Ingham is a rural community 110km north from Townsville along the Bruce Highway and the traditional owners are the Warakamai People. Ingham population is approximately 5,000, although the town services the 11,000 people who make up the Hinchinbrook Shire.

The town is 17km from the coast, within the flood plain of the Herbert River. Sugar is the dominant industry, along with watermelon, rice, horticulture, fishing, timber, and tourism. Wallaman Falls, the highest single waterfall drop in Australia, and the beautiful Hinchinbrook Island are only parts of the nearby Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.

The purpose of this position is to provide medical leadership and high-quality clinical services for hospital inpatients and outpatients as part of a multidisciplinary team, delivering integrated primary and secondary health services to the Ingham community. The role of the Senior Medical Officer (SMO) is crucial in this context, providing high-quality clinical and non-clinical services to benefit the patients and clients of the Townsville Hospital and Health Service (THHS). This includes research and teaching future health professionals, while leading and managing the provision of medical services in accordance with specialty standards, professional ethics, and THHS and Queensland Health (QH) policies, in both hospital and outreach settings.

As a Medical Expert you are responsible for:

• The maintenance of appropriate credentials and working within your awarded Scope of Clinical Practice (SoCP) as determined by the HHS as limited by the Clinical Service Capability Framework (CSCF) of individual facilities.
• The provision of extensive and comprehensive experience, knowledge and skills within the facility.
• The provision of expert consultation and advice directly to patients; as well as within the organisation as required.
• The provision of expert clinical service to patients of the THHS as directed within the above SoCP.

As a Professional you are responsible for:

• Actively taking part in quality improvement, risk management, peer review and audit and to demonstrate positive change as a result. Demonstrating understanding and commitment to the principles of hospital accreditation.
• Demonstrating ethical practice and decision making – in both clinical and non-clinical areas, including fulfilling all responsibilities of this role in accordance with the Queensland Public Service Code of Conduct at all times.
• Undertaking self-initiated reflective practice and maintenance of continuing professional development (CPD) to maintain professional competence and expertise.
• Ensuring high quality and timely clinical and non-clinical documentation and management of information whether paper-based or enabled by information technology. This includes being responsible for the quality and timeliness of documentation of medical staff who report to this position, including junior doctors.

As a Clinical Lead you are responsible for:

• Demonstrating professional leadership, support and medical input into the associated medical, surgical, nursing and allied health programmes and providing clinical governance and supervision of staff reporting to this position, including junior medical staff.
• Being aware of, and complying with legislation that applies to the area, as well as contributing to, and following QH, Townsville Hospital and Health Service and local policies and procedures as published.
• Management of resources available to you, including value management to reduce waste, and ensure that the resources available are used to deliver the greatest good to the greatest number of patients/clients.
• To advise the Executive Director of Medical Services, Service Group Director and Medical Director Service Group on issues relating to the facility and Townsville Hospital and Health Service.

As a Scholar you are responsible for:

• Supporting and / or undertaking research within your area of practice, including the obtaining of research funding where possible. (Within the Ethics framework as outlined above)
• Actively supporting and undertaking teaching of undergraduate and post-graduate clinical staff including medical and non-medical clinicians as well as non-clinical staff as required.

As a Collaborator you are responsible for:

• Supporting and working harmoniously with:
• your immediate medical team and Multidisciplinary members of your workplace.
• other departments / facilities within Townsville Hospital and Health Service.
• external stakeholders.

As a Communicator you are responsible for:

• Developing, displaying and utilising high level communication skills in all modalities including:
• Professional quality written communication in all documentation, including the medical record, emails and formal letters and reports.
• Audiovisual communication, from formal presentations to informal conversations.
• Non-Verbal communication, including body language and other forms of communication.
• Developing and maintaining effective working relationships and empathy in dealings with colleagues and patients/clients as well as external stakeholders.

As a Health Advocate you are responsible for:

• Assisting to identify future trends and contributing to / undertaking planning for the health service. Ensure that the hospital direction, policies and procedures for the speciality comply with the THHS strategic plans.
• Actively engaging in technology assessment and systems improvement initiatives within your SoCP.
• Being a patient advocate and engaging positively with patients and their carers.
• Provide information, strategies and expertise in the areas of speciality in contribution to the THHS and intra-regional development of these services.

Additional:

• Fulfil the responsibilities of this role primarily in accordance with the Townsville Hospital and Health Service (HHS) core values, as outlined below, and in accordance with the values outlined for the public service with the Queensland Government.
• Ensure that service standards, safety and quality are maintained through adherence to defined service quality standards and relevant occupational health and safety policies, procedures and work practices.
• Implement and monitor the organisation's quality standards, occupational health and safety policies, procedures and programs and provide clinical governance in the relevant work area.
• Some roles within Queensland Health are designated as Vaccination Preventable Disease (VPD) risk roles. This is a VPD risk role.

• Qualified as a medical practitioner, qualifications in speciality areas and current registration and/or eligible for registration with the Medical Board of Australia.
• Appointment to this position requires proof of qualification and registration or membership (if applicable) with the appropriate registration authority or association. Certified copies of the required information must be provided to the appropiate supervisor/manager prior to commencement of clinical duties.
• Currently enrolled with the Australian General Practice Training Program, or intention to apply to the Program within twelve months of commencement in this role.
• Fellowship of either the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (FACRRM) or the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) is highly desirable.
• Ideally the candidate would be a Rural Generalist with:
• Successful completion of advanced skills training in Obstetrics, and have accreditation, or be eligible for accreditation, by the Joint Consultative Committee on Obstetrics (JCCO).
• All applicants must be awarded SoCP by the THHS Credentialing and SoCP committee. All appointments are subject to maintenance of SoCP within the CSCF for the facilities in which clinical work is to be undertaken.
• Drivers Licence: This position requires the incumbent to operate a class C motor vehicle and an appropriate licence endorsement to operate this vehicle is required. Proof of this endorsement must be provided prior to the commencement of duty.
• This position may require the incumbent to work at other facilities within the THHS.
• Vaccine Preventable Disease (VPD): Health Care Workers in Queensland Health whose occupation poses a potential risk of exposure to blood or body fluids are required to provide evidence of vaccinations or proof that they are not susceptible (due to prior exposure to the disease and therefore have natural immunity) to the following VPD's Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella and Pertussis (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis containing vaccine) according to the Queensland Health Policy.

1. 1.Competence and capability in primary rural medical practice and or emergency medicine (particularly hospital-based practice).
2. 2.Ability to function in a multidisciplinary team and to provide leadership within the team.
3. 3.Experience in education and training of medical staff and/or medical students.
4. 4.High level of communication skills in clinical practice and corporate functions.
5. 5.Commitment to improving standards and quality of health care and patient safety within the hospital and community.
6. 6.Qualified as a medical practitioner and current registration with, or eligible for, current registration with the Medical Board of Australia.
7. 7.Demonstrated ability to provide a high standard of care to hospital inpatients and patients presenting to the Emergency Department.
8. 8.Appointees will be required to work all shifts in accordance with the unit roster, which may include participation in an on-call roster.
9. 9.Advanced Skills in Obstetrics.
10. 10.Hold a FACRRM or FRACGP OR Training towards FACRRM or FRACGP.
11. 11.Demonstrated ability to work within a multidisciplinary team environment.

This position reports operationally to the Medical Superintendent, Ingham Health Service.

All medical positions report professionally through the relevant medical structure to the Chief Health Officer, Townsville Hospital and Health Service.

• Direct Reports:

The total remuneration package range is from 268,802 - $369,230 TRP (L13 – L27)

• Base salary: $182, 106 - $266,677
• Super Estimate: $30,396 - $41,753
• Motor Vehicle Allowances: $21,500 - $25,500
• Professional Development Allowance: $21,500
• Inaccessibility Incentive Allowance (category 6): $13,800

Additional Benefits to this Role Include:

· Senior Medical Officers will accrue 3.6 weeks of Professional Development Leave each year, up to a maximum of 10 years accrual.

· 5 weeks annual leave with 17.5% annual leave loading.

· Communication Package.

· Attraction and Retention Incentive Allowance payment of 35 % of your base rate for GP SMO and 40% of your base rate for RG SMO.

· Regional and Rural Attraction Allowance of 5% of your base rate.

Service Location: Palm Island

Classification: L13 - L27

Role Description

Townsville HHS Strategic Plan 2022 - 2026

Townsville HHS Website

Come and Work in Ingham

Role Description

The closing date for applications is Tuesday, 25 March 2025

The reference number to include in your application is H25_5027

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, Natasha Tirado: M: +61 (0)468 301 310 / E: [email protected]

Your application must include:

1. 1.Cover letter addressed to the Principal Consultant;
2. 2.A written response addressing the key selection criteria; and
3. 3.An up to date copy of your Curriculum Vitae.

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.

For a confidential discussion, please contact:

Rhodie Miller
​HardyGroup Principal Consultant

M. +61 (0)422 816 557

E. [email protected]