Disability Liaison Officer

**Alfred Health**

Alfred Health is a leader in health care delivery, improvement, research and education. We are the main provider of health services to people living in the inner southeast suburbs of Melbourne, from ambulatory to inpatient and home and community-based services.
- **Part-time vacancy available - 4 days a week**:

- ** 7 day/week operational requirements between the hours of 8am and 6pm where rostered including on call out of hours**:

- ** Role suited to applicants with extensive experience providing communication, sensory and/or behaviour support e.g. Speech Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Behaviour Support Practictioner, Nurse with Learning Disabilities training, Transdisciplinary Key Worker**:

- ** Fixed Term until 31 March 2014**:

- ** HS3 Classification**:

- **Alfred Hospital Location - Alfred Emergency and wards**:

- ** Staff benefits**

**The Department**

The Allied Health Program at Alfred Health comprises a number of Allied Health disciplines who provide patient centred care across all clinical programs that operate at Alfred Health. Allied Health disciplines provide care that optimises physical, psychosocial, communication and cognitive functioning. To ensure that the allied health workforce is fit for purpose, a robust governance structure provides oversight of staff and student education, research, workforce innovation and quality and safety.

**SPEAK Project**

The SPEAK (Specialist Education And Knowledge) Project was established following Alfred Health’s receipt of a 3-year Information, Linkages and Capacity (ILC) Building Program grant managed by the Department of Social Services. The aim of the SPEAK Project is to build capability in the health workforce and improve processes to meet the healthcare needs of people with disability, particularly those with intellectual disability, communication disability/communication support needs and those who are autistic. The project will:

- Test a rapid-response secondary consultation model, focusing on the emergency department, acute hospital and acute mental health services at The Alfred Hospital with telehealth support to South West Healthcare.
- Provide evidence-based staff training
- Develop improved consumer feedback processes to amplify the voice of people with disabilities.
- Improve the range of resources and strengthen processes to improve communication between healthcare staff and people with disabilities.
- Develop data systems to proactively identify, plan and support people with disabilities to maximise outcomes and improve safety.

**The Role**

The Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) - Rapid Response will have a passion for improving healthcare accessibility and health outcomes for people with lived experience of autism, intellectual disability and communication disability. They will support the expansion of the Disability Liaison Service through involvement in clinical service provision and support service development in line with SPEAK Project objectives.

Under supervision of the Allied Health Team Lead - Disability Liaison and with support from the Allied Health Team Lead - Emergency, the successful incumbent will use their knowledge and skills in communication, sensory and behavioural support, along with an understanding of the demands of health and disability services, to deliver rapid response secondary consult services to patients in a fast-paced hospital setting. This will involve working with patients, their support people and health service staff both in person and via telehealth to South West Healthcare.

The incumbent will also contribute to service design and development activities and reporting requirements of the SPEAK Project under supervision of the SPEAK and Vulnerable Person Project Consultant. These activities may include planning; co-design with consumers with lived experience of disability; promotion of the service to staff and the community; implementation; data collection in line with the SPEAK Project evaluation, and ongoing review and development of the service within Alfred Health.

The role will suit someone with experience or understanding of intersectional identities, including LGBTIQ+, Aboriginal and CALD people with disability; and understanding of challenges delivering care in rural and regional areas.

**Skills/Qualifications Required**
- Tertiary qualification in nursing or an allied health discipline. Consideration will be given to applicants who have degree qualifications in disability or education with appropriate knowledge, skills and healthcare employment experience.
- Knowledge and experience in supporting people with disabilities including autism, intellectual disability and communication disability in health, disability and/or education settings.
- Demonstrated competency in designing and/or implementing communication, sensory and positive behaviour supports in line with best practice.
- Understanding of the challenges faced by people with disability accessing health