Psychologist - Critical Care Outreach

Location: Wellington Regional Hospital 

Contract: Permanent, Part Time (0.8 FTE / 32 hours per week)

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we’re building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence. 

About the Role 

We are seeking a New Zealand-registered psychologist to deliver a newly established outreach service for patients discharged from Wellington ICU. You will provide follow-up psychological care to ICU survivors discharged home to any of the region’s districts: Capital, Coast & Hutt Valley, Hawke’s Bay, Mid-Central, Wairarapa, and Whanganui.

Based primarily at Wellington Hospital, this role includes regional outreach, with a focus on trauma and long-stay patients at highest risk of ongoing psychological distress. The service will follow a stepped-care model, incorporating referral and screening to identify at-risk patients, and delivering interventions via both telehealth and face-to-face sessions. Regional travel is expected, with frequency guided by patient need.

This service aims to address a critical gap in post-ICU psychological care, reduce long-term harm, improve recovery and quality of life, and support equitable access to care across the region.

Duties will include:

• Identifying patients who meet initial criteria for psychology follow-up
• Screening referrals using a risk matrix
• Conducting thorough psychological assessments and planning interventions based on severity, degree of risk, and other impacting factors
• Identifying appropriate model of care delivery for patients (including, but not limited to: case consults with other health professionals, facilitated online group sessions, individual 1:1 assessment and advice, psychoeducation, specialised evidence-based therapeutic intervention)
• Supporting patients to manage the psychosocial aspects of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome

About the Team/Service Location 

The operational set-up of this service will be supported by the Central Region Critical Care Allied Health Coordinator (also based at Wellington Hospital), who will work collaboratively with the successful applicant to establish this new and exciting initiative. The role will report directly to the Team Leader for Social Work at Wellington Hospital. Also on this team are two Critical Care Psychologists, who provide a psychology service supporting patients, whānau and staff in Wellington Hospital ICU.

About you 

We are looking for registered psychologist (or eligible for registration) with the New Zealand Psychologist Board. As this is a new service, we are seeking someone who is ready to take on the wero (challenge) of working collaboratively with key stakeholders to develop and deliver a service in this exciting clinical area. You will be a strong relationship-builder, eager to explore alternative models of care, and responsive to the dynamic needs of the service. The successful candidate will be highly motivated to deliver high-quality care and support the best possible long-term outcomes for this vulnerable patient group.

This role is suited to applicants from a broad range of clinical backgrounds and levels of experience. It requires a high degree of autonomy. You will have a strong sense of professional boundaries and confidently seek support and collaboration to ensure safe and effective practice. 

The successful applicant will have experience of working with people who have complex needs; a commitment and understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi; and a willingness to work positively to improve health outcomes for Māori. We strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds who share our values to apply.

Working at Health New Zealand 

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is ‘the weaving of wellness’. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. 

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations. We embrace diversity and welcome application from all people, including all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and disability. A workforce that is diverse and inclusive means that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We are pro-equity health organisation, with a particular focus on Māori, Pacific Peoples, and the Disability Community. 

How to Apply 

To apply please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Aoife O’Reilly at aoife.oreilly@ccdhb.org.nz 

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advertisement.

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