The Herbert Street Family Medical Centre is a private medical practice owned by the Girudala Community Co-Operative Society (www.girudala.com.au) which is a local indigenous community organisation that also runs a housing co-operative and many health, family support, and employment projects. The centre will run as a mixed fee for service and bulk billing practice with a focus on preventative health care and management of chronic illness. It has been operating from July 2010 and is open to the whole community.

Primary duties and responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive, safe, and effective evidence-based nursing care in accordance with legislation, standards, nursing profession’s codes of ethics and conduct, and common law to achieve individual and community health outcomes, within scope of practice.
• Implement effective and efficient systems to support the management of the health service including maintaining and calibrating equipment (e.g., Doctor’s bag and emergency trolley) and supplies (e.g., Immunization, pathology, and pharmaceuticals); and ensuring the professional handling of medical correspondence such as referral letters, pathology, and recalls.
• Collaborate with other members of the General Practice Team to deliver a high standard of coordinated patient care within a primary health care context that acknowledges the dignity, culture, values, beliefs, and rights of patients/groups.
• Assist with the management of relevant accreditation processes of the practice, such as RACGP ensuring the practice complies with all relevant clinical standards and policies and regulations and work with the Practice Manager to implement quality improvement processes to improve patient care outcomes.
• Effectively assist and manage the nursing care of patients/groups according to the documented care or treatment plans where appropriate and provide information on all relevant health issues to patients, other professionals.
• Provide leadership and supervision to Assistant Nurses, Health Workers, and students recognising the differences in accountability and responsibility between these positions.
• Participate in professional development to enhance nursing practice and contribute to the professional development of others within the health service.
• Assist in the preparation an annual Individual Work Plan and produce regular performance reports in accordance with the general practices’ performance management and reporting policies.
• Perform other duties associated with the position as directed by the Practice Manager.