TRAUMA CENTRE OF AUSTRALIA
SEEKING EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR TRAUMA PSYCHOLOGIST AUSTRALIA WIDE
 Application Form
The Trauma Centre of Australia is a national provider of trauma and critical incident services to business and organisations across Australia.  We are currently expanding our network of registered Psychologists for these purposes, and consequently we are seeking expressions of interest from interested Psychologists across all metropolitan and rural regions in Australia.We ask that you please take a minute to read this letter and determine whether you would be interested in joining our team of independent registered psychologists on an as needed/contractor basis.

What is Trauma and Critical Incident Response?
When an accident, injury, death, or robbery occurs unexpectedly, most people experience emotions including shock, confusion, pain, sorrow and anguish. Nearly everyone involved will have their thoughts consumed with the incident, making concentrating on their work and home life near impossible. Immediate Trauma Assistance can reduce the impact of the traumatic event, help speed the process of returning to normal functioning, and reduce the likelihood of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

At Trauma Centre Australia, our Trauma Assistance service aims to enhance people's focus toward a positive future by helping them to develop skills that will alleviate the problems associated with the traumatic experience.

Our highly experienced and qualified psychologists can provide on-site support and counselling on a 24 hour, 365 days per year basis.

One of our trauma Consultants will determine the degree to which a person may be suffering, by assessing a number of variables. The Psychologist will take into account the emotions, physical reactions and the behavioural effects that the individual is sustaining, before assisting in helping the person to develop effective and ongoing coping skills.Following an assessment of the situation, those people identified as being particularly affected by the traumatic incident can benefit enormously from some on-going
counselling. A few sessions of trauma counselling can ensure minimum psychological impact and therefore reduce the impact of the incident on their normal life.
The Trauma Centre of Australia provides short-term intervention following a critical incident.  Those people who are identified as needing long-term support and counselling are referred to an appropriate long-term intervention service.

How the service works
The Trauma Centre of Australia operates a 24 hour hotline for contracted organisations.  Following a traumatic incident, the customer calls the hotline and be connected through to our 24 hour, 365 day per year service centre.

The answering operator records details of the critical incident using details supplied by the customer, and then immediately contacts an appropriate trauma Consultant in the geographical area.  The designated trauma psychologist then contacts the customer directly and makes arrangements for a critical incident de-briefing.
During this de-briefing the psychologist will make an assessment as to what (if any) on-going support and counselling is required for those involved.  Requirements can vary significantly from client to client, or incident to incident, however our standard Trauma response consists of:
  • Immediate trauma debriefing with all parties involved, and
  • Up to an additional 4 sessions of individual follow-up trauma counselling;
    • One day after the debriefing/incident,
    • One week after the incident,
    • Two weeks after the incident, and
    • Four weeks after the incident.
  • Referral to appropriate agency for long-term support (if required).
This approach may vary due to:
  • The extent of the incident and individual needs.
  • The contractual arrangements of the organisation.
  • Variations as directed or negotiated between the psychologist,
    and the organisation.
The Trauma Centre of Australia complies with the following audit:
  1. We provide advice on critical incident response policy and procedure.
  2. We provide immediate trauma debrief: on-site or by telephone.
  3. We provide individual follow-up counselling the day after.
  4. We provide individual monitoring and treatment as required.
  5. We provide advice to management on how to effectively manage
    group / individual recovery.
  6. We provide liaison with treating practitioners, insurance companies, etc.
  7. We provide written reports to organisations.
Trauma Consultants
Our trauma Consultants are independent, registered psychologists across metropolitan and rural areas in Australia.  Upon the Trauma Centre of Australia receiving notice of an incident, an appropriate trauma Consultant in the geographical area is contacted by us and informed of the details of the incident.  The trauma Consultant is then asked if they are available to handle the incident and if so, they are faxed/emailed a copy of our completed critical incident form and asked to contact the client.  The Trauma Consultant becomes the case manager and handles all support and counselling associated with the incident (where many people are affected, two or more Trauma Consultants may be required).

Support and advice as to treatment and handling incidents for the Trauma Consultants is available from our head office staff as required, and procedural training will be provided.

Trauma Consultants are mobile, on-site, organisational psychologists so travel is usually required.   Where any travel is required, Trauma Consultants are paid to the nearest 15 minute interval by their negotiated hourly rate for both legs of any trip.

In addition to being paid for all travel time, Trauma Consultants are also paid for all time taken to provide debriefing, counselling, management feedback and telephone calls.   Again, this is paid to the nearest 15 minute interval.  Rates are in accordance with a negotiated fee structure and penalty rates are provided if after-hours assistance is required.  The hourly rates start at $60.00 per hour for travel and $80.00 per hour of service but are negotiated based on the qualifications and experience of the Psychologist.

In some cases, organisations may require a written report following an incident.  The Trauma Centre will provide a template in these cases and a set rate is paid for each page of the report.

Trauma Consultants are required to invoice the Trauma Centre of Australia and payment will be made within 14 days of receipt of invoice.

All Trauma Consultants are employed on a “as needed” or “on-call” basis.  The Trauma Centre of Australia is currently expanding our coverage so at least initially, time commitments will be very limited (we estimate that it could only be one or two trauma’s per year).  The majority of our Consultants have their own Psychology practice/ employment and assist with our traumas in addition to this.

Requirements
The Trauma Centre of Australia requires that our Trauma Consultants:
  • Hold current Psychologist Registration with the appropriate State Psychological Board,
  • Have a minimum of 2 years experience as a practising psychologist,
  • Have own transport and mobile phone, and
  • Hold current public liability insurance
Should you possess these requirements and are interested in joining our national response team, you will be under a signed memorandum of understanding.  This will set out:
  • Your responsibilities,
  • The Trauma Centre of Australia responsibilities,
  • The negotiated fee structure and payment terms, and
  • Other relevant information.

To register your interest in becoming a Trauma Consultant for the Trauma Centre of Australia

please fill in the attached form and email, fax or post it to my attention using our contact details on the top of the form.

download application form (pdf)