Professional Service Review (PSR) is an Agency within the Health and Aged Care portfolio whose work protects the integrity of the Medicare, child dental benefits and the pharmaceutical benefits programs (PBS). PSR is established under Part VAA of the Health Insurance Act 1973, which sets out the role and powers of the Agency, as well as the process that it must follow when conducting its work. The Case Management Unit is a small team that reports to the General Counsel and supports the Director, Associate Directors, Committees and the DA to manage and progress cases which have been referred to PSR efficiently and effectively. The key duties of the position include: The PLO works autonomously and is accountable for the delivery of legal services and advice provided by the Case Management Unit staff. The PLO determines case strategy and direction and implements required system changes within the Case Management Unit to ensure efficient delivery of services to PSR entities. The PLO makes recommendations and provides advice on solutions and emerging issues that may impact the Case Management Unit, PSR, the PSR Scheme and broader medicare regulatory landscape. The PLO provides strategic and technical advice in relation to both PSR cases and broader Agency objectives. The PLO will collaborate within PSR and share experience on matters of significance to the PSR scheme. The PLO is ultimately accountable for the delivery of Director, Associate Director and Committee stage PSR work. The role involves demonstrating high levels of professional leadership and guidance including allocation of resources and workloads and contributing to ongoing improvements in workflow and team structure. The PLO is responsible for the provision of advice to the Director, Associate Directors or to a PSR Committee in respect of allocated matters. The PLO is also responsible for the management and conduct of Committee processes, including the hearing, and the delivery of Committee Reports within agreed timeframes. The PLO is responsible for ensuring that the management of cases complies with legislative requirements and administrative law principles. The PLO role includes managing the provision of procedural, legislative and regulatory matters in the context of the PSR scheme (set out in Part VAA of the HI Act) and in relation to privacy, Freedom of Information and Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) requirements. The key duties of the position include Under limited direction, the PLO undertakes duties in accordance with the agreed standards for the Executive Level 2 classification. The PLO's duties include: the legal and administrative management of PSR cases and ensuring that cases are managed in compliance with Part VAA of the HI Act and in accordance with general administrative law principles providing legal advice to PSR Committees including attending Committee hearings (usually held in the capital city most convenient for the person under review) providing legal advice on the exercise of compulsive powers and sanctions in a regulatory context providing advice on the development and drafting of primary and subordinate legislation working closely with PSR Committee members to draft and settle statements of reasons for Committee findings including assisting Committee members to respond to oral and written submissions from practitioners under review providing, at times, legal advice in governance areas including procurement, and contracting managing litigation including advising on litigation strategy, ensuring value for money from outsourced legal services in relation to litigation and providing instructions to engaged firms and counsel working in a professional and cooperative manner with lawyers acting for practitioners under review and unrepresented practitioners to ensure effective and efficient management of the statutory process providing professional guidance and oversight to Case Management Unit staff to ensure the delivery of services promoting staff learning by fostering a culture of continual improvement and commitment to mentoring and managing staff learning and development contributing to the learning and development goals of the Case Management Team including by providing training to staff and Panel Members anticipating and establishing priorities, monitoring progress and working to deliver required outcomes to a high standard in timely manner contributing, using own initiative, to the strategic direction of the agency by identifying areas for improvement through identifying common themes, raising issues and offering solutions and taking responsibility for implementation ensuring PSR meets its ongoing legal privacy obligations and providing legal guidance and advice on FOI requests and matters under the PGPA Act representing PSR at various forums.
