LOCATION: Broome, WA

THE KIMBERLEY ADVENTURE - a unique and exciting opportunity is currently available for a suitably experienced and enthusiastic GP with highly developed Emergency Medicine skills for WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Kimberley.

This is a Fixed Term Full Time appointment for up to 5 years, based in Broome, Derby/Fitzroy Crossing or Kununurra/Halls Creek, with the possibility of extension.

Position Profile:  The position provides clinical services to the hospitals of the Kimberley as well as outreach clinics in surrounding remote communities. The successful candidate needs to be open to being challenged by the wide variety of medicine that you will encounter in the Kimberley – tropical medicine, acute presentations of chronic disease conditions in adults and in sick kids, palliative care being practised with cultural sensitivity. You will not be alone in managing patients in this remote context – there is excellent support provided by a range of resident specialists in person, or via telehealth. The Emergency Telehealth Service provides rapid access to FACEM level care coordination and team leadership. The Mental Health Emergency Telehealth Service is available at all times, to support mental health presentations. The Royal Flying Doctor Service is available to transfer patients in your care to higher level hospital support and you will become an expert at preparing patients for retrieval. Once you have experienced living and working in the Kimberley, you will wonder why you ever thought city medicine was ever enough to challenge or inspire you!

You WILL make a difference in patient lives, like no other role you have undertaken to date.

The successful candidate will be working in a cross-cultural environment particularly with Aboriginal people, experience working within an Aboriginal health setting is preferred.

This position reports to the Senior Medical Officer at each site and is supported either in person or via telehealth by a team of peer GPs with significant emergency skills and by a team of resident specialists with an amazing knowledge base. Remote Area Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Allied Health staff and Aboriginal health Workers and Aboriginal Liaison Officers all contribute to the multidisciplinary team approach to the practice of medicine in the Kimberley. You will be joining this team and learning from them and with them, about health care delivery in this unique environment.

The successful candidate must hold the appropriate AHPRA registration to be able to practise independently without clinical supervision. The successful candidate will be rostered to clinical duties in the emergency department and/or GP clinics at each hospital as well as being rostered on call as required, with an annualised on call allowance payable for the on call commitment shared with colleagues.

About the Region: The Kimberley is Western Australia's most northern region, a coastline closer to South-East Asia than Perth. Bordered by the Pilbara region to the south and Northern Territory to the east, the 424,517 square kilometres region has fewer people per square kilometre than almost any other place on Earth.

Internationally recognised for its unique and dramatic landscape, the region includes spectacular gorges, waterfalls and cave systems, and an astonishing variety of wildlife. Camping, birdwatching and fishing are recreational activities that local health staff enjoy in abundance. For those more interested in the night life, Broome and Kununurra support a wide range of entertainment options, with bars and restaurants rivalling any provincial town.

Famous attractions include the World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park and Mitchell Falls, the stunning El Questro Wilderness Park and Broome's Cable Beach. Characterised by its distinct wet and dry seasons, the Kimberley experiences a sub-tropical climate. May to October is the dry season, and November to April is the wet season. With a balmy climate, breathtaking scenery, unique flora and fauna and a great variety of adventure and cultural experiences, the Kimberley offers a fantastic lifestyle that is family-friendly and supportive. 

Our regional hospitals include Broome Health Campus, Fitzroy Crossing Hospital, Derby Hospital, Halls Creek Hospital, Kununurra Hospital and Wyndham Hospital. The region is open to flexible working and living arrangements that support the smaller hospital sites, such as basing the family in Broome of Kununurra to enable access to quality schooling and housing, with fly in/fly out travel to Fitzroy Crossing/Halls Creek/Derby and Wyndham.

For more information visit https://www.wacountry.health.wa.gov.au/Our-services/Kimberley.

Employee Benefits: In addition to the great salary our employees enjoy an amazing range of benefits which may include (in line with operational requirements):

• 11% employer contributed superannuation into a fund of your choice. For further information click here. 
• Access to generous salary packaging arrangements
• Professional Development Opportunities and Study Leave/assistance
• Flexible working arrangements
• Flexible leave arrangements
• Other professional and location-based allowances

WA Health is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination in the provision of our service. We embrace diversity and strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds and people with disabilities.

WA Health supports flexible working practices within the context of a quality health service. WA Health is committed to a smoke free environment across all buildings, grounds and vehicles.

Other Conditions:  WA Health engages staff in positions of trust and responsibility. WA Health policies require applicants to undertake criminal records screening and integrity checking as part of the appointment process. Referees may also be asked to comment on an applicant’s integrity and past demonstration of ethical behaviour.

This vacancy is subject to a Western Australian Working With Children (WWC) Check. For further information please refer to the WWC website at: https://workingwithchildren.wa.gov.au

Please note this recruitment process requires completion of satisfactory Pre-Employment Health Assessment (PEHA).  Any offer of employment with WA Country Health Service (WACHS) is conditional on satisfactory PEHA to ensure you are able to perform the inherent requirements of the position. An unsatisfactory PEHA will result in the offer of employment being withdrawn.  Please see the attached WACHS PEHA Policy for further information.

This is an “open-ended” recruitment pool, and as such the following should be noted:

• The panel will monitor this recruitment pool for applications, and will assess on a regular basis.
• Suitable applicants will be placed in a pool from which appointments may be made when similar vacancies occur.
• Appointments may be made from this pool until 04/01/2025. Whilst this selection process will initially be used to fill the above vacancy, it may also be used to fill other "similar" vacancies throughout the health service. In addition to this, should the successful applicant decline or vacate the advertised vacancy, then the next most suitable applicant may also be selected from this process. Both of these options remain valid for a period of twelve (12) months from when the authorised delegate endorses the recruitment decision
  
  

Selection Criteria: Please see the attached Job Description Form.

For Further Job Related Information:  We encourage you to contact Dr Sue Phillips on 0407 779 200 or Suzanne.Phillips@health.wa.gov.au.

Application Instructions: Applicants must have a current, valid email address in order to apply on MedJobs. This email address will be used for communication with applicants. If you experience difficulties while applying online, please contact medjobswa@health.wa.gov.au.

Your ability to meet the work related requirements will be assessed throughout the recruitment process. For your written application please provide the following:

• a statement addressing the selection criteria on the job description form.
• a current resume which summarises your experience and how you are able to meet the position requirements.
  
  

These documents should be complete and ready to attach prior to applying online. Please ensure you allow sufficient time to complete the online application process as you will be required to answer various questions and attach your documentation.

It is preferable for your referee to be a current supervisor or manager. 

Lodgement is system generated. Any submissions on, or after, 4:00pm will not be accepted.

LATE OR EMAIL APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.