Senior Medical Officer

The Role

MO 4 Medical Officer (Clinical) Senior Medical Officer (SMO) works with considerable independence and is accountable to provide complex medical advice and treatment activities to deliver medical services to patients across the ACT Health Centre (ACTHC) and the Bungendore Health Outreach Service (BHOS) in a manner that delivers results in accordance with Defence outcomes. The MO 4 SMO may also be required to support the wider Joint Health Unit - Southern New South Wales (JHU SNSW) region.

As a governance role, the Senior Medical Officer will have extensive experience and comprehensive knowledge of the medical field and will be responsible for the implementation, compliance and review of policies and procedures relevant to this field. The Senior Medical Officer will also be required to support clinical investigations, provide clinical support to the military welfare board process and may also be invited to participate in policy development.

The Senior Medical Officer will build and maintain relationships with a network of stakeholders internal and external and will have the ability to recognise shared agendas and work toward mutually beneficial outcomes. The Senior Medical Officer has a supervisory role and will supervise and support the Medical Officer workforce comprising contractors, APS and ADF, at ACTHC and BHOS, ensuring effective service delivery to all key stakeholders. 

While ideally based in Canberra, there is flexibility on location if the successful candidate is able to be in Canberra for a minimum of one week every month.

The additional payment is a Building Defence Capability Payment (BDCP) which enables Defence to provide a premium, in addition to the rate of salary otherwise payable under the Enterprise Agreement (EA) to some or all of the jobs within a critical occupation(s) or discipline within a workplace. Applicants engaged into a BDCP position must consider the following. BDCPs provide remuneration in addition to the Defence Enterprise Agreement (EA). 

This arrangement is subject to meeting eligibility criteria and is subject to annual review. Should your performance fall beyond requirements or the eligibility criteria not be met, your eligibility for the BDCP may be reviewed and ceased. It may also be ceased should you change positions or the requirement for the BDCP is no longer necessary, as determined by Defence. Should the BDCP be ceased you will be advised and your BDCP additional payment will cease.

About our Team

Joint Health Command (JHC) is responsible for the delivery of military medicine and joint healthcare services to over 70,000 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel. JHC is also responsible for the health preparedness of ADF personnel for operations, and the coordination of health units for deployment in support of operations.

The MO 4 Medical Officer (Clinical) Senior Medical Officer position is part of Joint Health Unit – Southern NSW (JHU SNSW) within JHC and is based at ACT Health Centre, Duntroon. The staff in the facility and across the region are a blended workforce of military, contract and APS personnel working together as one team. The demographic in the area consists of a wide range of ADF members, from trainees through to Senior leadership, from under 18 years of age to retirement age.

As a key leadership position in the Health Centre the successful candidate will be working with a multidisciplinary health professional team involving GPs/Medical Officers, nurse practitioners, registered and enrolled nurses, physiotherapists, dentists, mental health clinicians, occupational rehabilitation coordinators, health clerks and an inpatient facility. 

The Senior Medical Officer will be expected to provide expert advice on a range of complex clinical issues and support clinical governance and organisational requirements. The position report directly to the ACT Health Centre Manager and be will be supported from a technical perspective from the Joint Health Unit – Southern NSW Senior Medical Advisor and Regional Medical Advisor.

The Senior Medical Officer will be required to travel between Defence bases within Canberra (ACTHC and BHOS) and there may be opportunity to travel to Wagga Wagga (RAAF Wagga and Kapooka) if required. A Defence vehicle will be provided for all travel.

Our Ideal Candidate

The successful applicant will demonstrate extensive Medical Officer experience, ideally in the fields of general practice and occupational medicine. Ideally you will have a Defence background or previous experience working with Defence. You will apply critical thinking skills, be proficient at analysing workflows and business processes, provide recommendations for improvements to enhance efficiency and outcomes, and manage the implementation of agreed actions. Additionally, a background in clinical governance will enhance your suitability in this role.

The successful applicant will have experience in managing, developing and mentoring staff through performance appraisal and change, providing expert clinical mentoring and training to assist in the development of staff. The successful applicant will work within a regional team whilst applying a structured and nationally consistent service, as directed by policy, their technical chain, and by the ACT Health Centre Manager.

Application Closing Date: Sunday 25 February 2024

For further information please review the job information pack, reference DPG/00889/24 on 

https://defencecareers.nga.net.au/?jati=DE802FE8-127B-3C1A-C18E-DA65A6D546E2