HEALTH AND COMMUNITY EMPLOYEES PSYCHOLOGISTS (STATE) AWARD

 

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMISSION OF NEW SOUTH WALES

 

Application by Health Services Union, industrial organisation of employees.

 

(No. IRC 6405 of 2005)

 

 

AWARD

 

Arrangement

 

Clause No.         Subject Matter

 

5.         Area, Incidence and Duration

2.         Classifications

3.         Conditions of Service

1.         Definitions

4.         No Extra Claims

 

PART B

 

Table 1 - Salary Rates

 

1.  Definitions

 

"Union" means the Health Services Union.

 

"Corporation" means the Health Administration Corporation of New South Wales.

 

"Employer" means the Health Administration Corporation of New South Wales, Health Service or Hospital.

 

"Employee" means a person employed in the New South Wales Health Service, as defined in S.16 of the Health Services Act 1997.

 

"Psychologist in Training" means an employee with a four year degree in psychology, being a three year degree with a fourth year honours in psychology; or who has qualifications deemed equivalent by the Health Administration Corporation of New South Wales, and who is eligible for conditional registration with the NSW Psychologists Registration Board.  Such employees will be provided with appropriate supervision to enable the employee to attain registration with the NSW Psychologists Registration Board as a Psychologist. 

 

2.  Classifications

 

"Psychologist"

 

(i)         Characteristics and General Features of Duties

 

Graduate psychologists are trained in the independent application of existing treatment techniques and assessment procedures; psychometric testing (eg intelligence, personality, vocational); psychological counselling; and the formulation/ provision of psychological reports. The focus on the "Psychologist" and "Senior Psychologist" stream in the classification structure is a concern with assessment and intervention/treatment for a range of behavioural and emotional disorders.

 

Duties for Psychologists (with three or more years post-registration experience) may include supervision of Psychologists for registration purposes.

 

(ii)        Academic and Registration Requirements

 

An employee with a four year degree in psychology, being a three year degree with a fourth year honours in psychology; or who has qualifications deemed equivalent by the Health Administration Corporation of New South Wales, and who is eligible for conditional registration as a psychologist-in-training with the NSW Psychologists Registration Board.

 

A psychologist-in-training shall commence at year 1 of the scale for Psychologist.

 

Provided that where a psychologist has already met the criteria for full registration, and is registered in accordance with the Psychologists Act 2001, they shall commence at year 3 of the scale for Psychologist.

 

Provided further that until such time as a psychologist has met the criteria for full registration and is registered in accordance with the Psychologists Act 2001, the employee shall not progress past the salary rate applying for Psychologist 2nd year of service.

 

"Senior Psychologist"

 

(i)         Characteristics and General Features of Duties

 

Employees at this classification possess a high degree of experience as a Psychologist, with breadth and depth of experience in psychological methods and the provision of psychological services.  The Senior Psychologist is able to provide a psychology service with the attribute of initiative, and to exercise independent judgment. 

 

The general duties are as detailed for Psychologist, and in addition:

 

(a)        clinical supervision of Psychologists;

 

(b)        provision of psychological assessment and interventions involving adaptive utilisation of psychological principles and methods, including evaluation where appropriate;  

 

(c)        administrative duties, including but not limited to:

 

(1)        coordination of clinical activities of a service; and

 

(2)        significant involvement in service planning and policy.

 

(ii)        Academic and Registration Requirements

 

An employee with a four year degree in psychology, being a three year degree with a fourth year honours in psychology; or who has qualifications deemed equivalent by the Health Administration Corporation of New South Wales, and who is registered as a psychologist with the NSW Psychologists Registration Board.

 

Employees appointed at the Senior Psychologist level shall satisfy the criteria for the Psychologist classification, and have completed a minimum of one year at the 9th year of service and thereafter point on the salary scale for Psychologist.   Employees appointed to this classification shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Health Service by their work performed and the results achieved, together with their aptitude, abilities and other attributes, that appointment at this level is warranted on merit.

 

Provided that, in the case of employees in receipt of either of the two allowances payable to a Psychologist demonstrating satisfaction of the specified conditions after completing 12 months service at the salary prescribed for the maximum of that scale, and after 12 months in receipt of such first allowance as at 29 November 2001, (being date of Decision in Matter No IRC 3376 of 1998) such employees shall be translated across to the first or second year of service salary point for Senior Psychologist (as applicable), and classified as such.

 

"Clinical Psychologist"

 

(i)         Characteristics and General Features of Duties

 

The focus of the clinical psychologist is towards mental and other health disorders in a clinical setting.  In discharging the functions of this classification, the Clinical Psychologist exercises independent judgment concerning the selection and application of principles, methods and techniques of psychological assessment and/ or treatment.

 

A Clinical Psychologist shall be capable of undertaking all activities performed by psychologists, detailed for the classifications of "Psychologist" and "Senior Psychologist" as described above, together with activities that require specialist psychological interventions involving the adaptive utilisation of psychological knowledge and principles in the assessment and treatment of a range of health disorders.

 

The appropriate discharge of duties and demonstration of competence at this level is in consequence of an understanding of theories and techniques which enable the employee to supervise psychologists; assess and diagnose psychological problems and disorders; and design and implement appropriate psychological procedures.

 

Subject to satisfactory performance, Psychologists who meet the academic requirements outlined below shall be reclassified as Clinical Psychologist.

 

(ii)        Academic and Registration Requirements

 

A psychologist with a post-graduate degree at the masters level or higher in a specialist clinical area in psychology (Clinical Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology or such other speciality in psychology that the Health Service deems relevant to the functions of the position), that is of no less than two years full time duration or its equivalent.

 

Employees with a three year Clinical Doctorate (or equivalent) or a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) shall enter the classification at year 2 of the scale. 

 

Employees entering this classification from the classifications of Psychologist or Senior Psychologist shall enter at the salary point for this classification that is above the salary point previously applying as Psychologist or Senior Psychologist.

 

"Senior Clinical Psychologist"

 

(i)         Characteristics and General Features of Duties

 

A Clinical Psychologist may, after not less than the completion of 12 months service at the 5th year of service and thereafter rate, make written application to their Health Service for progression to the classification of Senior Clinical Psychologist. The application shall comprehend, but not be limited to detailing current direct treatment responsibilities and duties discharged; together with provision of treatment consultation, supervision and training; and relevant documentary support material.   

 

The relevant Health Service may also establish such positions of Senior Clinical Psychologist that it deems appropriate, from time to time.

 

Employees that are successful in their application for progression to Senior Clinical Psychologist shall commence on the 1st year of service rate for the classification.

 

Employees classified as Senior Clinical Psychologist shall discharge the clinical duties as described for Clinical Psychologist above, and in addition, two or more of the following: 

 

(a)        Administrative duties, which may include:

 

(1)        responsibility for overall service planning and policy;

 

(2)        other supra-clinical duties involving responsibility for service provision; and

 

(3)        responsibility for professional functioning of Psychologists and Clinical Psychologists;

 

(b)        Consultation, involving

 

(1)        the provision of consultation with other psychologists or with other professional bodies and organisations (e.g. other government agencies) regarding psychological services and/ or development of policies and procedures in areas requiring specialist psychological knowledge; and

 

(2)        developing protocols for individual and group treatment programs and making available to other health professionals.  Developing assessment procedures for clinical decision making;

 

(c)        Research and Evaluation, involving

 

(1)        research, where the psychologist has taken responsibility as principal researcher for the design, implementation and reporting of psychological research; and

 

(2)        evaluation, where the psychologist makes a major contribution to setting up evaluation systems for programs and services and major quality improvement projects;

 

(d)        Clinical expertise, requiring

 

(1)        higher level knowledge and experience in a specific area e.g. tertiary referral service, manifest in the level of competence, initiative, innovation, responsibility and professional recognition of the employee; and

 

(2)        developing and extending applications of assessment and treatment methods;

 

(e)        Training, involving

 

(1)        the training of psychologists or other health professionals in a range of areas, that may include specialist psychological skills;

 

(2)        contributing to training for supervisors of psychological services; and

 

(3)        developing and implementing training programs

 

"Principal Clinical Psychologist"

 

(i)         Characteristics and General Features of Duties

 

Appointment to this classification shall be through competitive selection and assessment on the basis of merit to fill an advertised vacancy; personal progression of an employee is not available for appointment to this level.

 

It is envisaged appointments to this level would be made from Senior Clinical Psychologists that have substantial knowledge, skills and experience at that level; be able to demonstrate significant expertise in the delivery of psychological services; and is a recognised leader in their clinical field and has contributed to the body of psychological knowledge, and/ or the development and education of psychologists within the field.

 

Clinical and other duties shall be as detailed above for Senior Clinical Psychologist, and in addition one or more of the following:

 

(a)        Administrative and Policy duties, which may include:

 

(1)        providing advice to Health Services and/or liaising between different Health Services on the development and provision of psychological services;

 

(2)        acting as a Senior Consultant for government or other agencies; and

 

(3)        providing policy advice on human and psychological services at Ministerial level;

 

(b)        Psychological Research of a significant nature and demonstrating ongoing involvement, which may include:

 

(1)        a significant number of research publications with the Principal Clinical Psychologist as primary author, and which have been published in respected peer reviewed journals.  It would be expected that a significant proportion of these publications had been achieved since attaining specialist qualifications; and

 

(2)        presentation of papers, which may include psychological research or issues of clinical development, at major professional conferences and seminars;

 

(c)        Teaching duties of a significant nature, which may include:

 

(1)        having a university appointment that includes active involvement in the teaching of psychology at the postgraduate level, and may also include teaching of undergraduates; and

 

(2)        teaching specialised clinical skills to other psychologists and/ or students;

 

(d)        Advisory, with the Principal Clinical Psychologist:

 

(1)        operating in a senior advisory role to the Health Service and developing systems to ensure a high level of professional functioning of psychologists in that Health Service, such as organising regular continued professional development for Psychologists, maintaining and enhancing professional ethics and conduct, supporting NSW Health Department objectives via evidence based methods and evaluation; and

 

(2)        teaching specialised clinical skills to other psychologists and/ or students;

 

3.  Conditions of Service

 

The Public Hospital (Professional and Associated Staff) Conditions of Employment (State) Award, as varied from time to time, shall apply to all persons covered by this award.

 

In addition, the Health Industry Status of Employment (State) Award, shall also apply to all relevant employees.

 

4.  No Extra Claims

 

The Memorandum of Understanding between the Health Administration Corporation and the Union dated 24 December 2004 establishes the extent of any further claims that may be pursued by the Union as set down in Clause 5, Allowable and No Extra Claims, of that Memorandum.

 

5.  Area, Incidence and Duration

 

(i)         This Award rescinds and replaces the Health and Community Employees Psychologists (State) Award published 10 May 2002 (333 I.G. 374) and all variations thereof.

 

(ii)        This Award shall apply to persons employed in classifications contained herein employed in or in connection with the New South Wales Health Service as defined in section 16 of the Health Services Act 1997, or their successors, assignees or transmittees, excluding the County of Yancowinna.

 

(iii)       This Award takes effect from 1 July 2005, and shall remain in force until 30 June 2008.

 

PART B

 

Table 1 - Salary Rates

 

 

 

 

R. P. BOLAND  J.

 

 

 

____________________

 

 

Printed by the authority of the Industrial Registrar.