My client applied for the role of Chief Advisor, Psychological Health in State (QLD) Government and progressed to the interview stage. The application involved addressing five selection criteria in two pages in cover letter format. One of the criteria is showcased.
Demonstrates expert knowledge.
The QLD Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (The Act) is the main legislation that guides me and my current organisation to comply and manage mental health within the workplace. I identified a high level of absenteeism and reported stress levels from frontline administration staff within the organisation. This needed to be promptly addressed – which I was tasked with managing – to ensure proper management of the identified psychological hazards and risks. This involved liaising extensively with various key administrative and clinical staff across the service delivery area and conducting an assessment of what had been previously attempted and limitations that posed a challenge to staff utilising current support strategies; for example, uptake of EAP. Integrating this feedback, I then developed a report outlining multiple solutions and alternatives and presented this to the organisation’s clinical governance committee. I examined and applied Schedule 3 section 5 (a) page 247 of The Act. Further evidence of best practice was used to identify and mitigate – as they could not be removed – the risk of the key stressors related to the core function of the role in working daily with mental health clients. As a result, key recommendations were accepted. I then managed the project involving the development of mental health awareness training material and instructed clinical management staff to deliver the program. Reporting and feedback by team leaders over the month following the intervention revealed the training implemented across five locations resulted in a 5% reduction in staff absenteeism and an increase in presentism (measured by increased efficiencies in task completion), and staff were more competent in managing daily working stressors involving clientele who presented with low to highly complex mental health conditions.
I’m here to help market you!
Annie Cerone
