Senior Medical Officer

Are you an experienced medical practitioner eager to make a lasting impact in a regional setting?

A unique and exciting opportunity is currently available for a Senior Medical Officer to join the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) West Kimberley Team.

We offer a Fixed-Term Full-Time contracts for five years, with the opportunity for extension/s.

About the role:

As the Senior Medical Officer (SMO) at Fitzroy Crossing Hospital, you will serve as a member of the West Kimberley Executive Team, providing medical leadership and advice on clinical matters. You will be responsible for clinical governance, the operational management of medical staff including rostering and you will support the site’s quality improvement and patient safety programs.

Importantly in this role, you will be required to work in a cross-cultural environment, with Aboriginal patients comprising a significant portion of our clients your work will have a particular focus on indigenous health issues and the advancement of Aboriginal health outcomes.

Fitzroy Crossing Hospital is a 12-bed facility with modern amenities, providing high-quality health care and Aboriginal health services. Our patients have some of the highest rates of chronic disease in Australia, making it one of the most clinically challenging yet rewarding roles a medical practitioner can undertake. With a significant Aboriginal population, common patient presentations often revolve around chronic diseases such as diabetes, renal failure and heart disease. The There is a Chronic Diseases doctor and active Community Health outreach service to the many communities of the Fitzroy Valley. Fitzroy Crossing Hospital has an emergency department and acute inpatient care ward. The hospital also provides GP clinic services for the community and to the local aged care facility.

As Senior Medical Officer, you will support District Medical Officers and Registrars to continue to provide excellent care. The hospital was a recent Finalist in the WA Awards for Palliative Care in Aboriginal Communities and one of our Registrars was awarded RACGP Registrar of the Year 2023.

Up to ten doctors fall under direct supervision of the Senior Medical Officer. The SMO position is part of a team including the Senior Medical Officer Derby Hospital, the Fitzroy Crossing Director of Nursing, Clinical Nurse Manager, allied health, administration, and support staff.

Join us and make a difference in the patient's lives, by elevating healthcare delivery in a challenging yet rewarding environment.

About the Region:

The Kimberley is Western Australia's northernmost region, with a coastline closer to South-East Asia than Perth. Bordered by the Pilbara region to the south and Northern Territory to the east, the 424,517 square kilometres region has fewer people per square kilometre than almost any other place on Earth.

Internationally recognised for its unique and dramatic landscape, the region includes spectacular gorges, waterfalls and cave systems, and an astonishing variety of wildlife. Camping, birdwatching and fishing are recreational activities that local health staff enjoy in abundance. For those more interested in the night life, Broome and Kununurra support a wide range of entertainment options, with bars and restaurants rivalling any provincial town.

The West Kimberley is renowned for its dramatic and beautiful landscapes, including the towering cliffs, rocky headlands, sandy beaches, natural rivers, spectacular waterfalls and thousands of islands off the remote sandstone coast. Inland lies the rugged Kimberley plateau, with its deep gorges and cascading waterfalls, the striking Wunaamin-Miliwundi Ranges, and Windjana and Geikie gorges, which cut through the limestone of an ancient coral reef. Characterised by its distinct wet and dry seasons, the Kimberley experiences a sub-tropical climate. May to October is the dry season, and November to April is the wet season. With a balmy climate, breathtaking scenery, unique flora and fauna and a great variety of adventure and cultural experiences, the Kimberley offers a fantastic lifestyle that is family-friendly and supportive.

Our hospitals include Broome Health Campus, Fitzroy Crossing Hospital, Derby Hospital, Halls Creek Hospital, Kununurra Hospital and Wyndham Hospital.

What's in it for you:

• You’ll become part of a vibrant and close-knit community; the people of the Kimberley are known for their warm hospitality.
• Need to travel to the city? Perth is only a 2 ½ hour flight away from Broome, with regional residents entitled to capped flight pricing.
• Competitive salary packages which are among the highest in Australia.

• Additional entitlements for working in a rural location such as district allowance, accommodation subsidies, air conditioner subsidies, travel days and, generous annual leave entitlements. Check out the full list of entitlement here.

• If you are coming to work from overseas or interstate:
  • You will be eligible to be reimbursed for costs related to the relocation of yourself and your immediate family (conditions apply).
  • We can offer a range of employee-sponsored work visas including PR (conditions apply).

Contact Information:

Application Process:

To apply for this position, applicants must have a current and valid email address for online application and communication purposes. If you encounter any difficulties while applying online, please contact ***************@health.wa.gov.au.

To complete the application, please apply online via MedJobs WA – Ref 12054 and submit the following documents:

• A statement addressing each of the Selection Criteria for the given role you want to apply for. The requirements can be found in attached document detailing how you meet these requirements.
• A detailed Curriculum Vitae which summarises your experience and how you meet the position requirements. Please include contact details for work related referees (It is preferable for one of your referees to be a current supervisor or manager).

This vacancy is subject to a Western Australian Working With Children (WWC) Check. For further information please refer to the WWC website at: https://workingwithchildren.wa.gov.au

Please note this recruitment process requires completion of satisfactory Pre-Employment Health Assessment (PEHA).  Any offer of employment with WA Country Health Service (WACHS) is conditional on satisfactory PEHA to ensure you are able to perform the inherent requirements of the position. An unsatisfactory PEHA will result in the offer of employment being withdrawn.  Please see the attached WACHS PEHA Policy for further information.

Late or emailed applications will not be accepted.