Senior Medical Officer at Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections), Multiple Locations

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Exciting positions for Senior Medical Officers
• Positions based in North and South Islands
• Work with our Chief Medical Officer and health team to shape the future of prison health services to achieve Māori health gain across Ara Poutama Aotearoa
• Part or full-time positions - hours to be negotiated

'Kotahi anō te kaupapa, ko te oranga o te iwi' – ‘There is only one purpose to our work:  the wellness and wellbeing of our people'.

Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections) Health Services lead the delivery of patient-focused primary health care services to tangata within corrections facilities across Aotearoa.  Hōkai Rangi, our over-arching strategic direction, places the focus on health at the heart of our business.  Building our frameworks from a Matauranga Māori basis is our focus to drive and support equity for Māori, which in turn will contribute to achieving our outcomes of reducing reoffending. This places the work of the Health Team at Ara Poutama Aotearoa at the heart of our business

Mō te tūnga | About the role

The Senior Medical Officer will work mainly regionally but with some national responsibilities. The role is split between frontline clinical work within a prison health centre as part of the primary care team and non-clinical work supporting The Chief Medical Officer and the Regional Operations Directors Health on service development, quality improvement and quality assurance activities. The Department's focus is to provide excellent prison-based health care, achieve equity for Māori and Māori heath gain alongside quality improvement and assurance of the primary care service. The Chief Medical Officer provides direct professional and management support. The Regional Operations Director Health leads the regional health service delivery and is responsible for regional planning and operations and will therefore also provide the operational management and support to the role. The Health Centre Manager will support day to day on site activities.

This is an exciting opportunity to join Ara Poutama Aotearoa in a pivot role.  If successful, you will be joining high performing Health Services teams who are committed to developing and embedding a Kaupapa Māori based model of care into the heart of Health Services. 

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

We invite applications from experienced General Practitioners (preferably vocationally registered) who has in interest in prison medicine and in advancing health equity for Maori and can evidence the following skills and expertise:

• You will be an experienced general practitioner practicing to the highest of standards.
• Knowledge of Te Tiriti O Waitangi and an understanding of current inequities faced by Māori and a commitment to Māori health gain is essential
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Proven experience of commitment to innovation, quality improvement, safety and positive experiences within health care for patients
• Demonstrated understanding of a whole of system approach to improving Health for the wider community
• Clinical leadership experience preferred.
• An understanding of the multi-disciplinary team needed to deliver effective primary care

Interested but want more information before applying, contact Dr Werner Pohl, Acting Chief Medical Officer, werner.pohl@corrections.govt.nz for an informal korero. 

To be eligible for this role you must have the right to work in New Zealand, have a relevant medical qualification and registered (or eligible) with Medical Council of New Zealand.  Also hold a current driver's licence and can travel regularly within the region.

Mō mātou | About us

Ara Poutama Aotearoa is a name that has been gifted to us and is our commitment to improving the oranga and safety of the people, whānau, and that of the communities we serve across the motu. 

As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship) and whānau (relationships) to shape how we work and deliver the outcomes in our strategy - Hōkai Rangi (https://arapoutama.nz/hokairangi).

Tono ināianei | Apply Now

To apply, please submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for joining the department highlighting relevant skills and experience. Alignment to our kaupapa is critical to our success - we ask that you provide examples which reflect and demonstrate our organisation values.  Applications close 13 March 2023. Applications received earlier will be considered.

It is an exciting time to join us, and we continue to seek out talented individuals who are committed to an inclusive, vibrant workplace. We recognise and celebrate the uniqueness of individuals, and that of the collective talent in our whānau.  All applications must be submitted through our careers site to ensure transparency. Applications received via email will not be considered. 

If you want to find out more about a career with us, visit careers.corrections.govt.nz or email quentin.campbell@corrections.govt.nz