will predominantly be servicing Rural and Remote areas of NSW with the inherent challenges that isolation brings. This is an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of this service development.

While the VirtualADULTS role will be performed remotely, candidates should maintain current face-to-face clinical practice in either the public or private health care setting to be eligible for this position.

Typical shift patterns required to cover this service, 7 days a week may be:

1. 0730-1500
2. 1500-2230

Additionally, there may be a separate opportunity to join the Virtual Emergency Physician program being launched by Western Virtual, which will offer FACEM support to clinical sites across NSW that are managing high-acuity patients.

What we can offer you

Location negotiable, with shifts able to be undertaken from your own home or regular office anywhere in Australia, assuming reliable internet access and other telecommunication considerations.

Other benefits of the role include:

• Flexible work hours and flexible rostering practices.
• Develop your clinical and communication skills in the area of telehealth.
• Be part of an innovative team striving for optimising health outcomes across rural and remote NSW.
• Opportunities for learning and development, including in-house training with My Health Learning and the NSW Health RTO.
• Professional growth and accelerated career progression.

Where you'll be working

In this position you will work from your home or usual office that must be well equipped with a reliable internet connection and telephone that are appealing to the virtual patient experience. All other telecommunication equipment including a computer with camera will be provided. You will be virtually servicing up to 35 rural and remote health services, hospitals and smaller Multipurpose Services (MPSs) across the Western NSW Local Health District for expert care for patients with life-threatening conditions, patients requiring specialist care that cannot be provided locally and will support the LHD transportation service that sits within the vCare model.

Western NSW Local Health District is one of the largest Local Health Districts in NSW covering an area of 246,676 square kilometres, similar to the size of Britain. We deliver innovative health services to an estimated resident population of approximately 276,000 people.

Our organisation is diverse in the health care it delivers boasting the largest rural mental health service in Australia, three major rural referral hospitals at Orange, Dubbo and Bathurst, 50 community health centres which provide access to a wide range of multidisciplinary primary, and community health services, 38 inpatient facilities including 25 MPSs and District Health Services at Mudgee, Cowra, Parkes and Forbes.

There are more than 30,786 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the Local Health District, representing 11.1% of the total population. This is significantly higher than the NSW average of 2.1%. Our region has some of the most vulnerable populations in NSW, and even Australia, who generally have a lower socio-economic status, shorter life expectancy, and poorer health outcomes than other people living in NSW.

To apply, please address the following Selection Criteria

1. Specialist registration or eligible for specialist registration as a Medical Practitioner with the Medical Board of Australia, Fellowship of the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine (FACEM).
2. Evidence of continuing medical education and self-monitoring/audit practices consistent with the scope of practice requirements of the position.
3. Demonstrate skills and attitudes appropriate as a senior medical practitioner including modelling a high standard of professional behaviour to all staff.
4. Proven capacity and/or experience in the provisions of effective high-quality service, demonstrated through safe clinical practice in an Emergency Department and/or telemedicine service to the requirements of the position and evidence of participation in quality improvement activities relevant to the specialty.
5. Demonstrated highly developed information technology skills.
6. Demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with a multidisciplinary health care team and demonstrated ability to communicate with patients, family, colleagues and other staff and to work as an effective member of the clinical team across many hospitals.
7. Experience working in a regional and/or remote clinical setting, and/or in a telehealth environment.

How do I apply for this role?

Please apply for this position via our eCredential website. NSW Health does not require or accept the ‘fit2work’ badge offered as an option in eCredential.

Note: Applications submitted by Recruitment Agencies will not be considered for this position.

Need more information?

· Click here for the Position Description.

· For role related queries or questions contact Dr Kate Porges via email Kate.Porges@health.nsw.gov.au or phone 0419 822 903.

Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination Against Specified Infectious Diseases

If you are applying for a Category A position, please read and understand NSW Health Policy Directive PD2018_009. All new employees must agree to comply with the requirements outlined in this policy.

Stepping Up – Close the Gap

The Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES) is working in partnership with the Western NSW Local Health District to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants wishing to apply for this role. For more information please contact the AES recruitment team on (02) 6882 8100 or email dubbo.recruitment@aes.org.au. Alternatively, applicants can visit our website for more information.

Working Visas

Applicants holding a visa with working rights may be considered for temporary appointment (up to the expiry date of their visa) where no suitable applicant for permanent appointment is identified.

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