Role Profiles
Aboriginal Health Worker
Adolescent
Allied Custodial
- Allied Health Assistant
- Occupational Therapy
- Art Therapists
- Psychology Team
- Diversional Therapy
- Rehabilitation Coordinator
Community Forensic
Drug & Alcohol Clinical Nurse Specialist
Nursing Custodial
Nursing Forensic
Medico Legal Joint Record Centre
Visiting Medical Officer
Nurse Long Bay Hospital
Student Nurse Long Bay Hospital
In NSW an Aboriginal Health Worker is an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who is employed in an Aboriginal identified position. The Aboriginal Health Worker assists in meeting the physical, social and emotional and cultural needs of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients whilst in custody. Aboriginal Health Workers are also responsible for liaising with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and staff to help optimise best care practice whilst working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary healthcare team.
Staff Quote:
"As an Aboriginal person working in a centre that is built on my country, I have a commitment and passion to serve and support my mob and the mob from other areas. We also educate the clinical team we work with about our people and the best way to engage and provide those services."
Clinical Nurse Consultant - Youth Health, Adolescent Health
The position provides clinical consultancy services to nursing staff within Juvenile Justice Centres and liaison with Community Integration Team (CIT). The primary focus of this Clinical Nurse Consultant role is Youth Health, bringing together the specialties of Primary Health, Population/Sexual Health & Women’s Health The major functions of the Clinical Nurse Consultant, Youth Health is to provide, clinical service and consultancy, clinical leadership, research, and education programs (clinical teaching and practice development).The position provides clinical consultancy to all nursing staff in Juvenile Justice Centres, the Kariong Juvenile Correctional Centre and nursing staff in Justice Health/Adolescent community programs.
Staff Quote:
"The CNC role is part of a large team that seeks to improve the health outcomes of young people that have had contact with the justice system. I am involved in research and the development of policies and procedures to ensure that we deliver best practice care to our young people. I am involved in developing educational programs for the adolescent health nursing teams. The exciting part of this role is that as I have a state wide position where I support nursing staff in our seven Juvenile Justice Centres and one Juvenile Correctional Centre in NSW as well as the community teams. This means I get the opportunity to travel across the state to visit all of our health centres; and meet with our patients to discuss their needs in regards to their health. Working with the young people in this system is exciting, challenging and very rewarding."
Allied Health (Physiotherapy) - Custodial
The physiotherapy department primarily provides a state- wide outpatient musculoskeletal physiotherapy service to those that come into contact with the NSW custodial environment.
Staff Quote:
“The physiotherapy department provides expert input and treatment into the care of patients including those with neurological, respiratory, orthopedic, burns, ambulatory, and spinal cord injuries. Our physiotherapists also facilitate an orthopedic clinic. Our environment and patients ensure that there is never a dull moment and every day presents a new challenge and experience.”
Allied Health (Pharmacy) - Custodial
The Pharmacy Department provides a state wide pharmaceutical service to patients that come into contact with the NSW custodial environment.
Staff Quote:
“The pharmacy department provides pharmaceutical services and provides medication management oversight to all adult and adolescent centres and is responsible for ensuring the safe, effective and efficient dispensing of medications, along with the provision of a quality pharmacy service and advice to the patients and staff of JH&FMHN.”
Allied Health (Radiology) - Custodial
The Radiology Department provides a high quality and efficient digital radiology service to the adult prison population within Custodial Health. The state-wide service model provides general and dental OPG X-rays at 8 correctional facilities (Parklea ,Long Bay ,MRRC, Silverwater women’s, Goulburn, South Coast, Wellington and Mid North Coast ) and Ultrasound Services at Long Bay.
Staff Quote:
“The medical imaging department at JH&FMHN provides an efficient and fast Ultrasound and general radiography service to the adult prison population to enable improved clinical decision making by clinicians .We work with State of the Art digital equipment and our environment is challenging and dynamic.”
Allied Health Assistant
The Forensic Hospitals Allied Health Assistant team provides support to all discipline of Allied Health working within the hospital. We engage with patients in all wards of the hospital from the acute setting to the rehabilitation ward, working alongside each Allied Health discipline.
Staff Quote
“The AHA team work together to utilise our own unique personal skills to offer a range of support to all Allied Health disciplines. Every day is completely different; as you may spend your morning working with a Diversional Therapist, help an Occupational Therapist with a cooking class, & your afternoon helping patients with their TAFE assessments or facilitating a sporting activity.”
Occupational Therapy
The Occupational Therapy team provides occupation focussed mental health services to adult and adolescent patients of The Forensic Hospital.
Staff Quote
“The Occupational Therapy team provides high quality assessment and intervention that facilitate patient’s engagement in meaningful occupations. The occupational therapists assist patients with routine and time management, cooking, computers skills, escorted leave to practice community living skills, study, and leisure activities.”
Art Therapists
The Art Therapy department is a hospital-wide service provided in The Forensic Hospital and a psychodynamically framed discipline. The service works within the multidisciplinary treating teams, contributing towards treatment plans, risk assessments and Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT) reports. Art Therapy assists patients to express themselves when there is difficulty in self-articulation or the ability to identify issues within self. Psychodynamic formulation of the patient by the Art Therapist then informs the patients’ recovery plan and intervention.
Staff Quote:
“Art Therapy is one of the few disciplines that can be utilised across the acute wards and right through to patients that are preparing for their transition into less secure facilities. Allowing patients’ to have agency in their approach to art making and maintaining their level of hope in their production further strengthens their recovery pathway and desire to succeed in their future as the work concentrates around the notion of co-production and working with the patient rather than for the patient.”
Psychology Team
The Psychology team provide multimodal psychological assessment (clinical, personality, cognitive/neuropsychological and violence risk assessment); functional analysis and positive behavioural support; and a broad range of innovative, evidence-based individual and group intervention (such as neurocognitive/social cognitive remediation; anger and emotion regulation; CBT for psychosis & substance use; and interventions that encourage alternatives to violence).
Staff Quote
“Being a psychologist in the FH & JHFMHN is both stimulating and rewarding as the work lies at the intersection of clinical and forensic psychology. The role is interesting and diverse, and your work is highly valued by the multidisciplinary team. It’s a unique setting where you can make both a big difference to the patient’s wellbeing & recovery as well as help reduce their risk of re-offending”.
Diversional Therapy
Diversional Therapists in the Forensic Hospital provide opportunities for individuals who experience barriers to leisure participation, to participate in meaningful leisure and recreation interventions. Diversional Therapists assess needs to design, implement and evaluate recreational and leisure services that promote person-centred, meaningful interventions. Interventions are aimed at enhancing mental, physical, social and emotional wellbeing and are designed to suit the goals and strengths of individuals.
Staff Quote
“The Forensic Hospital offers a unique environment to develop, practice and adapt skills used in Diversional Therapy. It is a patient-centred service, so every day is different as groups and individuals have different interests and goals. It is rewarding to see first-hand the impact leisure based interventions have on patients.”
Rehabilitation Coordinator
The Rehabilitation Coordinator is a hospital wide position, who primarily oversees the Centralised Group Program (CGP) which assists patients in their rehabilitation and recovery.
Staff Quote
“Being the Rehab Coordinator at the Forensic Hospital, offers diversity and variety in the workplace. The Rehab Coordinator plays a pivotal role in enhancing a patients rehabilitation and recovery though therapeutic programmes.”
Clinician - Community Forensic Mental Health
As a community forensic mental health clinician staff have opportunity to work with, and provide support to, a range of mental health clinicians, across 15 Local Health Districts, who are primarily responsible for the care of forensic patients and civil patients at risk of serious offending. In particular, community forensic mental health clinicians are encouraged to develop specialist expertise in assessing and managing patients’ risk of harm to others, so that patients’ recovery can be supported in the most safe and effective care context. The role of a community forensic mental health clinician can be occupied by psychologists, senior nurses, social workers and occupational therapists with appropriate experience and post graduate training.
Staff Quote:
“The role is suited to those who enjoy a challenge; value training and evidence based practice and share a common interest in understanding and managing problematic behaviour among mentally ill individuals.”
Drug and Alcohol Clinical Nurse Specialist
This position is responsible for the assessment and management of drug and/or alcohol intoxication, withdrawal and potential or actual overdose. The D&A CNS is also responsible for the assessment of patients requesting Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST) and the follow-up and review of these patients. The D&A CNS must have an excellent understanding and knowledge about all treatment modalities for drug and alcohol related issues currently available within the custodial setting and in the broader community.
Staff Quote:
“It’s a very dynamic role where you get to work with a variety of team members in correctional centres as well as community based service providers. There is a large scope to help a variety of patients. No one day is the same. There is always something to challenge you.”
Medico Legal Coordinator – Health Information Record Service
The role of the Medico Legal Coordinator includes facilitating the timely release of clinical information to legal agencies, health providers and eligible applicants whilst ensuring compliance with the Governments Information (Public Access) Act 2009, Health Records Information and Privacy Act 2002, all Ministry of Health Circulars and Policies and procedures and related policies. The role is also responsible for coordinating subpoenas, legal requests, search warrants along with requests from the Coroners Court and NSW Ombudsman.
Staff Quote:
I really enjoy my position. Being able to liaise with a wide range of external stakeholders and organisations on a day to day basis is very rewarding."
The nursing role within custodial health includes reception screening for all new patients, comprehensive health screening for long stay patients, assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating nursing management. Nurses are also responsible for the day to day health care requirements of patients within NSW correctional centres and police cells which involves counselling, health promotion, and client advocacy, facilitation of change, clinical teaching, supervising, mentoring and research.
Staff Quote:
"As a nurse I work with a team of staff to achieve the best clinical outcomes for our disadvantaged patients. Our Health Centre is within the correctional centre and is modern, clean and secure. When I first started I was a bit confronted by the walls and the locked gates you have to negotiate, the razor wire and correctional officers in the towers but it is amazing how quickly that disappears into the background. While I am always aware this this is a very secure environment, I also find that my work is so challenging that I don’t really think about those things anymore."
Forensic mental health nursing practice involves undertaking assessments, formulations, planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care within a therapeutic environment relationship in the treatment of people experiencing mental illness; and who have a history of criminal offending or who present a serious risk of such behaviour. Nursing staff work closely with the multidisciplinary team to address risk and support patients on their recovery journey.
Staff Quote:
"Every day is different which means I am developing new skills. The work is always is challenging and unique."
Visiting Medical Officers deliver general and specialised medical services in the correctional centre environment. They work collaboratively with the Nursing Unit Manager as part of a multi-disciplinary team. This includes general practitioners, drug and alcohol, psychiatry and oral health staff.
Staff Quote:
"I have been working with JH&FMHN for five years and I enjoy it immensely. Working with a vulnerable yet unique patient population, most of who have come from highly disadvantaged backgrounds, offers huge personal satisfaction. Knowing that most of the patients have never seen a regular doctor for medical treatment prior to coming into custody and then being able to assist them in achieving the best possible healthcare outcomes is a huge win."
Nursing (Custodial) - Long Bay Hospital
The Long Bay Hospital is an 85 bed inpatient facility which caters for both male and female inpatients and is accessible to all persons throughout the NSW correctional system. Staff in the Long Bay Hospitals Aged Care and Rehabilitation, Medical Subacute and Mental Health units respond effectively to the complex health needs of the patient population and provide international best practice health care for those in custody. Health care services for patients are provided by multidisciplinary teams which consists of 24/7 nursing staff, medical officers and a range of allied health clinicians.
Staff Quote:
"I completed my Transition to Professional Practice Program with JH&FMHN, going straight from university to working in a maximum security correctional centre. Indeed JH&FMHN is a world of its own that may initially overwhelm even the most experienced of nurses. This unique environment is not without its mental and emotional challenges. However, if you are passionate about working with disadvantaged patients and if you are a team player, you will thrive here. The incredibly friendly and approachable staff of both JH&FMHN and Corrective Services NSW makes this hospital a place where you can flourish, find satisfaction, and feel safe in every sense. There are opportunities to further your education and the managerial staff do everything they can to help you reach your potential. I had never encountered a patient that was more appreciative of my efforts until I worked for JH&FMHN."
"Following a six week clinical placement in the Mental Health Unit at Long Bay Hospital, I have to say I had the best placement ever. The nurses I worked with were amazing, hardworking and professional. I always felt supported and safe on the ward. The placement was an enriching experience which helped me develop my skills in mental health nursing. I hope I can work in a facility like this in the future."