Employment
Opportunities
Overview
The Board values a diverse workforce and is an equal opportunity employer.
Recruitment, selection and appointment policies ensure that selection
to all positions at the Board is through fair and open competition based
on principles of merit.
Positions at the Board can be divided into two general categories:
Part-time
Members
Administrative
Staff
Appointment of Part-time Members
The Board has three types of
members: Legal, Psychiatrist and Community. The President and members
of the Board are appointed by the Governor in Council. The President is
appointed by Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister
for Health and holds the full-time office for five years.
Part-time members of the Board are appointed for up to five years. Members
are eligible for re-appointment. All work is on a sessional basis.
Applications
Guidelines and information for applicants
for appointment to the Board are detailed in the MHRB
Appointment Guidelines (doc154kb)
Applications for appointment as a Board member should include all the
following documents. The checklist
(doc 48kb) provides guidance and assistance with the required completion
of all documents:
Cover
Letter
(pdf 28kb)
Application Form for Appointment (doc 87kb)
Curriculum
Vitae Summary Form (doc 54 kb)
Appointee's Declaration of Private Interests (63 kb)
Consent
for Police Check (pdf 137kb)
Consent
for Release of National Criminal History Record and Proof of Identity
(pdf 94kb)
Public
Sector Employee Declaration Form (doc
27kb)
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Frequently Asked
Questions
The following information relates to frequently asked questions by persons
interested in applying for appointment to the Board.
What is a "Normal"
Day?
Firstly, a "normal" day involves travelling to a mental health
service where the hearings will be conducted. Depending on a member’s
residence, this can be a lengthy journey.
Hearings are usually scheduled to commence at either 9.30 am or 10.00
am., with members expected to attend 30 minutes in advance. On some occasions,
hearings commence earlier if there is a special need. The number of patients
who have a hearing listed for the day is difficult to predict. Finishing
times are variable. Members are asked not to make any commitments for
the afternoon of a hearing day that would make them unable to complete
all the hearings.
In addition to the attendance at the mental health service, there is occasionally
work to be done in relation to statements of reasons.
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What is a Statement of Reasons?
A party to a hearing may request a written statement of reasons. The request
must be made in writing within 28 days of the Board's decision. In addition,
a very small number of the Board's decisions are received in the Victorian
Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which requires the preparation of a
written statement of reasons.
The accepted practice is for the presiding member (that is, in a three
person division, the legal member) to be responsible for drafting the
statement. The other two members are then forwarded the draft to either
approve or suggest amendments. In the case of a single member division,
that member is responsible for writing the statement of reasons.
The work involved in producing a statement of reasons may take more time
than the equivalent of the remainder of the sitting day. Balanced against
this are the days on which the hearings do not take a full day. For this
reason normally no additional fee is payable for producing a statement
of reasons.
The Act requires a statement of reasons to be given within 14 days of
receipt of a written request. The author is therefore expected to produce
a draft within 4 days. The remaining members will be sent the draft for
comment and approval. They are required to do this within two days.
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How are Divisions of the Board
Selected?
Divisions of the Board are required to sit at a number of locations throughout
metropolitan Melbourne and country Victoria. Members of the division are
selected by the President and Executive Officer who are directed by clause
13 of Schedule 2 of the Act to have regard to:
The desirability of constituting
divisions of both males and females and of different age groups;
The nature of the matter to
be considered by that division; and
The need for the members of
that division to have appropriate knowledge and experience.
A division of the Board consisting of only one member may deal with annual
reviews or reviews of extensions of community treatment orders, which
therefore involve patients who have previously been seen by a three member
division of the Board.
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How are the Hearings Conducted?
The Board, which is required to act according to equity and good conscience
without regard to technicalities or legal forms, is bound by the rules
of natural justice. Hearings are conducted in an informal manner and are
closed to the public to protect the patients' privacy. A patient has the
right to be represented before the Board by a lawyer or any other person.
What is the Remuneration?
Remuneration of members is fixed by the Governor in Council. A 9% superannuation
guarantee payment is paid by the Victorian State Government. The Commonwealth
legislation that requires payment of the superannuation guarantee provides
that it is not payable to persons who are aged 70 or over.
Members may be reimbursed some costs for using their own car in travelling
to and from the hearing location. This is subject to approval by the President.
Members are encouraged to use the cars that the Board has available for
their travel to hearings or where possible to share transport. Other out
of pocket travel expenses such as bus, tram or train fares may be reimbursed.
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What About Induction Training?
A comprehensive set of materials and a Members' Manual are provided to
new members as part of their induction to the Board. Meetings of members
are also held for the purpose of on-going education and training and to
discuss any current operational issues. A full-day annual meeting is held
in the third quarter and two or three half day meetings are also held.
Members are paid a half day fee for the latter and a normal day's fee
for the annual meeting. Members are expected to attend these meetings.
How Frequently do you sit on
the Board?
The frequency with which members sit varies according to their availability
and the needs of the Board. It is stressed that all part-time members
are, in effect, casual employees and are not guaranteed any regular nor
minimum number of sittings.
As a general rule, it is expected that members will be available at least
once a fortnight. Members wishing to sit more frequently will be listed
more frequently wherever possible. The Board's capacity to do this depends
on the demand for hearings and the level of availability of the remaining
members in the same membership category. Where the overall level of availability
of members exceeds the Board's requirements the Board seeks to distribute
the available work equitably.
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How are Sitting Rosters Prepared?
A sitting roster for members is arranged for a six month period commencing
on 1 July and 1 January. Some eight weeks before the period commences
members are asked about their availability so that a roster can be prepared.
Members are required to indicate the number of days that they are available,
the days of the week they are available and any other preferences (eg.
as to location of sittings or inability to sit at a particular location
due to past or present professional connections). After preparation of
the roster members know of their proposed sittings for a six month period
in advance. Naturally, if members find that unforseen and unavoidable
matters arise that prevent them from sitting they can notify the Board
so that a substitute member can be arranged for that sitting. It also
happens that from time to time proposed sittings are cancelled. While
as much notice as possible is given of cancellations, no fee is payable
for cancelled sittings.
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Employment Opportunities for
Administrative Staff
Staff of the Board - Overview
The Board’s nine administrative
staff are divided into three units:
Hearings Management Unit;
Corporate Services Unit; and
the
Executive Services Unit.
Staff of the Board are:
Executive Officer
The Executive Officer has, subject to the President, overall responsibility
for the management and administration of the Board.
Hearings Management
Unit
Hearings Co-ordinator
The Hearings Co-ordinator is the team leader of the Hearings Management
Unit and is responsible for listing all hearings and managing the documentation
associated with the hearings.
Hearings Officers
The Hearings Officers attend to a variety of administrative tasks related
to the scheduling and organisation of hearings.
Corporate Services Unit
Finance and Human Resources
Officer
Maintains the Board's financial records and attends to all personnel
administration responsibilities.
Corporate Services Coordinator
Responsible for managing the Board's computer network and providing
the Executive Officer with strategic information technology advice.
Corporate Services Officer
Responsible for assisting the
Executive Officer to produce correspondence for hearings, receptionist
duties and statistical data input into the Board's computerised case management
system.
Executive Services Unit
Legal Officer
Assists the President, Executive
Officer and members with the provision of legal research and the management
of the production of statements of reasons.
Executive Assistant
Provides executive, administrative
and keyboard support to the President, Executive Officer and staff of
the Board.
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How to Apply for Administrative
Positions
Advertisements
Advertisements appear in the
Saturday edition of The Age and the Victorian Public Service Notices as
required. careers@vic.gov.au.
Please note that only resumes/applications
for advertised administrative positions should be forwarded. Unsolicited
resumes will not be considered.
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For Further Information
Should you require further information call (03)
8601 5270 or toll free for Victorian country callers 1800 242 703. Alternatively,
you can email us at mhrb@mhrb.vic.gov.au
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