MEDICAL OFFICER – PALLIATIVE CARE

Permanent Position

Minimum 3 days per week, with hours negotiable

We have an exciting opportunity for a registered doctor with a special interest in palliative care to join our dynamic team at Hospice Whanganui.  This position would suit a Medical Officer, Registrar, or General Practitioner with an interest in palliative care, or a doctor with experience in the field of palliative care.

What we offer:

• A competitive remuneration package.
• A well-supported team environment.
• Mon-Fri, 8am to 4pm rostered shifts, with only occasional ‘on-call’ and after-hour work.
• Paid time off for professional development.
• Flexibility around full or part-time hours and rostered days, wherever possible.

About our Town

Whanganui is a super groovy, coastal town of around 50,000 people built on the banks of the Whanganui river.  As one of New Zealand’s oldest settlements, it has a rich history, a vibrant arts and music scene, excellent schools, and it’s a great base from which to enjoy all the many outdoor and recreation facilities that the Central Plateau and lower north island offers. It is also spoilt with a great micro-climate that makes for a very pleasant mild climate through the year.

About our Organisation

We are an engaging and vibrant group of people who are passionate about providing exceptional palliative care to all people in our community. We believe that everyone should have equal access to specialist palliative care in the place they choose to be.  This means that, while we have a small in-patient facility, most of our services are provided in the community in patients’ homes and in partnership with their whānau (families). 

Our philosophy is to work in a truly holistic and integrated way to meet the total needs of our patients and their whānau and to support them to live the best life they can with the time they have left.

Our team consists of medical officers, nurse practitioner, registered nurses, social work/whānau support staff, health care assistants, and clinical support staff who work closely together and respect each other’s input equally .

We also work side by side with many other providers across our community, including General Practice teams, Māori health providers, home-care providers, residential aged care facilities, St John’s ambulance, and the hospital-based teams.   

About the Role

This role would suit a general doctor who may have a special interest in palliative care, or an existing palliative care doctor.

The candidate will receive full support and training from a specialist palliative consultant and will undergo a thorough orientation programme.

The ideal candidate will share a philosophy of care that empowers patients to be in control of their own wellbeing and providing care in patients’ chosen place of residence.  For most of the time, this leads to providing care in patients’ own homes in the community.  At other times, this may include a hospital setting, an in-patient facility, or a residential care facility.

The successful candidate will also have opportunities to provide mentoring and training to internal staff as well as external health providers within the community where required.

Here at Hospice, we do our best to ensure a well-balanced, well-managed workload and you will be joining a dynamic, innovative and highly responsive team, focused on providing the best care to our patients and whānau.

To discuss the position, or for a copy of the JD, please contact davenev@hospicewhanganui.org.nz.  Or to apply for the position, please send your cover letter and CV to the same email address. 

To apply for this position, applicants must be a NZ Citizen or have Permanent Residency, or meet the criteria to legally live and work in New Zealand. We are committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and welcome candidates who represent the diversity of our community. 

Download the Job Description below –