Clinical Nurse Consultant - Specialist Dementia Care in Sale

Central Gippsland Health is creating a new Specialist Dementia Care Unit within Wilson Lodge—and we are looking for an experienced and passionate Clinical Nurse Consultant to help bring it to life. This is a unique opportunity to shape a specialist service from the beginning. You will help establish the model of care, build the capability of a dedicated workforce through education and your expertise creating an environment where residents living with severe and complex dementia are understood, respected and supported to experience dignity, purpose and quality of life.

As the Dementia Nurse Consultant, you will provide expert dementia-care leadership and day-to-day clinical coordination within the SDCU. Working closely with the Nurse Unit Manager, residents, families, staff and multidisciplinary partners, you will:

• Lead contemporary, evidence-based and person-centred dementia care.
• Guide comprehensive assessment, individualised care planning and complex clinical review.
• Champion positive behaviour support and non-pharmacological approaches to distress and unmet need.
• Coach, educate and support staff to deliver confident, compassionate and consistent care.
• Promote residents' dignity, identity, choice, independence and supported decision-making.
• Build trusted partnerships with residents, families and representatives.
• Lead clinical governance, risk management and continuous quality improvement within the unit.
• Help create a positive, accountable and psychologically safe team culture.

You are an experienced Registered Nurse with advanced dementia-care knowledge and a genuine commitment to improving the lives of older people. You will bring:

• Current registration as a Registered Nurse with AHPRA.
• Strong clinical leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Experience supporting people with complex dementia-related care and behavioural support needs.
• The ability to educate, coach and influence multidisciplinary practice.
• Sound knowledge of aged-care standards, clinical governance, risk management and quality improvement.
• A compassionate and respectful approach to working with residents, families and staff.

Relevant postgraduate qualifications and previous senior clinical leadership experience will be highly regarded. At CGH, you will have the opportunity to make a lasting contribution to a new specialist service while working within a connected regional health service.

You will be supported to:

• Influence the development of the SDCU's model of care from its earliest stages.
• Build and lead specialist dementia-care practice within a dedicated team.
• Develop meaningful partnerships across aged care, health and specialist dementia services.
• Access ongoing professional development and contribute to innovation and service improvement.
• Make a tangible difference for residents and families within the Central Gippsland community.

If you are ready to lead with expertise, curiosity and compassion—and want to help create a service where every resident is known, valued and supported we would love to hear from you!