Nganampa Health Council is looking for a health promotion officer to work across the APY Lands of South Australia. This is a diverse and fulfilling role, making a difference in the lives of Aboriginal people.
Expressions of Interest and enquiries: contact Tess Ivanhoe Chronic Disease Coordinator. Ph: 0428 434 172 Email: terrie.ivanhoe@palya.org.au
Position Purpose
To work collaboratively within Nganampa Health Council’s Chronic Disease Team and with external service providers to design, deliver, and evaluate culturally safe health education programs and quality health promotion activities in a coordinated manner on the APY Lands. The role focuses on preventing Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) and Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) across the APY Lands, working closely with community members, elders, and clinicians to raise awareness about Strep A infections, environmental health, and the importance of secondary prophylaxis (penicillin injections).
Responsibilities:
Community Education & Engagement
- Deliver culturally appropriate health education sessions in schools, community spaces, and clinics to promote RHD awareness.
- Develop and adapt visual and linguistic resources that simplify complex clinical concepts into plain language.
- Support health promotion messaging via social media.
- Promote environmental health strategies, healthy housing, and hygiene practices that minimise the spread of Strep A bacteria.
Patient & Family Support
- Provide targeted literacy support to RHD-positive patients and families regarding medication adherence and regular medical follow-ups.
- Collaborate with clinic staff to follow up patients needing secondary prophylaxis.
Stakeholder Collaboration & Systems
- Build strong networks with local schools, youth groups and other external providers to deliver health promotion activities.
- Maintain accurate data of health promotion activities to contribute to required reporting.
- Maintain effective communication with the Chronic Disease Coordinator and RHD Coordinator.
- Work within NHC OH&S guidelines.
- Other duties as directed.
Relevance to Strategic Plan
- Sustain best practice clinical and health promotion and population health services.
- Sustain and further develop effective program responses to the prevention of Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) and Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD).
- Strengthen community-led health promotion and health education across the APY Lands.
- Help to maintain a comprehensive integrated electronic Clinical Information System.
- Support introduction, where appropriate, of new medical technologies and e-health solutions.
- Continue to use health information to plan and evaluate programs and to report to funding partners.
- Contribute to maintaining accreditation.
Personal Leadership
- Contribute to the success of the team by working collaboratively with internal stakeholders to achieve desired results
- Act ethically and with integrity
- Actively build positive intercultural relationships
- Adapt and respond to change
Corporate Responsibility
- Understand and comply with legal obligations, company policies and procedures
- Continuously look for opportunities for process improvement
- Understand the importance of NHC’s purpose and the context in which NHC operates
- Identify risks and issues and take action to address them
- Work within approved delegations for decision making
Skills, knowledge and experience
Essential
- Tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline, being either: a Registered Nurse with current Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registration; or a degree in health promotion, public health, health science or a related allied health discipline (an allied health professional requiring registration must hold current AHPRA registration).
- Deep understanding of the historical and contemporary issues affecting Aboriginal communities, with an ability to communicate respectfully following local protocols.
- Demonstrated knowledge of Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) and Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) prevention, transmission, and management.
- Excellent verbal, written, and cross-cultural communication skills, including experience facilitating workshops or public sessions.
- Motivation to provide quality care to Aboriginal people with an understanding of the issues and barriers that impact on health outcomes.
- Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team.
- Demonstrated critical thinking and analytic skills.
- Ability to work within a culturally diverse environment under Aboriginal management.
- Good organisational and analytical skills with attention to detail.
- Ability to be adaptable and flexible.
- High level computer literacy and familiarity with, or ability to readily attain familiarity with, database maintenance.
- Commitment to ongoing participation in education and professional development.
- Ability to obtain or provide a National Police Clearance, Working with Children’s Check.
Desirable
- Prior experience working within an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO).
- Experience using patient information systems or state/territory RHD registries.
- Experience designing and delivering health promotion or health education programs.
- Postgraduate degree in a relevant field or working towards same.
- Previous experience working in remote Aboriginal communities, or another similar context.
Special conditions
- This is a part-time position equivalent to approximately 0.5 FTE hours per annum.
- Ability to travel across the APY Lands will be required. Visits to all clinics will be required throughout each year. This will involve travelling by 4WD vehicle between communities.
- A “C” class manual licence is essential.
- It is expected that 20 weeks per annum will be spent on the APY Lands, and with the remaining hours (approximately 6 weeks) worked from home (remotely).
- Some out-of-hours work may be required when travelling and working on the APY Lands. An allowance will be provided as per contract and the Enterprise Agreement.
- A six-month probation period exists for all new appointments. A review and assessment of suitability for continuing employment is conducted at that time.
- Rostering – Due to the operational requirements of remote service delivery, the Employee will be rostered to work periods on the APY Lands as reasonably required by NHC and in accordance with operational needs. Roster arrangements are intended to minimise travel and support continuity of service delivery. Unless otherwise agreed by the Employer and Employee, roster periods on the APY Lands will be a minimum of five (5) consecutive weeks in duration. The sequencing and duration of roster periods may vary from time to time, having regard to service delivery requirements, operational needs, workforce sustainability and employee wellbeing.
