CQUni wins tender to boost mental health education throughout Queensland
Published on 18 February, 2013
CQUniversity has won a tender to boost mental health education through an improved network of clinical placements and embedding of a new 'recovery' approach among clinical facilitators.
The Queensland Health-funded project will enable innovation in mental health services to prosper throughout the State.
World-renowned Mental Health Nursing academic, Professor Brenda Happell says CQUniversity is in a unique position to help alleviate a shortage of quality mental health clinical placements across the full spectrum of healthcare delivery.
"We will be capacity building clinical placements in under-utilised health settings and engaging with non-traditional mental healthcare services, while embedding the recovery approach through education of clinical facilitators," Professor Happell said. "We are very fortunate to have Louise Byrne, who will bring her lived experience of mental health challenges and mental health services to this project."
Professor of Nursing Margaret McAllister says CQUniversity will draw on its national and international networks and international reputation for innovation in the mental health field.
Lived Experience academic Louise Byrne says the recovery approach, along with alternative models of clinical practice to that of traditional healthcare delivery, is integral to CQUniversity's vision for innovative partnerships in teaching, research and professional development in mental health.
Associate Professor Mental Health Nursing Anthony Welch (Project Leader) says the tender will draw on expertise in project design, implementation and evaluation within the Institute of Health and Social Science Research (IHSSR) and the Centre for Mental Health Nursing Innovation.
"Along with our academics within Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Psychology our diverse mix of health professions can provide a powerful skill mix and capacity to drive this project forward," he says.
"We will develop a regional mental health clinical team with representation from the key stakeholders, to devise a framework for maximising clinical placement allocations."
The tender bid was facilitated by CQUniversity's Queensland Centre for Professional Development tendering service.