This issue of psychotropics has been front and centre during the Royal Commission, but not much time has been devoted to the reason behind its use, mental illness. Approximately half of all aged care residents exhibit symptoms consistent with depression, ...

It is often challenging for older adults to make the transition into aged care. Many new residents experience grief as they are leaving behind their homes, spouses and possessions. Being placed into an unfamiliar environment with new people can lead ...

The university and nursing sectors have teamed up to boost the number of mental health nurses in South Australia. Flinders University and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA Branch) joined forces to tackle statistics showing the state is set ...

Australia is a signatory to a number of international agreements on human rights. The most important in relation to mental health patients is the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article 14.1 says: State parties (including Australia) shall ensure ...

AMA President Dr Michael Gannon will tomorrow make an "impassioned plea" to the nation’s health ministers to adopt mandatory reporting laws and improve the mental health of staff. Gannon will address the COAG Health Council at a meeting in Sydney ...

The federal government has committed $128,000 to fund mental health course materials for undergraduate nursing degrees across the country. Minister for rural health, senator Bridget McKenzie, said the funding would be provided to the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses ...

Healthcare staff have called for urgent action after new figures showed that one-third of patients with mental illness faced an eight-hour wait in emergency departments. Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) president Dr Simon Judkins said the issue was referred ...

Minister for Health Greg Hunt and Assistant Minister for Health David Gillespie have launched a new telehealth initiative to remove barriers to mental health treatments and improve access to psychological services for residents in rural and remote areas. Under the new expanded ...

'What’s special about mental health nursing?’ This question launched a three-year study into the nature, scope and consequences of nurses’ work in the mental health sector. “The question [was] posed in the context of what constitutes distinctive practice and how ...

A proposal to roll out support services to nurses and midwives is currently before the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. By Linda Belardi Support services for nurses and midwives with substance abuse and mental health problems could be implemented ...