Client service professions - roles and responsibilities
The professions involved in delivering client services to Novita clients include Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology, Psychology and Social Work. Professions share a similar structure, with similar responsibilities.
Roles and responsibilities
The Profession Leader is responsible for overseeing and maintaining high quality services for each discipline.
In addition to clinical work with children the duties of the Professional Leader include:
- making sure that a high quality, family-centred, community based therapy and family support service is provided within the organisation
- assisting in staff recruitment and allocation as required, with Service Area Managers
- providing advice on the allocation of therapy staff across services in consultation with the Director, Client Programs
- collaborating in the co-ordination of special duties for particular staff, for example, development of training and information materials, resource development and research
- collaborating with the Service Area Managers to develop individual Employee Development Programs for all discipline staff
- ensuring that profession staff are provided with appropriate professional development, training and support
- investigating information available on current best practice and evidence base for their profession
- collaborating with General Managers to ensure that staff have appropriate and sufficient resources to provide high quality services to clients
- representing their profession and client groups by taking part in Senior Management Committee meetings (e.g. service development, evaluation and research)
- liaising with professional training institutions, professional groups and associations
- being part of Novita sub-committees and working parties
- representing Novita Children's Services at organisational, disability, health and education sector levels
- assisting in the development and achievement of the professions’ Business Plan outcomes,
- contributing to organisational planning of client services.
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In addition to their work with children, the duties of the senior therapist include:
- providing support to the service provision team regarding clinical and professional matters based on the expertise of their discipline
- supporting therapists and assistants to develop individual Employee Development Programs
- representing identified therapy needs of clients and family support needs in the service areas
- advocating for staff to have access to resources and equipment required for high quality services
- contributing to discipline planning and leadership in meetings with the Professional Leader and other senior therapists from the discipline
- running service area professional therapy meetings with discipline staff as required
- supervising students who are training to become therapists, as required
- supporting research within Novita.
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Senior Therapists in Specialist Services have additional time allocated to provide a focus on specific areas of clinical service delivery for their respective profession.
In addition to their work with children, Senior Therapists, Specialist Services are responsible for:
- helping to develop professional therapy and family support services within the specialist service areas and working on special projects, such as developing training packages or resources for therapists or clients
- providing clinical support, in their area of specialisation, to staff across service areas through one-to-one support, group training and specialist clinics
- developing clinical training packages, procedures and clinical guidelines for therapy staff in conjunction with Professional Leaders
- contributing to state and national groups related to their areas of clinical specialty.
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Are responsible for:
- providing services to clients based on best practice principles
- providing specific training for parents, families, educational staff and carers on managing children with a disability or implementing strategies to allow children to participate or develop new skills
- attendance at service area and professional meetings
- participation in research activities as required
- clinical self-development and attendance at organisational and professional staff development sessions
- giving direction, training and support to assistant staff
- liaising with outside agencies regarding clients
- promoting awareness of disability in the broader community
- supervising students as required
- maintaining and developing their knowledge and skills in clinical competence in service provision.
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The responsibility of assistants is to support provision of therapy-related services to clients by:
- preparation of materials, and maintenance of resources and work areas
- provision of therapy programmes to clients under the supervision of a qualified therapist
- attendance at staff development and training sessions established for assistants
- participation in service area and professional therapy meetings
- assistance with planning, preparation and running of therapy groups
- general administrative duties, as required, for each profession.