Position Description

PRACTICELEADER

MISSION

Supporting people’s abilities with quality services to enable them to live an equitable life in the community.

Position title: PracticeLeader

Service: Greystanes Community Living

Award: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award

Responsible to: Practice Manager

Responsible for the following staff: Support Workers

Position Summary:

In addition to fulfilling the duties of Support Worker on shift, the Practice Leader is a supervisory role and acts as a role model in implementing person centred approaches and active supportwithin a community home. This position serves as a role model across the organisation and is expected to lead by example and provide support and guidance to others in providing person-centred support.

This position is responsible for administrative duties within the community home, such as monitoring and managing petty cash, facilitating timesheets and payroll documentation and stock ordering, inventory and management. The Practice Leader liaises in a respectful, positive and effective manner with families and guardians and other stakeholders.

Practice Leaders work within a 24-hour/7-day-a-week roster and are located at anyof the Greystanes’ community homes. The Practice Leader works collaboratively with the people they support, families andguardians, other Support Workers, Nurses, and Allied Health Staff and is directly responsible to the Practice Manager.

Performance Monitoring

An initial review of performance will be undertaken within 3 months and then formally reviewed every 12 months based upon this position description.

Position Description last reviewed: September2016

Next review date: September2018

Inherent Requirements of Position
Physical Requirements: /
  • Bending and Lifting – Regular
  • Physical direct care duties/equipment usage – Regular
  • Standing/walking – Regular
  • Driving – Regular
  • Water immersion (spa/pool) – Occasional
  • Floor work - Regular

Role Challenges and Essential Requirements: /
  • Ability to work independently, unsupervised and as part of a team
  • Physically demanding work role
  • Provide advice and direction to team members to ensure the implementation of Person Centred Approaches and Active Support
  • Successfully complete all training requirements
  • Regular access to community environments
  • Effective management of petty cash, stock ordering and other administrative duties
  • Capacity to communicate effectively, respectively, positively and consistently with support workers, families andguardians and others

Key Selection Criteria & Skills/Attributes
Essential /
  • Demonstrated ability to role model and implement person centred approaches and active support including acapacity to provide guidance and support to other staff;
  • Willingness and ability to lead by example;
  • Good communication skills and a commitment to communicate regularly, effectively and respectfully with people with disabilities, their families, staff, colleagues and others;
  • Demonstrated passion and commitment to working with people with disabilities in a person centred framework;
  • Capacity to oversee a range of administrative requirements including but not limited to:monitoring and managing petty cash;facilitating timesheets and payroll; documentation and stock ordering; inventory and management.

Desirable /
  • Tertiary qualifications in disability or other relevant related fields;
  • Previous experience in the provision of support services to people with disabilities who have complex needs;
  • Previous administrative experience in managing petty cash and associated documentation.

Key Responsibilities / Measurable Outcomes
Team Leadership, Role Modelling and Support Worker Duties
  • Role model person centred approaches and active support;
  • Provide support, guidance and encouragement to other team members in implementing person centred approaches and active support;
  • In collaboration with the Practice Manager, ensure regular support and supervision to team members;
  • Oversee and facilitate the sound daily operation of the community home;
  • Assist the Practice Manager in the investigation of complaints;
  • Address and, where required, report to the Practice Manager any non-compliance with plans for the people we support or organisational policy and procedures;
  • Contribute to team meetings convened by Practice Manager;
  • Assist the Practice Manager in maintaining the shift roster of support staff in the community home;
  • Oversee and manage petty cash for the house and people we support in accordance with policy and procedure;
  • Order stock – including food and household supplies – from the most cost effective source, managing inventory and overseeing expenditure within budget;
  • Facilitate timesheets and payroll documentation in an accurate and timely manner;
  • Undertake Support Worker duties as required in accordance with Support Worker position description.
/ External and internal evaluations demonstrate improvements in the provision of person centred active support;
Regular team meetings are held and relevant issues addressed;
Team members are provided with regular information, training and support and supervision;
Petty cash expenses are within target and accounted for;
Stock expenses are within target and inventory is up to date;
Administrative tasks are completed in an accurate and timely manner.
Feedback from team indicates that strong role modelling and leadership is occurring.
Person Centred Planning
  • Facilitate and monitorperson centred plans (PCPs) and other plans (health-related, therapy, etc.) under the supervision of the Practice Manager and in conjunction with family members and support staff;
  • Communicate and distribute plans and revised plans according to procedure;
  • Ensure that agreed goals in the PCPs are implemented within agreed timeframes;
  • Ensure that the community home is organised in a way that facilitates person centred active support.
/ Person centred plans are completed for each person in the community homes in consultation with the range of stakeholders;
Plans are implemented monitored and reviewed as required;
Feedback from families indicate that plan is being followed as agreed;
Observations confirm participation of people in tasks undertaken by staff.
Communicate Effectively
  • Liaise regularly, effectively and respectfully with Practice Manager
  • Communicate regularly, effectively and respectfully with the people we support, families, staff and colleagues;
  • Support the rights of people with disabilities and their families;
  • Advocate on behalf of people with disabilities and their families.
/ Feedback from Practice Manager, families, staff and others indicate that communication is regular, effective and respectful.
Reporting and Documentation
  • Provide regular, detailed and accurate reports to the Practice Manager where required;
  • Ensure that outcomes from Team Meetings are documented and reported back to the Practice Manager;
  • Ensure that all documentation relating to the people we support and staff is accurately completed and filed;
  • Ensure that Petty Cash is spent and accounted for in accordance with procedures and that reimbursement claimsare completed and submitted regularly together with appropriate receipts.
/ Reports are lodged as per the schedule specified by the Practice Manager;
Documentation is completed in an accurate and timely manner.
Professional Development and Teamwork
  • Attend training sessions and be actively involved in training and development as required;
  • Attend team meetings and the annual conference as required;
  • Participate in and undertakeregular Support and Supervision and Performance Management reviews.
/ Attendance, participation and successful completion of training and team meetings as required;
Participate in support and supervision and annual reviews;
Conduct support and supervision as agreed with Practice Manager/
Adherence to Policies, Procedures and Work Instructions
  • Be involved in the review and development of policies and procedures as they apply to the people supported by Greystanes Community Living;
  • Take reasonable care for health and safety of self and others in the workplace;
  • Follow WHS Policies, Procedures and Work Instructions;
Promptly report all hazards, incidents and injuries to the immediate manager. / Demonstrates adherence to policies, procedures and guidelines at all times.
Demonstrates a commitment to upholding employee responsibilities of WHS Policy at all times.
General
  • Accept direction and supervision from the Practice Manager and the Manager and Deputy Manager of Greystanes Community Living;
  • Demonstrated capacity to work independently and as part of a team;
  • Administer first aid as required;
  • Adhere to the Code of Conduct and act in a professional and respectful manner at all times when dealing with the people we support, their families, service providers and staff of the organisation;
  • Participate in and contribute to quality improvement to meet service, accreditation and other standards.
/ Exhibits characteristics of reliability, punctuality and professionalism at all times;
Complies with the GDS Code of Conduct.
  • Employee Declaration

Agrees to notify Greystanes Disability Services immediately of any change in their capacity to meet the requirements outlined in this position description, such as any changes in:
  • Driver’s licence status
  • Police Check status
  • Working With Children Check
  • Capacity to fulfil inherent requirements of the role
  • Other employment commitments

PD CL- PL (09.16)