Consultant, Alcohol and Other Drugs

The Hospital:

The Royal Children’s Hospital’s (RCH) Vision is “A world where all kids thrive”.

RCH is a cornerstone member of the Melbourne Children’s Campus, partnering with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics and The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

RCH has cared for the children and young people of Victoria for more than 150 years since it was founded in 1870. A full range of paediatrics and adolescent health services are provided plus tertiary and quaternary care for the most critically ill and medically complex patients in Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW and other states around Australia and overseas. The Hospital has more than 6,000 staff, a budget of $850M, 12 wards and 350 beds. Annually, the RCH has 300,000+ Specialist Clinic appointments, 90,000+ Emergency Department presentations and 20,000 elective surgeries.

The RCH is committed to the Child Safe Standards. 

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact.

For further Information on RCH is available here.

About the Role:

This is a fixed term position at 28 hours (0.4 FTE) per fortnight for 2 years within the Mental Health Department, based in the RCH Hospital Campus.

You Will be Responsible For:

• Provide AOD assessment, evidence-based treatment and harm minimization interventions to young people with substance use issues and complex physical, mental health and social needs who meet intake criteria for inpatient, community and consultation-liaison mental health.
• Provide short-term outpatient follow-up for young people seen as an inpatient, to facilitate appropriate ongoing care and ensure transition and connection to community supports.
• Provide secondary consultations to RCH and RCH Mental Health staff in the management of children and young people with an AOD problem, parents with an AOD problem of children and young people receiving a service from RCH and RCH Mental Health.
• Undertake collaborative care planning, as the AOD specialist, in multidisciplinary care teams, within RCH and with community health partners.
• Identify additional support needs and facilitate referral into additional AOD services where appropriate.
• Provide paediatric AOD specific health education for the professional development of RCH staff and other health professionals, including the development of educational and clinical resources, such as clinical practice guidelines.

What You’ll Achieve:

• Provide secondary consultation, case support and participate in care team meetings and case planning with RCH departments in relation to children and young people with significant substance use issues, advice and consultation in supporting parents with an AOD problem of children and young people receiving care from RCH and RCH Mental Health
• Provide direct assessment and intervention services to children and young people and their families including AOD-specific input into individual treatment plans, including crisis management plans, where indicated
• Refer and facilitate entry into specific drug and alcohol inpatient or outpatient community-based services as appropriate
• Triage referrals or secondary consultation requests received from RCH departments, to determine need for AOD-specific consultation
• Maintain a collaborative relationship, with bidirectional communication, with the RCH Mental health inpatient and community teams, the RCH Emergency Department and the Department of Adolescent Medicine, other RCH Medical Departments to ensure patients with AOD-specific needs are being met, and resources are being allocated appropriately
• Provide AOD education and supervised training to RCH Mental Health colleagues including RACP and RANZCP trainees, other professionals at the RCH and appropriate external stakeholders
• Provide AOD specific education to young people and their caregivers accessing AOD care at the RCH

Your Skills and Experience:

Essential

• Registration as medical practitioner and Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College Physicians or Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists or equivalent qualification
• Demonstrated experience in AOD treatment (assessment, counselling, and outreach) with children, young people and families from diverse backgrounds and with complex issues and histories.
• Comprehensive knowledge of practice in AOD work and of protective issues, effects of substance abuse, homelessness, trauma, disability and the implications for the emotional and behavioural development of young people.
• Demonstrated experience in working with children, young people, and families who have complex needs and statutory services involved.

Desirable            

• Training in Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, and/or Paediatrics and Child Health or Child and adolescent psychiatry
• An understanding of the Child, Youth and Families Act 2005 and the Family Violence Protection Act 2008.
• An understanding of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022

To view the position description, click here.

About the Department:

RCH Mental Health is a Level 5 tertiary Infant, Child and Family Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Service and comprises community and hospital-based services.  This includes an Intake and Assessment Team based at Parkville and three multidisciplinary community-based teams located at Travancore, St Albans and Hoppers Crossing and Brimbank-Melton Local.  The Community teams are led by a partnership between a Team Coordinator and a Consultant Psychiatrist, with the Team Coordinator responsible for the operational functioning of the team, and the Consultant Psychiatrist accountable for driving high quality clinical care across the Team. RCH Mental Health is currently undergoing an exciting transformation and expansion as we implement the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. The transformation will allow RCH Mental Health to help more infants and children and their families and implement contemporary models of care that best meet the needs of the families we serve and support them to use their collective strengths for recovery and hope.

What We Offer:

• Salary Packaging – Increase your take home pay!
• Professional development and special events
• Culture of continuous improvement

Other Requirements:

• Current National Criminal Record Check, or willing to obtain
• Valid Working with Children Check
• Current NDIS Worker Screening Check, or willing to obtain
• Compliance with RCHs “Staff Immunisation - Prevention of Vaccine Preventable Diseases” procedure

Application Process

To apply, you will need a resume and a tailored cover letter outlining your skills, experience, and suitability for the position in line with the requirements of the position description.

Shortlisting for this position will commence immediately, we encourage you to apply promptly!

For more information about this position please contact Dr Chidambaram Prakash Director Mental Health on (03) 9345 5505 or chidambaram.prakash@rch.org.au

Why work at the RCH?

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact. We offer the opportunity to work in world-class facilities, surrounded by Royal Park and only a short tram trip from the heart of Melbourne city.

We also offer discounted staff parking, salary packaging, and an award-winning health and wellbeing program.

The RCH is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse background, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with disability.

It is a requirement of your employment that you be vaccinated against Influenza annually for Category A and B roles, in compliance with any public health orders in place at the relevant time, unless you have a medical exception in line with those public health orders, which has been accepted by The Royal Children’s Hospital.  Applicants will be required to provide their Australian Government Immunisation History Statement, it is a requirement of the RCH to collect, record and hold vaccination information.

It is also a requirement of your employment that you comply with any direction given by The Royal Children’s Hospital that you be vaccinated against, or prove immunity to, any other disease, unless you have a relevant exemption

Are you ready to join our team? 

 Apply online by clicking on the “Apply” button

Applications close: 2 September 2025