Miss Jaime Jenkinson1, Ms Amanda Anderson1, Ms Jacinta Chavulak1
1Eastern Health, Australia
Biography:
Jacinta is a Senior Social Work educator and university teaching associate. She is also currently undertaking her PhD. Her direct practice experience includes senior clinician positions in areas such as Emergency Psychiatry, suicide prevention, clinical case management, support work and community work.
Abstract:
Introduction:
Allied health mental health clinicians frequently enter the workforce with less practical placement, and paid employment experience than ever before. This is often attributed to the diminishing availability of appropriate student placement options, with students reporting they are unable to balance paid employment with their practical placement requirements. The introduction of the Allied Health Mental Health Learner Programs “the program” following the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System (RCVHMS), provided a framework for this.
Method:
Across the implementation, evaluation and evolution of the program within one metropolitan mental health service, feedback from learners, educators and teams highlighted the need for increased focus on self-care and wellbeing skills, to support learner’s integration into the workplace, technical skill acquisition and overall competency.
Results:
These programs evolved from wellbeing being a pillar of the program, to the foundation that underpins all aspects of learner development, education and evaluation. Embedding a culture of wellbeing and framing it as a core component of clinical mental health work, has not only met the aforementioned RCVHMS recommendations, has also supported retention rates above 75% across the novice allied health workforce, who engage in the program.
Discussion:
Allied Health Mental Health early career programs, and the deeper focus on clinician wellbeing, have met Recommendations 16 and 59 from the RCVHMS. Public mental health services in Victoria are in an excellent position to support their physical health, and tertiary education peers, in further developing the skills of the novice workforce relating to their wellbeing, for career longevity.