1. Introducing a professional development programme to a rural area mental health service: the importance of context.
- Author
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Hodgins G, Murray G, Donoghue A, Judd F, and Petts A
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Anxiety Disorders diagnosis, Anxiety Disorders psychology, Curriculum, Delivery of Health Care, Depressive Disorder diagnosis, Depressive Disorder psychology, Evidence-Based Medicine, Female, Health Services Accessibility, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Care Team, Professional Competence, Program Evaluation, Research, Victoria, Anxiety Disorders therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy education, Depressive Disorder therapy, Education, Mental Health Services, Psychiatry education, Psychology, Clinical education, Rural Health Services
- Abstract
Objective: To describe the introduction of an ongoing professional development programme for clinicians in a rural area mental health service. The programme involved a series of workshops delivered by clinical psychologists. The training component of each workshop focused on discrete cognitive behavioural strategies, targeted at the amelioration of anxiety and mood symptoms., Conclusions: The paper emphasizes contextual aspects of the programme: its setting, the modality of delivery, resourcing issues and maximizing engagement by the participants. Preliminary evaluation data are reviewed, and it is argued that programmes that focus on local capacity building in rural settings are an important component of redressing the urban-rural imbalance in the availability of evidence-based psychological treatments.
- Published
- 2004
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