Clinical Nurse Specialist

We are seeking a Clinical Nurse Specialist to join our Prison Mental Health Services Team This position is also being advertised as an Allied Health Professional d). The position will be filled on a merit base.

The Team:

The Prison Mental Health Service is a newly established and dynamic team dedicated to delivering high-quality mental health care to individuals in custody at Risdon Prison Hospital. The team provides:

• Case management for inmates diagnosed with major mental illnesses.
• Direct clinical care, including mental health assessments, triage, and discharge planning.
• Coordination of care across custodial and community settings to ensure continuity post-release.

The team is small and diverse, comprising:

• Psychiatrists
• A Clinical Consultant who leads the team
• A group of case managers

They work closely with multidisciplinary partners such as:

• Correctional Primary Health Services
• Tasmanian Prison Service
• Community Forensic Mental Health Services
• Statewide Mental Health Services

This collaborative approach ensures that inmates receive consistent and effective mental health support both during incarceration and upon reintegration into the community.

The Role:

As part of a multidisciplinary team delivering high quality mental health services to persons in custody the Allied Health Professional:

• Provides clinical leadership and expert clinical knowledge in the coordination of care and management of persons in custody with moderate to severe acute and long-term mental illness.
• Establishes, fosters and maintains effective relationships with a range of government and non-government agencies, including Correctional Primary Health Service, Tasmanian Prison Service, Community Forensic Mental Health Services, Statewide Mental Health Services and Primary Healthcare providers to improve continuity of care and mental health outcomes.
• As a senior mental health clinician provides direct clinical care for persons in custody, including triage of mental health referrals, undertake comprehensive mental health assessments, case management and discharge planning.

You will need to:

• Work within the custodial environment to coordinate the provision of mental health care needs for individuals whilst in custody and to liaise with relevant internal and external key stakeholders to ensure that appropriate mental health care follow up is coordinated prior to release from custody.
• Utilise expert clinical mental health knowledge and skill in the triage, assessment and case management of individuals in custody who are identified with mental health concerns or identified mental illness.
• With a high degree of autonomy to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team and key internal and external stakeholders to deliver improved outcomes for individuals with moderate to severe acute and long term mental illness.

Note: - Please refer to the Statement of Duties for all the selection criteria of this position to address in your application.

Details of appointment:

Permanent full time, day worker position, working 76 hours per fortnight, commencing as soon as possible.

*notwithstanding hours to be negotiated with the successful applicant.

Applicants should note that, for a period of twelve months from the date of publication, this selection process may be used to fill subsequent or similar full time, part time, and casual vacancies.

Salary: $106,570 to $112,440 per annum. Our Employer 12% superannuation contribution is on top of this amount.

• Salary range is in accordance withNurses and Midwives (Tasmania State Service) Agreement 2023.

In addition, the following allowances calculated on the salaried incremental point may be available:

• Post Graduate Allowance of up to 10 % based on qualification type

Allowances:

• Correctional allowance of 6.5% and our staff enjoy free on-site parking

Benefits available to eligible candidates:

• Travel and relocation assistance support available up to $15,000 for eligible appointees from overseas, and up to $10,000 for appointees from interstate.
• Professional development and accelerated pathways.
• A range of leave entitlements, including study leave and Professional Development Support.
• Fitness Passport – You, and your family can access 40+ fitness facilities across Tasmania for just $13.95 per week per person, or $25.95 for a family.

More information about our Employee Benefits can be found here

Eligibility:

Successful applicants will be required to meet the essential criteria:.

• Registered with the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Australia as a Registered Nurse and possess specialist tertiary graduate or post graduate mental health/psychiatric nursing qualifications; or completed, prior to the transfer of nurse education to the tertiary sector, an accredited hospital based program that leads to registration as a psychiatric nurse by the relevant nurse regulatory authority within Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the United Kingdom.
• Current Driver's Licence

*Registration/licences that are essential requirements of this role must remain current and valid at all times whilst employed in this role and the status of these may be checked at any time during employment. It is the employee's responsibility to ensure that registration/licences remain current and to advise the Employer if their circumstances change. This includes notifying the Employer if a registration/licence is revoked, cancelled or has its conditions altered.

Applicants should note the following criteria are desirable:

• A minimum of 3 years post graduate clinical experience in acute or a community mental health team.
• Holds or is working towards relevant tertiary qualifications.

Note: - Please refer to the Application Guide for more information of pre-employment check.

Position Features:

• The position works within a variety of custodial/forensic environments and the occupant will have regular daily contact with persons within a custodial setting or forensic patients admitted to the Secure Forensic Mental Health Unit – Wilfred Lopes Centre.
• The occupant will be required to adhere to all security practices and procedures within correctional centres and the Wilfred Lopes Centre.
• Some intrastate and interstate travel may be required

Download the Statement of Duties and any Associated Documents

We encourage you to review the Statement of Duties, Applicant Guide, prior to applying for an overview of the duties, program, selection process and application guidance.

Statement of Duties:

• CNS - Prison Mental Health Service G5 (WORD)

Application Guide:

• Department of Health - Applicant Guide (WORD)

How to apply:

Apply Online. Please click the "Apply" button on this screen to ensure that important questions about you are answered.

You will be prompted to complete a 1-2 page application detailing your experience, skills and knowledge as they relate to the attached Statement of Duties. A separate statement addressing the selection criteria in the Statement of Duties is not required.

*Applications from Recruitment Agencies will not be accepted for this role

For more information:

Applicants who require further information are encouraged to contact the Contact person for detailed information about the vacancy.

Name: Dana Kirkland

Position: Clinical Nurse Consultant - Clinical Lead

Phone number:

Email address: 

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Respecting diversity is the foundation of everything that Department of Health do. This allows us to instil trust and collaborate through honest and fair communication and helps cultivate an environment of growth and innovation. We strongly encourage applicants from key communities including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, LGBTIQA+ people, and people living with disabilities.

Applications close: 11:55pm on Sunday, 19 November 2025