CLINICAL DIRECTOR -
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACK
Southern Adelaide
Local Health Network
We acknowledge and respect Aboriginal peoples as the state's first peoples and nations, and recognise Aboriginal peoples as Traditional Owners and occupants of land and waters in South Australia.
Executive Summary
Senior clinical leadership role:
- Guiding the strategic direction of mental health care across southern Adelaide
- Leading through a major phase of infrastructure renewal and service integration
- Balancing stability and innovation within a cohesive, high-performing executive and clinical team
THE OPPORTUNITY
Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) is seeking an experienced leader to serve as Clinical Director, Mental Health Services (CDMHS). SALHN is a key division of SA Health, responsible for delivering hospital and community-based healthcare to over 350,000 people through facilities including Flinders Medical Centre, Noarlunga Hospital, and the Repat Health Precinct. The Network has a strong reputation for integrated, patient-centred care, supported by major partnerships with Flinders University and a focus on research, teaching and innovation.
THE ROLE
Reporting operationally to the Chief Executive Officer and professionally to the Executive Director, Medical Services, the Clinical Director, Mental Health Services provides strategic clinical leadership and direction across the Mental Health Division. The position is jointly accountable with the Co-Director, Mental Health Services for the achievement of divisional performance, quality, safety, and workforce outcomes, and for advancing contemporary models of care across acute, rehabilitation, and community settings.
The Clinical Director will lead an experienced and capable group of psychiatrists and multidisciplinary clinicians, fostering collaboration, accountability, and innovation in service delivery. They will contribute high-level clinical advice to strategic planning, workforce reform, and system redesign, while ensuring strong governance and alignment with state and national priorities. Key accountabilities include financial and workforce management, service performance oversight, safety and quality leadership, and fostering partnerships across SA Health, universities, and community stakeholders.
THE CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will be a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP) with significant senior clinical leadership experience in a complex mental health environment. They will demonstrate strong clinical credibility, political and relational acumen, and the ability to engage constructively with experienced medical staff, executives, and external partners. A collaborative leadership style, capacity to manage change, and a commitment to service excellence and integration will be critical.
For a confidential discussion, please get in touch with:
Janine Hammat
HG Principal Consultant
M. +61 (0)488 555 858 E. jhammat@hardygroupintl.com
Southern Adelaide
Local Health Network
The Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) is a key division of South Australia’s public health system, responsible for delivering hospital and community-based healthcare services to the southern suburbs of Adelaide. It manages several major hospitals, including Flinders Medical Centre, Noarlunga Hospital, and the Repat Health Precinct, as well as various mental health and rehabilitation services. SALHN’s services span acute care, aged care, mental health, palliative care, and specialist medical services, ensuring a comprehensive approach to health and wellbeing for residents in the region.
As part of SA Health, SALHN focuses on improving health outcomes through integrated, patient-centred care and a strong emphasis on research, education, and innovation. It partners with Flinders University and other research institutions to support medical training and health advancements. The network serves a diverse community and aims to provide accessible and culturally appropriate healthcare, with a commitment to continuous improvement and high standards of safety, quality, and equity in service delivery.
The Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) includes:
- Flinders Medical Centre
- Noarlunga Hospital
- GP Plus Health Care Centres and Super Clinics
- mental health services
- sub-acute services, including Repat site
SALHN Mental Health Services
Adult Acute Inpatient
SALHN Adult Acute Inpatient services are provided from both FMC and NH for consumers from the age of 18 years and above who require the most intensive levels of psychiatric, nursing, and allied health admitted mental health care. This care includes assessment, provision of treatment and therapy, administration of medication, psychosocial support and development and implementation of individualised care programs.
Emergency Mental Health
The SALHN EMH Service provides contemporary, collaborative, wholistic care for consumers presenting to the FMC or NH EDs experiencing a mental health crisis. The EMH works as a multi- disciplinary team to undertake specialist assessment, consultation, short-term care and on referral to ensure the most appropriate treatment and ongoing support for mental health consumers and their families.
Psychiatry Consultation Liaison
The PCLS provides a team-based ‘cradle to grave’ consultation and liaison service to inpatients across SALHN facilities experiencing mental illness during care in the general hospital for a physical illness. The PCLS teams serve designated general hospital units. The PCLS teams receive referrals and provide consultation and liaison to enable the home team to provide mental health care with their physical health care.
The PCLS works with home teams, their patients, and their families to provide assessment, treatment planning and brief interventions to ensure the best holistic management of patients across their hospital stay and beyond.
Older Persons Mental Health
The SALHN OPMH provides comprehensive mental health care for older persons who have a diagnosable mental health disorder or symptoms of an underlying mental health issue. The service is focussed on early intervention and providing care in the home/community with stepped care to specialised inpatient services as needed. OPMH inpatient services are provided for residents of SALHN and residents of Country LHNs from FMC, whereas community OPMH services provide care for SALHN residents in non-admitted, community and home environments.
Flinders Psychological Therapy Services
The FPTS provides tertiary level, evidence-based treatment of adults with anxiety, depressive, gambling and gaming disorders in a stepped care model. The main treatment offered throughout FPTS is evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). In addition to CBT, other models of therapy such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, Metacognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy are sometimes introduced as required to ensure that people reach their goals. Services are offered in four distinct streams, namely Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), the Centre for Anxiety Related Disorders (CARD), Statewide Gambling Therapy Service (SGTS) and the Aboriginal Gambling Therapy Service (AGTS). The SGTS has an international reputation for its work in researching and refining therapy for gambling disorders and is contributing to the development of the field in gaming disorders. The FPTS has a strong research focus and works closely with Flinders University and other academic institutions in advancing the knowledge and treatment of anxiety, gambling, gaming, and related disorders.
Community Acute Mental Health
The Community Acute Service historically worked across two sectors those being Inner South and Outer South. Since the community reform Inner South is now Marion community team and Outer South is not Noarlunga community team. SALHN community teams provide care to consumers with acute care needs for a variety of clinical diagnoses in a community setting. The goal of the acute service is to ensure rapid access to specialised mental health services in the community for individuals in the acute phase of a mental illness or experiencing a mental health crisis an alternative to a hospital admission or can assist with a shorter period as an inpatient.
Community Mood Service
The Mood Stream provides specialist care and therapeutic interventions for people with severe and complex mood or trauma related disorders including depression, anxiety, and personality disorders in the community. The target population have a mental health disorder characterised by a clinically significant disturbance of thought, mood, perception, memory and/or behaviour, with significant limitations in social and community functioning who have difficulties engaging with other available primary and secondary community services or are at risk of involuntary treatment or hospitalisation.
Community Psychosis Service
The Psychosis Stream provides specialist care and therapeutic interventions for people with severe and complex psychotic disorders. The target population for the Psychosis Stream includes individuals 16 years and over with a diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder with psychotic symptoms or related disorders. These individuals often have a severe and enduring mental illness or may experience relapsing-remitting pattern of illness, and experience significant limitations in social and community functioning requiring intensive specialised care and coordination across multiple service providers to optimise recovery. This includes people who in addition to the primary condition present with comorbid (co-existing) depression, anxiety, personality issues and emotional distress that may lead to self-harm or harmful behaviour towards others.
Youth Mental Health
The SALHN Youth Mental Health Stream (SYMHS) provides young people from 16 to 24 years of age with accessible mental health services that are youth friendly, evidence-based and supported by strong collaborative partnerships to achieve the best health, wellbeing, and quality of life for young South Australians and their families/carers. SYMHS provides care to young people who have symptoms consistent with a moderate to severe mental health condition characterised by increased risk of harm to self (or others) and clinical complexity, with limitations in social and community functioning and difficulties engaging with other available primary and secondary community services. High intensity evidence-based care planning, including group-based psychological therapies, are offered to improve the mental health of young people and strengthen relationships within their families and professional care networks.
SYMHS aims to better engage young people and work with them to develop the skills and supports they need to manage mental health distress and enjoy the best health possible.
The shared state-wide vision as outlined in the South Australian Youth Mental Health System of Care Operational Guidelines is that every contact strengthens a young person’s wellbeing, mental fitness, and engagement with life.
Veterans Mental Health - Jamie Larcombe Centre (JLC)
The JLC provides evidence-based treatment for a range of specialist mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression to people who are current or former serving members of the Australian Defence Force residing in South Australia. The service employs person-centred, strengths-based approaches through a multi-disciplinary team to meet the acute, sub-acute and rehabilitative mental health care needs of veterans across inpatient and ambulatory settings.
Statewide Eating Disorder Service
The SEDS provides evidence-based recovery care to people living with eating disorders living in South Australia. SEDS provides liaison advice, training and support to professionals and loved ones caring for a person with an eating disorder. SEDS participates in care through virtual team arrangements partnering with other mental health services, carers, NGO organisations and Medicare providers. Care is delivered by a multidisciplinary team providing assessment and Eating Disorder Plan development consultations, outpatient therapy, Day Patient Program, and Inpatient program care. The service operates in a stepped care model and leverages extensive partnerships and expertise to ensure the provision of care that is accessible, equitable, appropriate, integrated, and comprehensive. SEDS uses service evaluation, continuous quality improvement and research and peer-reviewed publishing to maintain best practice care and develop better treatments for its patients.
Mental Health Rehabilitation
The Trevor Parry Community Rehabilitation Centre (CRC) is a twenty-bed live-in rehabilitation centre in Noarlunga. The centre has purpose-built accommodation for people who have difficulty living unassisted in the community due to their mental health.
Development is currently underway for twenty-four inpatient mental health rehabilitation beds which will open late 2025 at NH.
Perinatal Mental Health
The Perinatal Mental Health Service works in partnership with antenatal and postnatal mothers with diagnosed perinatal mental health disorders across inpatient and outpatient settings to assess, treat, educate, and connect consumers with the most appropriate ongoing treatment pathway. The service is provided in two streams across both mental health nursing (focussing predominantly on prenatal non-admitted services with some support to admitted consumers), and psychiatry (focussing across anti- and post-natal non-admitted services with some consultation liaison services to admitted consumers).
The Repat Neuro-Behavioural Unit
The RNBU opened in March 2021 and is one of two specialised HDUs across South Australia that treat adults living with severe Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) whose extreme symptoms mean their needs cannot be met in mainstream residential or lower levels of care.
South Australian Huntington Disease Service
The SALHN SAHDS provides state-wide support to consumers and their families with Huntington disease (HD), by providing timely access to medical and allied health assessment and treatment across community, outpatient, and inpatient settings at all stages of the disease. The service operates as a muti-disciplinary, multi-site team (homed at FMC SALHN) across neurology, psychiatry, genetics, pathology, and social work and plays a critical role in coordination of care for those with HD as well as consumer, carer, and healthcare provider HD education. The service works in close collaboration with community and not-for-profit service delivery partners, and key research groups.
Consumer and Carer Engagement Strategy 2023-2025
The Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) values the positive contributions consumers and the community make in contributing to improvements in health services quality, safety, equity, management and integrity to the decision making process of committees.
The Consumer & Carer Engagement strategy sets out how SALHN plans to work with our patients, families, carers and community members. SALHN, in partnership with its peak consumer group, has developed three key priorities which will set the aspirational direction of consumer engagement within SALHN.
The key priorities of the strategy are:
Priority 1 - Deliver a service that is appropriate, respectful and meets the diverse needs of consumers, carers and their families
Priority 2 - Support a culture of safe, responsive and effective person & family centred care, to achieve quality health outcomes
Priority 3 - Deliver reliable and equitable access to care for all consumers in the right place and at the right time
Consumer and Carer Engagement Strategy 2023-2025
Role Specification
The Clinical Director Mental Health Services (CDMHS) is accountable to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO, SALHN) for the provision of strategic clinical leadership and to significantly contribute to the achievement of SALHN strategic objectives.
The CDMHS reports via the relevant SALHN Executive structures.
The CDMHS is an appropriately qualified medical professional who has the clinical experience, knowledge and skills to assume a leadership role in Mental Health Services.
The CDMHS will provide high level clinical advice that contributes to service planning and assists in the development/implementation of clinical networks, state-wide plans and recommendations.
The CDMHS and the Co-Director Mental Health Services will jointly lead change management required in Mental Health Services (MHS) across the SALHN, to transition the services to new care models.
In partnership with the Co-Director MHS, the CDMHS is also accountable for the achievement of relevant key performance indicators and strategic and operational deliverables for Mental Health Services across all SALHN sites. This includes operational service delivery responsibility for medical and clinical staff, budget, risk management, WHS and quality and safety.
The CDMHS portfolio will focus upon Key Performance Indicators in relation to community mental health and acute mental health service delivery and development. These include but are not limited to; Emergency Department Presentations and Discharges, Mental Health Emergency Department and In-patient services length of stay and Acute Mental Health Service development.
Strategic Leadership
As a member of the executive team the CDMHS will significantly contribute to the development of the SALHN vision and strategic directions, consistent with integrated health care delivery, contemporary models of care, and Government policy. The CDMHS will be accountable for providing strategic clinical leadership and advice to the CEO and Chief Operating Officer by:
- Providing strong leadership within the clinical service, fostering an environment that inspires staff to set direction for and continually improve services.
- Leading the integration of Mental Health Directorate across SALHN consistent with new models of service provision and identifying innovative and alternative approaches to the provision of services. > Interpreting and implementing relevant National and State Strategic directions within the Mental Health Services.
- Chairing, contributing to and participating in executive committee/s within SALHN and MH Services.
- Ensuring effective stakeholder relationships within and external to SALHN by initiating, developing and maintaining appropriate working relationships with staff and key stakeholders, including the community, in the provision and planning of services.
- Assisting in the implementation of major organisational changes in partnership with SALHN senior managers including assisting in the development and implementation of workforce reform including new work roles by working collaboratively with key stakeholders across SALHN.
- Developing flexible working environments that are responsive to the changing needs and profile of the consumer and changes in service delivery and multidisciplinary care, ensuring that resources are maximised to meet the operational needs of SALHN.
- Enhancing and maintaining SALHN’s effectiveness as a teaching hospital in relation to Mental Health services by developing and fostering effective working relationships with universities and educational institutions, Royal Australian College of Psychiatrists and other government and nongovernment agencies
Management Accountability
The CDMHS in collaboration with the DMHSO will be accountable for managing clinical Mental Health service provision across SALHN and actively contributing to the achievement of the full range of SALHN performance expectations by:
- Actively promoting a culture of performance accountability, review and evaluation, feedback, team work, risk management, collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Developing policies and practices which provide clinical engagement in the management of Mental Health services and the development of interdisciplinary clinical teams.
- Continually evaluating the Mental Health services provided including quality and safety performance in order to monitor standards of care and determine whether service priorities are being addressed.
- Recommending the redistribution of resources and reconfiguration of services where appropriate across SALHN.
- Developing and overseeing operational contingency plans for managing patient flow, demand/capacity and related issues.
- Ensuring compliance with the various legislative and accreditation requirements required by the Department of Health (specifically the National Standards for Mental Health Services and the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards).
- Fostering the continued growth of clinical research.
Safety, Quality & Risk Management
The CDMHS will provide clinical leadership and direction in line with SALHN policy and procedures to a variety of safety and quality improvement processes by:
- Ensuring compliance with systems to respond to all incidents in line with SALHN policy.
- Monitoring and reporting all incidents.
- Ensuring recommendations arising from incident reviews are implemented.
- Ensuring safe practices in regard to all services within the organisation.
- Ensuring a focus on the patient/client is at the core of all services provided.
- Developing clinical care escalation pathways within Mental Health Services and SALHN.
- Identification, assessment, reviews of controls and action planning in relation to organisational, corporate and clinical risks within the Directorate.
- Leading the identification and implementation of evidence-based process and practice redesign.
Financial Management
The CDMHS in collaboration with the DMHSO is responsible for the effective direction, management and control of finances under their control including:
- Developing resource and budget allocation processes across allocated Clinical Divisions and services in conjunction with the Director of Finance or delegate and in line with the SALHN resource and budget allocation process; and.
- Monitoring and controlling expenditure in accordance with SALHN budgeting, legal requirements and the SALHN delegations manual.
Human Resources Management
The CDMHS is responsible for:
Contributing to workforce planning to ensure the Mental Health Services has a skilled and experienced workforce that reflects cultural diversity (and specific growth in targeted population groups including Aboriginal workforce).
- Ensuring staff are appropriately credentialed and work within their scope of practice.
- Ensuring services are appropriately staffed to enable a reliable, consistent and excellent mental health service within agreed budget and service design parameters.
- Ensuring quality outcomes are achieved through the empowerment of staff and the effective use of performance review and development.
- Undertaking corrective intervention for medical clinical staff when required, including performance management and discipline specific matters. Ensuring the promotion and implementation of a safe, productive and healthy work environment across the Directorate in line with the SALHN commitment to the attraction, retention and development of staff to support the achievement of the SALHN strategic objectives and the health reform agenda.
- Overseeing the development of rostering principles to maximise the cost efficient application of human resources to defined services and activity.
Ensure that a safe and healthy work environment, free from discrimination is provided for employees by:
- a) implementing departmental human resource policies
- b) ensuring that the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity and Ethical Conduct are a normal part of doing business
- c) managing industrial relations issues appropriately as they arise
- d) managing compliance to the National Safety & Quality Health Service Standards
For a full list of selection criteria please see the role description
- Demonstrated experience in a Senior Clinical leadership role and proven ability to successfully lead professional groups to achieve best practice clinical outcomes
- Proven leadership skills, the ability to motivate others and the ability to achieve defined outcomes through a consultative and participatory management style
- Demonstrated capacity to establish and maintain productive working relationships with a diverse range of professional staff
- Demonstrated experience in working with consumers and carers.
- Commitment to the provision of high quality public hospital Mental Health services and demonstrated experience in the planning and provision of health services.
- Highly developed analytical skills and a demonstrated ability to make sound management decisions. Demonstrated capacity to effectively lead in an environment of dynamic change and financial constraint.
- Providing a mental health care service to patients and their families within finite resources during a period of extensive reform
- Maximising patient outcomes through innovative patient care
- Ensuring continuity of effective leadership for and with a mature, high-performing psychiatrist group
- Addressing system-level pressures around patient flow and bed capacity during redevelopment phases
- Lifting community-based service capacity in a traditionally hospital-centric model
- Working within the dual funding model (ABF and block) and managing financial accountability
- Building and maintaining effective relationships with the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist, other LHNs Unions and the RANZCP to support state-level alignment
Reporting to Operationally:
- Chief Executive Officer
Reporting to Professionally:
- Executive Director Medical Services
Direct Reports: (List positions reporting directly to this position)
- Heads of Units in Mental Health Services
- Business Finance Partner(s)
- Other positions as determined
Internal Partnerships:
- Chief Executive Officer SALHN
- Co-Director, Mental Health Services SALHN
- Chief Operating Officer SALHN
- Nursing Directors in Mental Health Services SALHN
- Allied Health Director Mental Health Services SALHN
- Other Divisional Clinical Directors & senior managers within SALHN
External:
- Patients, Specialists, General Practitioners, NGOs
- Department for Health and Wellbeing, other government agencies, key community stakeholders and service providers.
Please discuss with HardyGroup Consultant
Service Location: Adelaide, SA
Classification: MD02
Educational/Vocational Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Medicine; Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or equivalent.
- Appropriate Specialist Qualifications and registrable with the Medical Board of Australia as a Medical Practitioner with Specialist registration; or another qualification as defined in the SA Medical Officers Award.
The closing date for applications is Wednesday, 26 November 2025
The reference number to include in your application is H25_5294
Note: Please use the online platform to submit your application. It will not be accepted via email.
If you require assistance in submitting your application online, please get in touch with Executive Search Coordinator, Bradie Hammat: M: +61 (0)417 882 900 / E: bhammat@hardygroupintl.com
It Is standard practice for HardyGroup to acknowledge receipt of your application no later than the next business day. We request that if you do not receive the acknowledgement, you contact the search coordinator listed above as soon as possible after the 24-hour business period and arrange to resend your application if necessary.
Your application must include:
- 1.Cover letter to the Principal Consultant (Janine Hammat) introducing yourself and addressing the qualifications, requirements and selection criteria;
- 2.An up-to-date copy of your Curriculum Vitae
Please view HG’s Written Application Procedure prior to preparing your documentation and applying for the role.
For a confidential discussion, please contact:
Janine Hammat
HG Principal Consultant
M. +61 (0)488 555 858
E. jhammat@hardygroupintl.com
Living and working in Adelaide
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