Regional communities are benefiting from a new pipeline of mental health specialists thanks to WA Country Health Service’s (WACHS) groundbreaking Rural Psychiatry Training WA (RPTWA) program.
Launched in 2023, RPTWA is the first dedicated rural psychiatry training program in Australia or New Zealand – allowing trainees to live, learn and practice in country WA from internship through to fellowship.
Accredited by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP), the program is helping to develop a sustainable mental health workforce that better meets the diverse and unique needs of rural communities.
“The program provides a wide range of training experiences across each of WA’s seven regions,” WACHS Director of Psychiatry, Dr Samir Heble said.
“RPTWA is focused on meeting local workforce and community needs and is designed to attract, train and retain psychiatrists to regional WA.”
The program has grown from 23 aspiring psychiatrists to around 40 since the first cohort of trainees commenced in February 2023.
HOW IT WORKS
The RPTWA team is based across WA, with the program providing unique and comprehensive training experiences in rural generalist psychiatry at over 30 RANZCP accredited posts.
Participants complete six-month rotations across various areas, enabling them to complete a full end-to-end training term while receiving accommodation and relocation subsidies, peer support and mentoring.
With a focus on strengthening rural experience, trainees work across acute inpatient and community-based settings, child and adolescent and consultation liaison services.
The program also incorporates other rotations including adult psychiatry, older-age psychiatry, addiction, and community mental health services.
Trainees work alongside rural Consultant Psychiatrists who provide supervision throughout their rotations.
IMPROVING ACCESS
WACHS Executive Director Mental Health Paula Chatfield said the program enables trainees and early career psychiatrists to learn and grow while supporting the mental health of country communities.
“Access to rural psychiatrists is important, and this program means we’re attracting, training, and retaining junior psychiatrists to support the communities they live and work in, as well as develop their careers,” she said.
“The experience is unique in so many ways and includes a strong focus on understanding the cultural needs of our Aboriginal people.”
“With our focus on expanding and growing our own workforce in the bush, psychiatrists who graduate from the program are more likely to continue their careers in the regions.”
Newly qualified Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Phoebe Thornton said returning to Albany after completing her fellowship in the Great Southern region was a full circle moment.
“The exposure to knowledgeable and supportive seniors, broad patient mix, and the opportunity to live and work in the country was what drew me to the RPTWA,” Phoebe said.
“It’s been full circle coming back to where I trained as a junior doctor and it’s lovely to work with all the staff that supported and taught me throughout my training.
“Now it’s time to keep learning, provide quality care, and ensure future rural mental health staff receive the quality training I did so we can continue growing our workforce.”
PAVING THE WAY
Delivering mental health care across more than 2.55 million square kilometres is no small feat, and WACHS is committed to providing consistent care to all country Western Australians.
WACHS Psychiatry Director of Training Dr Steven Blefari said RPTWA is paving the way for improved accessibility to specialist mental health services in the regions.
“Like with any health service, close-to-home care is important,” Steven said. “By enabling psychiatry registrars to live, train and work in the regions we are helping to build a strong, sustainable and community driven workforce.”
The creation of RPTWA is the result of years of work by passionate rural psychiatrists and close collaboration between WACHS and partners.
The program will continue expanding in line with WACHS’ commitment to creating a strong foundation for the future growth of psychiatry trainees in regional WA.