a handbook for supervising allied health professionals - HETI - NSW ...

THE SUPERGUIDE
Facilitating clinical supervision
10
The components that contribute to effective clinical supervision include:
• understanding the roles and responsibilities of key individuals and organisations
• setting the expectations of the supervisory relationship
• using supervision contracts
• maintaining supervision documentation
• evaluating the effectiveness of supervision
• setting learning goals
• facilitating reflective practice
• providing a culturally safe and respectful environment.
Who provides clinical supervision
Clinical supervision can be provided by senior clinicians, line managers, service managers,
team leaders and external supervisors. Deciding who provides clinical supervision
depends on the context, including the clinical setting, award requirements and the
availability and skill mix of staff. It is acknowledged senior clinical specialists may find it
difficult to access suitably experienced clinical supervisors.
In some cases, supervision may be sought from external professionals or organisations,
often on a fee-for-service basis, as well as or instead of supervision provided from within
the organisation. The availability of external clinical supervision will depend on local policy
and the context in which the clinician is working (eg, rural or in isolation).
Roles and responsibilities
Clinical staff and senior management have a responsibility to ensure high quality clinical
supervision is occurring within Local Health Districts which is provided in a culturally
safe and respectful manner. The following individuals play a key role in contributing to the
governance of clinical supervision.
Director of Allied Health: is responsible for the professional management of allied health
services in Local Health Districts and is the responsible officer for issues pertaining to the
employment, progression and registration of allied health staff. The Director of Allied Health
is responsible for ensuring that supervision processes are in place across Local Health
Districts.
Discipline-specific head: when appointed within a facility or Local Health District,
the discipline-specific head may have both operational and professional oversight of
professionals from that discipline in the facility/Local Health District. The discipline-specific
head ensures that policies, procedures and appropriate systems of governance to promote
supervision are in place and that supervision processes are evaluated and improved.