Improving mental health care services is vitally important and mental health nurses are central to mental health service provision, sustainability, and efficacy. However, mental health nursing is less popular than other nursing specialties and service-users and practitioners are affected by negative attitudes and stigma. Education is fundamental to attracting students to the field of mental health nursing and transforming service culture through consumer participation. This presentation is on findings of research on the effectiveness of undergraduate mental health curricula in changing student attitudes to people with mental illness, consumer participation, and career interest in mental health nursing. A subject delivered by a person with lived experience of mental illness (and mental health service use) was compared to a traditional mental health subject for its impact on student attitudes and career intentions in mental health nursing (cohort 1, n = 70; and cohort 2, n = 104, respectively). In both cohorts, attitudes were measured via self-report, before and after the subject, and changes investigated through within-subjects t-tests. Statistically significant positive changes in intentions to pursue mental health nursing were observed in the consumer-led subject, compared to no changes in the traditional subject. Negative stereotypes of people with mental illness reduced in the consumer-led subject, but not in the traditional subject. Furthermore, more positive attitudes to consumer participation post-subject, were found in both cohorts. These findings support the value of an academic with lived experience of mental health challenges in promoting attraction to mental health nursing as a career option.

Fairfield CMH is committed (1) to ensure our future workforce is knowledgeable, skilled and effectively supported; (2) to promote the provision of high quality care that meets the needs of the local community with high percentage of CALD consumers and carers.

FCMH is proud of its 20 years records of comprehensive, lean but innovative and strategic approaches to the provision of education and training of young MH professionals. Over the last 20 years, a comprehensive range of education and development opportunities have been provided to young persons, especially local CALD young persons with the interest and ability to progress in their MH career. Training and support are tailored to suit unique individual needs. The success of these initiatives has been (a) achievements of young persons going through the program; (2) the lowest rate of staff turnover at FCMH compared to other CMH teams in NSW and (b) the current hardworking, united, multi-professional and multi-cultural team.

Training and support are delivered by staff in collaboration with various partners including high schools, TAFE colleges, universities, NSW Transcultural MH Centre, local council and government and NGO agencies:

(1) MH work-experience program provides year 10 school students with insight and hands-on experience in community mental health: 40 students had work experience ;
(2) Undergraduate clinical placement program assigns local, national and international nursing, social work, welfare, OT students to clinical placements: over 1,000 students had enjoyed their placements and the majority gave very positive feedback to their supervising professionals;
(3) Transitional MH Nurse Program: 15 graduate RNs successfully completed rotation terms and are currently working as MH Professionals in MH service;
(4) Volunteer program with short to long-term work experience and supervision for psychology and counselling graduates with the focus on CALD background volunteers. 21 volunteers with different professional backgrounds had successfully achieved their career goals after spending a period of voluntary work with training and support from staff.

There is a worldwide shortage of mental health professionals, particularly in the discipline of psychology, trained in the provision of mental health services to older adults. Most health and mental health disciplines provide minimal training in working with older populations. Research suggests mandatory training in geriatrics will help avert a crisis in care for older adults, and older adults treated by practitioners with specialised knowledge and clinical skills have improved outcomes.

This paper will explore the findings from the implementation of NSML’s innovative project to provide training for clinical psychology registrars in aged care settings. Implemented through the development of partnerships between relevant services to improve health outcomes and enhance student capabilities when working with the aged care population, the model included a supervised workforce development program between Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs), Macquarie University and external supervisors.

Northern Sydney Medicare Local (NSML) region has an ageing population. This paper asks if the provision of geropsychology training programs in clinical psychology improved the practical experiences of students working with older adults. And whether the increased presence of practising psychologists in nursing homes has begun to address the issues evident in aged care.