Allied Health Clinical Coordinator - Acutes

New Zealand Government; Southland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 126,000; Part time

Job summary

Allied Health Clinical Coordinator – Acutes Southland Hospital, Invercargill, NZ is a fixed-term, 0.5 FTE role to improve patient flow and outcomes across the hospital’s acute wards. You will coordinate an interprofessional team while maintaining direct clinical practice within your scope.

The position requires registration with a NZ Allied Health body, an Annual Practising Certificate, and at least five years of clinical experience including three in acute care.

Qualifications

• Registration with a relevant New Zealand Allied Health professional body and current Annual Practising Certificate.
• Minimum of five years’ clinical experience, with at least three years in acute clinical care.
• Ability to coordinate referrals, balance caseloads, and troubleshoot patient flow with the MDT.
• Demonstrated commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and equity in everyday practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day interprofessional clinical coordination to enable patient flow across acute wards.
• Coordinate Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers and Allied Health Assistants.
• Direct staffing and leave planning to balance skill mix and meet demand.
• Coordinate referrals and caseload management for timely access to services.
• Represent Allied Health in interprofessional clinical forums and support MDT collaboration.
• Provide direct clinical care within scope in acute wards; no formal line management duties.

Skills

Clinical coordination

Interprofessional collaboration

Referral triage

Staff rostering

Education

Annual Practising Certificate (APC)

Registration with NZ Allied Health body

Job description

Allied Health Clinical Coordinator – Acutes Southland Hospital, Invercargill

Salary: $120,356 - $125,634 pro rata

• Fixed-term (to 28 December 2027)


• 0.5 FTE, additional clinical hours required

Step into a clinical coordination position that directly improves patient flow and patient outcomes across Southland Hospital's acute wards. You'll coordinate an interprofessional Allied Health team day-to-day while maintaining a portion of direct clinical practice within your scope, helping to remove barriers to care, optimise patient pathways, and support high-quality service delivery.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

As the Allied Health Clinical Coordinator – Acutes, you will provide day-to-day interprofessional clinical coordination to enable patient flow and support timely, appropriate care across the acute wards. Working in partnership with the Allied Health leadership team, you will coordinate Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, and Allied Health Assistants to support safe, effective, and patient-centred care.

Core coordination responsibilities include:

• Supporting referral triage and caseload management to ensure timely access to Allied Health services.


• Directing daily utilisation of staff and balancing skill mix and resources to meet patient demand.


• Troubleshooting barriers to patient flow and addressing challenges in patient pathways and care transitions.


• Coordinating staffing requirements, including leave planning and service coverage.


• Facilitating effective communication and collaboration within the multidisciplinary team.


• Representing Allied Health services within interprofessional clinical forums.

In addition to the coordination component of the role, you will provide direct clinical care within your professional scope of practice in the acute wards. This is a clinical coordination role and does not include formal line management responsibilities.

About the Team/Service/Location

The Allied Health Acute Service at Southland Hospital provides assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, discharge planning, and patient flow support across a range of inpatient acute care settings. The team comprises Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, and Allied Health Assistants who work collaboratively with nursing, medical, and wider multidisciplinary teams to achieve the best outcomes for patients.

About you

As a registered Allied Health professional, you bring strong clinical foundations and the capability to coordinate day-to-day operations in a busy acute hospital setting.

• Registration with a relevant New Zealand Allied Health professional body and a current Annual Practising Certificate.


• A minimum of five years' clinical experience, with at least three years working in acute clinical care.


• An understanding of the roles and scopes of each Allied Health profession within an acute inpatient setting.


• Demonstrated ability to coordinate referrals, balance caseloads, and troubleshoot patient flow with the MDT.


• Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and equity, including translating these obligations into everyday practice.

You will also be able to:

• Provide clinical advice and support within scope and appropriately identify and escalation risks.


• Represent the Allied Health team effectively within multidisciplinary settings.


• Contribute to quality improvement initiatives that enhance service delivery and patient outcomes.


• Support learning, development, and professional practice within the team.

We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact [e-mail]