Women's Specialist Therapeutic Assistant

Location: Melbourne

Job type: Not provided

Organisation: Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health

**Salary**: Salary not specified

Occupation: Nursing

Reference: 15464
- 0.6 Part time Ongoing
- Based at Thomas Embling Hospital
- A culture where people care

**Job location**

Forensicare is the statutory agency responsible for the provision of adult forensic mental health services across Victoria.

We address the needs of people experiencing mental health issues, the mental health sector, the justice sector and the general community.

These services are delivered through inpatient services at Thomas Embling Hospital, community services through the Community Forensic Mental Health Service and prison-based services at several locations. This position will be based at Thomas Embling Hospital.

Forensicare is situated across five sites across Victoria with its largest site being Thomas Embling Hospital,?located in Fairfield?just 15 minutes north of the Melbourne city centre.?

Thomas Embling Hospital is a 136-bed secure hospital providing acute care, rehabilitation and continuing care programs. It includes a dedicated women’s unit.

**About the Role**:
The role of the Women’s Specialist Therapeutic Assistant (WSTA) on Barossa Unit will provide and coordinate activity based therapeutic programs that are specific to the Women’s only program on Barossa.

This will be under the direction of the Barossa Nurse Unit Manager and in collaboration with the Barossa Unit Allied Health.

The WSTA role will be rostered to work Monday to Saturday to meet Barossa’s program at that time.

**Duties**:

- In consultation with the multi-disciplinary team independently plan, implement and evaluate group sessions and other activities that address social, recreational, and activities of daily living both within Barossa.
- Contribute to the nursing and MDT assessments by implementing and reporting on aspects of the prescribed plan of care.
- Functioning as an WSTA within a multi-disciplinary team, to a defined patient group providing a program of therapeutic programs.
- Contribute to relational security, risk assessments, and management planning by identifying and reporting issues to the nurse in charge.

**About You**:

- Demonstrated commitment to mental health consumer recovery.
- Full or partial completion of a qualification in a relevant field (e.g. Certificate or Diploma in disability support, mental health support, allied health assistant, welfare, or similar) OR willingness to work towards such a qualification via professional development and formal courses while in the position.
- To have an understanding of the WSTA role and ability to work within this role in the multi-disciplinary framework.
- To have a knowledge and understanding of the needs of mentally ill patients and an awareness of the issues of provision of care in a forensic environment
- An ability to establish positive working relationships with patients through establishing rapport.
- Ability to motivate and facilitate patient participation in a broad range of therapeutic programs, including group work while providing support and supervision as appropriate.
Ability to prepare and deliver written and verbal reports of a high standard.

**What you need**:

- Demonstrated commitment to mental health consumer recovery
- Full or partial completion of a qualification in a relevant field (e.g. Certificate or Diploma in disability support, mental health support, allied health assistant, welfare, or similar) OR willingness to work towards such a qualification via professional development and formal courses while in the position.
- To have an understanding of the WSTA role and ability to work within this role in the multi-disciplinary framework.

A culture where people matter.
- Excellent supervision and investment in the skill development of managers and supervisors.
- Celebration and reward for good performance, through employee recognition.
- A leading, multi-faceted approach to safety, with unparalleled strategic, practical, individualised and team-based supports to minimise risks and fear and maximise safety and security, underpinned by our workplace health and safety strategy.
- Access to an employee assistance program - an external, confidential, self-referral employee wellbeing program, for personal or work-related matters.
- A mental health and wellbeing program providing psychological support, peer support and critical incidence response programs, as needed.

Successful applicants will be required to provide evidence of COVID-19 Vaccination prior to commencing work at Forensicare.