SESLHD - Staff Specialist - Emergency Psychiatry - Eastern Suburbs Mental Health Service

Employment Type: Permanent Part Time. Position Classification: Staff Specialist. Hours Per Week: 24. Requisition ID: REQ . Make a Meaningful Impact – Clinically, Academically, and Organisationally We seek an innovative Staff Specialist Psychiatrist to join the newly established Emergency Psychiatry Team (EPT) at the Prince of Wales Hospital (POWH), Randwick, as part of the ESMHS. This is an exciting opportunity to provide specialist psychiatric input and leadership within a dedicated, integrated team designed to transform the way we respond to mental health-related crises in the emergency department. This permanent role has the potential to include protected time (approximately 0.1 FTE per fortnight) dedicated to research, leadership and service development, negotiated directly with the Clinical Director for Mental Health, ESMHS. About the Role You will be a senior medical member of the EPT, a multidisciplinary team that includes specialist mental health nurses, allied health clinicians, and peer support workers. This team is founded on a principle of collaborative and shared responsibility between the Emergency Department (ED) and the Mental Health Service from the moment a patient presents. You will also have a key role in the POWH ED co-located MH units (Emergency Department Assessment Unit (EDAU) and Psychiatric Emergency Care Centre (PECC)) where your primary function is to work as an embedded partner within the emergency mental health response. You will provide expert psychiatric assessment, leadership, and intervention across the ED, working to ensure patients receive timely, compassionate, and expert care in low‑stimulus and therapeutic environments. The role will help to facilitate timely and culturally safe psychiatric assessments, and interventions to manage acute behavioural disturbances. Primary stakeholders for the EPT include emergency physicians, clinical toxicologists, psychiatric and emergency nursing, allied health clinicians and substance‑use specialists as well as working closely with community services to ensure comprehensive patient care. Your clinical duties will encompass: Providing expert psychiatric evaluation, diagnostic clarification, and psychopharmacological management for patients in the ED and the co‑located EDAU/PECC. Acting as a key medical leader within the EPT, providing expert consultation and supporting shared decision‑making with the ED team. Actively participating in multidisciplinary team discussions for assessment, risk management, and complex care planning. Authorising involuntary treatment and facilitating admission to the Psychiatric Emergency Care Centre (PECC) or inpatient units when required. Liaising with community mental health services to ensure continuity of care and facilitate safe, effective discharge outcomes with robust, co‑designed safety plans. Providing psychiatric oversight and consultation for brief therapeutic interventions, including the Brief Lifeworks Intervention Program (BLIP), to ensure a safe transition from hospital for consumers presenting in a suicidal or self‑harm crisis. Research and Model of Care Development As an essential part of this role, you will actively contribute to refining and evaluating the Integrated Collaborative Care Model for Emergency Psychiatry. Emergency psychiatric care is a complex, multi‑dimensional practice area where the psychiatrist acts at the critical interface between acute hospital services and community resources. You will be responsible for integrating psychiatric expertise directly into the emergency care setting alongside other medical, nursing and allied health team members of the newly established emergency psychiatry team at POWH ED to develop timely interventions and better‑coordinated care pathways. Your involvement will focus on systematically assessing care effectiveness, identifying best practices, and innovating new approaches through collaborative research and clinical governance initiatives. Your Contributions may include: Leading innovative projects focused on optimising acute psychiatric care models within emergency settings. Evaluating clinical interventions to improve patient outcomes, reduce restrictive practices, and support safer emergency psychiatric care. Contributing to the academic profile of the unit through scholarly activity and collaboration with local research institutes and universities. What We Offer A supportive, innovative, and academically enriched working environment. Close partnerships with the University of New South Wales, local medical research institutes, Emergency Psychiatry Network and clinical research networks. Opportunities to impact systemic improvements in emergency mental health care significantly. What you'll be doing The vision for South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) is ‘exceptional people, healthier lives’. SESLHD is committed to enabling our community to be healthy and well, and to providing the best possible compassionate care when people need it. The specialist will provide expert medical assessment and management of patients within the department/service. The primary location of this position may be varied as agreed with the Director of Medical Services and as approved by MDAAC to other facilities in SESLHD. Our CORE Values are C Collaboration, O Openness, R Respect and E Empowerment and have been created by employees for employees and help define how we work and to inspire positive interactions in the workplace. Learn more about us here: South Eastern Sydney Local Health District. Information for applicants Employment of a temporary visa holder may only occur if no suitable permanent resident or citizen of Australia has been identified for this position following suitable labour market testing. This is a Category A position. All Category A applicants must read and understand NSW Health Policy PD2024_015. Successful applicants to the role must provide vaccination history and pathology as part of the application documentation and be certified as compliant before employment can commence. SESLHD is committed to creating a workplace that reflects the diversity of our community. This will help ensure our employees, our patients and their carers, feel supported. We invite candidates of all ages, genders, sexual orientation, cultural backgrounds, people with disability, neurodiverse individuals, and Indigenous Australians to apply. We do have an Aboriginal Employment Consultant that can also provide support ( ) and for additional information please visit our Stepping Up Website. All applications must include a demonstration of your ability to meet each of the selection criteria in order to progress through the recruitment process. Registration or eligible for registration with Medical Board of Australia (AHPRA). Candidate to provide AHPRA Registration Number on application. Fellowship of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and/or equivalent specialist recognition as provided for by the Health Insurance Act 1973 and the relevant Award/Determination. Evidence of continuing medical education and self‑monitoring/audit practices consistent with the scope of practice requirements of the position. Proven capacity and/or experience in the provision of effective high quality service in the specialty, demonstrated through successful clinical practice in an environment appropriate to the requirements of the position including evidence of participation in quality improvement activities relevant to the specialty. Demonstrated commitment to teaching with experience in teaching both undergraduate and post graduate students and other staff of the hospital. Demonstrate the skills and attitudes appropriate as a senior Medical Practitioner including modelling a high standard of professional behaviour to junior medical staff. Demonstrated ability to work effectively and harmoniously with medical and other health services colleagues as part of a multi‑disciplinary health care team and demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with patients, colleagues, and staff and to work as an effective member of the clinical team across multiple sites. Demonstrated commitment to provision of a high standard of clinical care in the public sector setting. Demonstrated experience in and commitment to research relevant to the role and needs of the Department. Please complete the attached documentation pack and ensure they are uploaded to your application. Need more information? 1) Click here for the Position Description and SESLHD Expected Standards 2) Find out more about applying for this position. For role-related queries or questions contact Adith Mohan on Applications Close: 16 December 2025 #J-18808-Ljbffr