A NSW Government website

Emergency

Other Training

Aside from training provided specifically for prevocational trainees and registrars, HNET also supports mental health clinicians with other training opportunities, such as Psychiatry Grand Rounds, and training for supervisors.

Unsure which training programs you can and cannot attend? Check out the HNET Training Matrix.

HNET trainees and supervisors can also access further training at the HNET eLearning Centre.

Psychiatry Grand Rounds

Grand Rounds occur on Wednesday afternoons at 1.30pm in the MHA Building, Mater Hospital and is preceded by a lunch at 1pm. It is an open forum with all employees of Hunter New England Mental Health and participants from other District Health Services invited. Grand Rounds are an important educational opportunity for all staff and has a long tradition of being popular with medical students, allied health staff, junior and senior medical staff, psychologists and other interested clinicians. Recently, the structure has been modified to create the opportunity for an increased academic focus, thereby enhancing the continued professional development value of each session. Grand Rounds are usually presented by members of the multidisciplinary team from each subspecialty and location throughout our network. High levels of audience participation are encouraged.

WHO CAN ATTEND?  All mental health clinicians.

ECT Training

ECT training is a key component of Fellowship training and forms one of the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) that is located in Stage 2 of the program. It involves one academic session with leading ECT expert, Dr Alan Weiss, followed by five "hands-on" mornings in the Calvary Mater theatre. This is followed by three supported sessions on Fridays. The EPA requires the registrar to complete three Workplace Based Assessments (WBAs) that take the form of two Case Based Discussions (CbDs) - one CbD examines an acute use of ECT, and the other CbD examining ECT use as a maintenance treatment. The third WBA requires the registrar to present a Powerpoint professional presentation on the topic of their choice. For further information, please contact Vincent Drinkwater on 4033-5027 or by email at vincent.drinkwater@health.nsw.gov.au

Hospital Skills Program (HSP)

The Hospital Skills Program (HSP) aims to improve the quality and safety of patient care. This innovative project by HETI is designed to keep CMOs and SRMOs engaged with education & training. To view the HSP website, click here. All PGY3+ medical staff who are not in a vocational training program are required to enrol in the HSP.  The Director of Training in HNE for this program is Dr Usha Pavarthy and the contact number for this program when you enrol is (02) 4985-3376.

Other Educational Opportunities

  • CONSUMER PARTICIPATION UNIT (CPU): HNET recommends reading books written by people about their own lived experience with mental illness or by carers about their experience of loved ones with mental illness. HNET psychiatry trainees take part in a book club discussion every semester that includes reading one of these resources. This resource list was created by the HNEMH CPU and is a great guide to some of these resources available. Click here to download.
  • TEACHING ON THE RUN:  HNET recommends that every doctor supervising junior medical staff in our service attend  Teaching on the Run. To attend any of these workshops, please contact  kathy.ingham@health.nsw.gov.au to book in.
  • CENTRE FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: CFMPD has a number of opportunities available to assist you in fulfilling your role as a medical clinician, especially if you are interested in developing your skills in a range of areas beyond your clinical expertise. Contact kathy.ingham@health.nsw.gov.au for more information. Click here to visit the website for doctors.
  • INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY MENTAL HEALTH ELEARNING WEBSITE:  This website has been developed by the Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatric (3DN) at UNSW Medicine and funded by the NSW Government. This innovative education tool is aimed at upskilling the workforce to meet the unique mental health needs of those people with an intellectual disability. The direct link to the website is: www.idhealtheducation.edu.au