Health support and crisis numbers

Speech Pathology Clinical Educators – Lismore

University Centre for Rural Health

  • Part time (0.4 – 0.8 FTE) Speech Pathology Clinical Educator until December 2024
  • Opportunity to make a significant contribution to teaching and learning practices, design and evaluation within rural, allied health environments
  • Base from (Level A) – $79,784 (Level B) $113,184 + 17% superannuation (pro rata and level depending on level of qualifications, research experience and expertise)
  • Based at the University Centre for Rural Health – Lismore campus.

About the opportunity

Clinical educators are an essential part of the health education workforce at the University of Sydney. The Clinical Educators will have a passion for, and demonstrated excellence in, pedagogical practice and design such as service learning.

Lecturers (Clinical Education – Level A – B) are expected to make a significant contribution to teaching and learning practice, design and evaluation with a focus on coaching and developing students in the provision of best-practice patient care within small rural communities.

This position will be for a Speech Pathologist at the School of Health Sciences and Department of Rural Health – and based at the Lismore Campus.

Focusing on speech pathology this position will provide students with clinical placement opportunities, structured learning programs in a multi-disciplinary environment, and an immersion in the elements of rurality and social equity. The education program is delivered on behalf of the Commonwealth’s Rural Health Multi-Disciplinary Training program.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

  • undertake independent teaching, coaching and clinical education of students within rural placement sites
  • apply experience and expertise in clinical practice to educational design and delivery across disciplines
  • engage in high-quality clinical teaching and learning experiences, meeting expectations and standards for clinical education staff
  • demonstrate impact through improving student outcomes, experiences and learning
  • engage with best practice in clinical practice and teaching innovations
  • develop and suggest innovative practices in clinical education with a view to improving educational outcomes
  • apply expertise in clinical education to provide training and support, effective and innovative/ contemporary clinical practices within rural communities
  • contribute to a positive workplace culture and understands and acknowledges the complexities of rural communities and working within these communities.

 About you

  • has a Bachelor or Masters Degree in Speech Pathology
  • certified Practicing Speech Pathologist (CPSP) with Speech Pathology Australia
  • has proven experience working in Allied Health in a clinical, clinician professional and or academic capacity
  • has significant experience working in a clinical setting (preferably rural). A generalist speech pathologist or willingness to be upskilled in adults or paediatrics is a must
  • recent experience supervising students and/or a proven ability to apply expertise and knowledge to inform pedagogical practice
  • has excellent interpersonal skills including problem solving and conflict resolution skills with the ability to communicate with a diverse range of stakeholders
  • has demonstrated experience working in a multi-disciplinary team with an understanding of other disciplines and inter-professionalism, and a willingness to supervise students from other disciplines
  • must live in the Northern Rivers
  • must have the flexibility and commitment to travel and availability to be on site when needed (this is not a remote working position) has a current full Driver’s Licence.

This is a great opportunity to work in a cutting-edge environment with a high level functioning team which supports service-learning placements, aged care facilities, organisations, schools together with supporting remote and rural towns.

To keep our community safe, please be aware of our COVID safety precautions which form our conditions of entry for all staff, students and visitors coming to campus.

How to apply

Applications (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be emailed to sarah.e.miles@sydney.edu.au

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or support filling out this application, please contact Andria Bingham Recruitment Operations, by email to andria.bingham@sydney.edu.au

Our regional partners

  • Local Health District partners in our footprint: Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) & Northern New South Wales Local Health District (NNSWLHD)
  • Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS)
  • The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
  • Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)
  • Rural Doctors Network (RDN)
  • Rural Clinical Schools & Regional Training Hubs
  • General Practitioners
  • Registrars and International Medical Graduates
  • North Coast Allied Health Association (NCAHA)
  • Local Councils
    Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA)
  • Universities including: Charles Sturt University (CSU), University of New South Wales (UNSW), Southern Cross University (SCU)

Aged Care Disaster Management Planning

Strategic Priority Area: One team

North Coast is identified as the region most likely to be impacted by climate change in Australia and also forecasted greatest growth in those 65+.

Healthy North Coast takes a lead role in ensuring the older population and the sector that supports them are prepared for, can respond to and recover from disasters and other emergencies.

We have led eight regional disaster management capacity building workshops, bringing together SES, community organisations and the aged care sector.

We have also developed disaster preparedness tip sheets for both residential and community aged care providers.

Read the media release: Aged Care Homes Prepare for Disasters

Voluntary Assisted Dying

Strategic Priority Area: One team

In May 2022, the NSW Parliament passed the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2022. Effective from Tuesday, 28 November 2023, eligible people have the choice to access voluntary assisted dying. 

Healthy North Coast has developed a webpage for both health professionals and consumers, with links to available information and resources.

Visit the Voluntary Assisted Dying webpage

Living with Dementia resources

Strategic Priority Area: No one is left behind

Healthy North Coast has worked with people living with dementia, their families and local service providers to develop an information booklet that will help them connect with local and national supports along their journey.

Highly regarded by a range of professional supporting those on or starting the dementia journey, the booklet includes commonly asked questions for people to ask their GP and/or specialist.

“It’s a fantastic resource and I give it to everyone on their first diagnosis. Its easy to read, so well planned and thought through and has lots of really useful information, tailored to the region.
I also find it very helpful when educating clinical staff.”

−Geropsychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Mid North Coast.

The resource is available in digital and printed copies, with more than 5,000 distributed across the region. An e-version is available to clinicians via the Dementia and Cognitive Impairment HealthPathway.

View the Living with Dementia booklet (PDF)

Deteriorating Resident Triage Tool

Strategic Priority Area: One team

Empowering aged care teams to deliver safer, more consistent care.

The Deteriorating Resident Triage Tool (DRRT) supports aged care staff to confidently recognise and respond to signs of resident deterioration. It enables timely, evidence-based decisions, strengthens communication with health services, and promotes early intervention and effective care planning, helping residents receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place. By doing so, it reduces unnecessary Emergency Department presentations and improves resident outcomes.

Developed in collaboration with a specialist geriatrician and informed by input from Residential Aged Care Managers, NSW Ambulance, GPs, and clinical experts across the Mid and North Coast Local Health Districts, the DRRT is practical, relevant, and aligned with contemporary best practice.

Aligned with the Strengthened Quality Standards:

  • Standard 1 – The Person: Respects resident preferences and Advance Care Directives.
  • Standard 2 – The Organisation: Strengthens governance and clinical oversight.
  • Standard 5 – Clinical Care: Supports early recognition and escalation of clinical deterioration.
View the deteriorating resident response tool

North Coast care finders program

Strategic Priority Area: No one is left behind

Care finders is a free service to assist older adults connect to aged care services and supports. Care finders support older people who experience significant barriers to accessing services, and walk alongside their clients at their own pace, to understand their individual situation and support them to work through the steps to address their needs. Care finders assist people with access to other supports in the community. They can provide connections both with accessing services for the first time, and with changing or finding new services and supports if their needs change.

Care finders can:

  • Provide information about local aged care services
  • Help to set up an assessment with My Aged Care to access support, and
  • Find services that are targeted and available to help.

The care finder program has been extended to June 2029 and is provided by the following organisations. Each (Lismore, Coffs Harbour, Clarence Valley, Richmond Valley, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Kempsey, Nambucca and Bellingen) and Footprints (Kyogle, Tweed, Byron and Ballina).

Download the HNC Needs Assessment for older people.
Learn more about care finders including referral path and local providers.
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Psychological services in residential aged care homes

Strategic Priority Area: Improving Lives Now

Healthy North Coast commissions two service providers to deliver psychological therapies and supports for older people with, or at risk of developing, a mental illness and who are living in residential aged care homes (RACHs).

The aim of the program is to both provide direct support to residents and their families and carers, as well as upskill the RACH workforce to respond to the needs of residents presenting with mental health concerns.

Visit the commissioned services listings to find out more, including service contact information.​

Healthy Towns. Healthy Communities.

Strategic Priority Area: Securing a Healthier Future

Connection and a sense of belonging are protective factors for both individual and community health and wellbeing. Evidence highlights that the social determinants of health play a critical role in addressing many of our regions health challenges.

That’s why Healthy North Coast has long been committed to supporting communities to strengthen and to build social health. Our initiatives, including contemporary ‘Social Prescribing’, help people to connect to activities, supports and each other, and assist communities to integrate services and bridge gaps.

Visit the Healthy Me Healthy Community service page
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Telehealth in Residential Aged Care

Strategic Priority Area: Improving Lives Now

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety identified several critical areas affecting aged care residents and our health system. Key challenges include:

  • Limited access to general practitioners (GPs) and allied health professionals in aged care facilities.
  • Difficulties accessing out-of-hours services

Telehealth offers valuable opportunities to enhance support for residents living in aged care homes. Funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, this initiative provides telehealth equipment and staff training as part of the response to the Royal Commission’s findings.

By improving access to primary care clinicians, specialist services, and other service providers through telehealth, we can significantly enhance health outcomes for residents, reducing unnecessary hospital transfers and emergency department visits.

The selection of telehealth equipment was guided by our Healthy Ageing Strategy (HAS), a comprehensive digital discovery questionnaire, and consultation workshops with various stakeholders. These efforts included interviews with residents to understand their attitudes toward telehealth, ensuring the initiative meets their needs and preferences.

For more information, visit the Telehealth in Residential Aged Care​ webpage
icon with person and hands

Greater Choice at Home Palliative Care Program

Strategic Priority Area: Improving Lives Now

Aims to provide people who have life limiting conditions the opportunity to exercise choice and receive high quality care at home, harnessing improved and better coordinated supports and services that meet their individual needs.

Program objectives:

  • Improve access to palliative care at home and support end-of-life care systems and services (in primary health care and community care)
  • To enable the right care at the right time and in the right place (to reduce unnecessary hospitalisation)
  • Generate and use data to support continuous improvement of services across sectors
  • Use available technologies to support flexible and responsive palliative care at home, including in the after-hours.

These objectives will contribute to achieving the following intended overarching outcomes of:

  • Improved capacity and responsiveness of services to meet local needs and priorities
  • Improved patient access to quality palliative care services in the home
  • Improved coordination of care for patients across health care providers and integration of palliative care services in their region.
Read more about the Greater Choice at Home Palliative Care Program
Download the 2023 Palliative and End-of-life Care Needs Assessment (PDF)

Education & training funding elibility

Funding is open to all primary care providers within disaster affected communities across the Healthy North Coast footprint.

References

  1. Healthy North Coast Health Needs Assessment, 2022-2025
  2. Northern Rivers Community Foundation (2023). Northern Rivers Vital Signs, 2023
  3. Northern Rivers Community Foundation Flood Impact Report, May 2023
  4. Ang, C., Abdo, M., Rose, V., Lim, R., and Taylor, J. (2023). Participatory Grantmaking: Building the Evidence. Centre for Evidence and Innovation. 
  5. Lee, G., Vine, K., Atkinson, A-R., Tong, M., Longman, J., Barratt, A., Bailie, R., Vardoulakis, S., Matthews, V., & Mizanur Rahman, K. (2023). Impacts of Climate Change on Health and Health Services in Northern New South Wales, Australia: A Rapid Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20, 6285. 
  6. Sewell, T., Stephens, R., Dominey-Howes, D., Bruce, E., & Perkins-Kirkpatrick, S. (2016), Disaster declarations associated with bushfires, floods and storms in New South Wales, Australia between 2004 and 2014. Scientific Reports (6). 
  7. Dominey-Howes, D., Bruce, E., Stephens, R., Perkins-Kirkpatrick, S., & Sewell, T. (2016). Natural disasters are affecting some of Australia’s most disadvantaged communities. The Conversation. 

Workforce Locum support and R&R funding criteria

  • Available to primary care services in disaster impacted communities within the Healthy North Coast footprint.
  • Available to support short-term workforce coverage, allowing clinicians to rest and recover.
  • Workforce-support funding in total is capped for each site, over a 12-month period:
    • $10k for GPs and/or
    • $5K for nursing and/or
    • $5k administration support and/or
    • $5K allied/pharmacy and other.
  • Funding is not to be used to fill gaps in staffing that have not been able to recruit to and not to replace existing staff.
  • Healthy North Coast will assess requirements and approve available funding directly with the service requesting support.
  • Priority will be given to sites that have immediate, short-term workforce support needs.
  • Requests will be reviewed and supported on a case-by-case basis.
  • Program funding administered via RCTI Agreement (Recipient Created Tax Invoice) to be paid monthly, or on completion of the placement (whichever comes first).
  • Practices will be required to complete a request for payment form monthly, or on completion of the placement (whichever occurs first).

Wellbeing Flexible Funding Criteria & Eligibility

  • Open to all primary care providers within disaster affected communities across the Healthy North Coast footprint.
  • Activity must be purposeful, with the aim of increasing the wellbeing of your team.
  • Requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, with funding allocated based on team size.*
  • Following approval by Healthy North Coast, funding will be administered via RCTI Agreement (Recipient Created Tax Invoice) upon providing proof of expenses.
  • Funding cannot be used for the purchase of alcohol, or any other goods or services where the vendor cannot quote their Australian Business Number.
  • Planned activities must occur prior to 30th June 2024.
  • Funding will not be available for retrospective activities.
*Team Size
(Total staff and contractors)		Funding Available
Small (1-5)$500-$1500
Medium (6-20)$1500-$4000
Large (>20)$4000-$5000

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