Emergency Department Consumer Peer Support Worker

St Vincent's Health Australia Limited; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 88,000 - 96,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing initiatives

Employee counselling

Fitness Passport

Salary packaging

Job summary

St Vincent's Health Australia– Fitzroy VIC is seeking a part-time Consumer Peer Support Worker to assist ED waiting room consumers with mental health, homelessness, or AOD issues as they await care. The role focuses on trauma-informed, compassionate engagement to reduce isolation and empower patients.

The position is a 5-month fixed-term contract (0.4 EFT available) at Fitzroy. You will work within an inter-disciplinary team, drawing on lived experience to build trust and provide companionship

Qualifications

• Lived experience with mental illness, homelessness and/or AOD issues.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Criminal history check current or willingness to obtain.

Responsibilities

• Engage with EDWR patients through informal, patient-led interactions providing empathy and support.
• Interact with patients who meet inclusion criteria and are awaiting care.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to align practice with lived experience frameworks.

Skills

Lived experience MH/ homeless/AOD

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Job description

St Vincent's Health Australia – Fitzroy VIC

• Fitzroy location - Work for one of Australia's leading hospitals
• Challenging and rewarding work environment
• Part time fixed term position for 5 months (0.4 EFT available)

Job Description:

• Fitzroy location - Work for one of Australia's leading hospitals
• Challenging and rewarding work environment
• Part time fixed term position for 5 months (0.4 EFT available)

About The Role

You will provide support to consumers presenting to the EDWR with a mental health and/or AOD issue, people experiencing homelessness, and consumers identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and assist them whilst they await care.

Through utilisation of different lived experience frameworks such as trauma-informed care, the goal of the PSW in the EDWR is to develop a trusting relationship with ED consumers by offering companionship, empathy and empowerment, so that feelings of isolation and rejection can be replaced with hope, a sense of feeling safe and a belief in personal control.

• Engage with patients in the EDWR through informal, patient-led interactions including providing emotional support, active listening and empathy.
• Interact with patients in the EDWR that fit within the inclusion criteria
• Work collaboratively within the inter-disciplinary teams whilst ensuring that the work aligns to the framework and models of practice of the consumer Lived Experience discipline.

Classification for this position ranges between

AK43 - AK46 ($88,233.60 - $96,408 per annum).

Your Contribution

• A lived experience in mental illness, homelessness &/or AOD issues.
• An understanding of the diversity of the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of our community, and the impact this has on consumers’ and families and carers’ experience of mental illness
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, including problem solving ability and conflict resolution skills, as well as sound oral and writing skills
• Current National criminal history check, or willing to obtain.

What We Offer

• A focus on wellbeing initiatives, with regular events and programs
• Confidential, solutions-focused employee counselling
• Ability to join Fitness Passport - Your pass to an extensive choice of fitness facilities
• Salary Packaging – Increase your take home pay!
• In the heart of Fitzroy, CBD at our doorstep, close to some of Melbourne’s best cafes, public transport and lots of carparks

About Our Emergency Department

The Emergency Department is introducing a new multidisciplinary team which brings together clinicians from mental health, drug and alcohol and the ED care coordination team ALERT to provide specialised care to patients presenting to the ED with high acuity mental health and AOD issues, and complex psychosocial needs. Working in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team in the ED, the Consumer Peer Support Worker in the Emergency Department Waiting Room (EDWR) will help, support, and offer companionship to different consumers whilst they wait in the EDWR.

Working at St Vincent’s

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (SVHM) is a leading teaching, research and tertiary health service. SVHM provides a diverse range of adult clinical services and is driven by values of Compassion, Justice, Integrity and Excellence.

We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and abilities. Inclusion is essential to our mission and diversity reflects the community we serve.

SVHA has a duty of care under work health and safety legislation to eliminate and/or control the risk of transmission of vaccine preventable diseases in healthcare settings. You may therefore be required to undergo mandatory immunisations/vaccinations (including flu vaccinations).

This position is subject to a Victorian government direction regarding vaccination against COVID-1 . Successful applicants must meet these vaccination requirements. Please contact us if you would like to know more.

1 December 2026 11:59pm

At St Vincent's we acknowledge the importance of creating a work environment that is welcoming, safe, equitable and inclusive for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Employees. As part of our Commitment to Reconciliation and Closing the Gap in employment related outcomes, we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.