Mental Health Services / Careers

[Guest julie2010]

Hi everyone,

 

Iv been a member on this site for a while now and my family have been working towards emigrating since 2008. I am now in my 2nd year of a Mental Health degree in the UK that will hopefully lead to a Visa for us to emigrate.

 

We have several hurdles to leap first however at a push there is a possibility of emigrating in August 2014.

 

What I am wondering, as the information is rather slim, is whether I would stand much chance of gaining employment as a mental health nurse in Adelaide or whether the job situation is rather poor. Would they consider a newly graduated applicant? Are there any employers anymore that would help with relocation costs?

 

Ideally, I am aiming to work in Adult Acute Units or working in Adult services. Are there many hospitals offering these services in the South of Adelaide? What are the prospects like? We, have family in Flagstaff Hill so would be aiming to relocate within a 30 minute drive of them and Id be prepared for my work to be another 30-45 minute drive from our home.

 

If there is anyone else on this Forum involved in Mental Health in Adelaide Id love to hear from you.

[Guest R175]

Hi Julie

 

I am Mental health cert 4 and soon to be Diploma Mental Health. There is a huge need for mental health nurses in Adelaide, but I would probably say that you will need to secure agency first...although the RAH (Royal Adelaide Hospital) has a psych ward C3 and you could contact James Nash or Glenside direct about jobs, these are both mainly forensic units.

 

There are also a number of community houses with clinical lead...I worked for Flinders Hospitals at Noarlunga as a Community Rehab Worker...posh name for government support worker but found it boring

 

On another note we used to live in Happy Valley, not far from Flagstaff and going to CBD or other places was a pain in the bum from that area, we now live in West Lake area and are loving it...just a heads up for MH over here in public sector, they do and will quite happily restrain over here and shackle...they call it a code black

 

Hope that helps

 

Ridz

[Guest laura coldwell]

Hi everyone,

 

Iv been a member on this site for a while now and my family have been working towards emigrating since 2008. I am now in my 2nd year of a Mental Health degree in the UK that will hopefully lead to a Visa for us to emigrate.

 

We have several hurdles to leap first however at a push there is a possibility of emigrating in August 2014.

 

What I am wondering, as the information is rather slim, is whether I would stand much chance of gaining employment as a mental health nurse in Adelaide or whether the job situation is rather poor. Would they consider a newly graduated applicant? Are there any employers anymore that would help with relocation costs?

 

Ideally, I am aiming to work in Adult Acute Units or working in Adult services. Are there many hospitals offering these services in the South of Adelaide? What are the prospects like? We, have family in Flagstaff Hill so would be aiming to relocate within a 30 minute drive of them and Id be prepared for my work to be another 30-45 minute drive from our home.

 

If there is anyone else on this Forum involved in Mental Health in Adelaide Id love to hear from you.

 

Hello,

 

My husband and I hope to move to Adelaide in August next year. I am a mental health nurse who qualified in 2011. Like Ridz said, I have heard that you need to secure a agency position first and I have also found this from personal experience.

 

Last year I managed to secure 3 perm positions in Darwin, Perth and Sydney, however when we decided we would go for SS in SA It proved very difficult to apply for and secure positions from over seas. I have since been in touch with an agency, HCA (NA SA in SA) and got myself an agency position.

 

At first I was a bit worried about the security of it but I have heard that there is LOTS of agency work, from HCA and from my friend who is a nurse in Adelaide. I am now looking at being an agency nurse as a really positive thing. I am moving to Adelaide to better my life and if working agency means I can pick and choose my shifts then this would work so much better for me and my husband than a full time position. Of course agency has its downsides but none more than a perm job would.

 

HCA have been amazing and Bronwyn is fantastic, she has put my mind at ease. If you would like some contact details for her I would be happy to give them to you.

 

I would say, be careful of other agencies some of whom I have not had the best experience with. I hope that helps xx

[Guest julie2010]

Hi Julie

 

I am Mental health cert 4 and soon to be Diploma Mental Health. There is a huge need for mental health nurses in Adelaide, but I would probably say that you will need to secure agency first...although the RAH (Royal Adelaide Hospital) has a psych ward C3 and you could contact James Nash or Glenside direct about jobs, these are both mainly forensic units.

 

There are also a number of community houses with clinical lead...I worked for Flinders Hospitals at Noarlunga as a Community Rehab Worker...posh name for government support worker but found it boring

 

On another note we used to live in Happy Valley, not far from Flagstaff and going to CBD or other places was a pain in the bum from that area, we now live in West Lake area and are loving it...just a heads up for MH over here in public sector, they do and will quite happily restrain over here and shackle...they call it a code black

 

Hope that helps

 

Ridz

 

Thanks, any info is good info and Im trying to get my head around things. I heard about the restraining and everything being a few years behind the UK. It may be a little frustrating but hopefully with a few more of us brits pushing them on they may start listening to our opinions. Not that I can say my argument is the right one of course!

 

Hello,

 

My husband and I hope to move to Adelaide in August next year. I am a mental health nurse who qualified in 2011. Like Ridz said, I have heard that you need to secure a agency position first and I have also found this from personal experience.

 

Last year I managed to secure 3 perm positions in Darwin, Perth and Sydney, however when we decided we would go for SS in SA It proved very difficult to apply for and secure positions from over seas. I have since been in touch with an agency, HCA (NA SA in SA) and got myself an agency position.

 

At first I was a bit worried about the security of it but I have heard that there is LOTS of agency work, from HCA and from my friend who is a nurse in Adelaide. I am now looking at being an agency nurse as a really positive thing. I am moving to Adelaide to better my life and if working agency means I can pick and choose my shifts then this would work so much better for me and my husband than a full time position. Of course agency has its downsides but none more than a perm job would.

 

HCA have been amazing and Bronwyn is fantastic, she has put my mind at ease. If you would like some contact details for her I would be happy to give them to you.

 

I would say, be careful of other agencies some of whom I have not had the best experience with. I hope that helps xx

 

Yes agency may seem like a good thing for us, we have 3 children who may take some time to adjust and for their sakes I could do with being there if they needed me. Luckily we have family who can support us with housing etc in the beginning however the sooner we find our own space the better for everyone's sanity.

 

If you have any contacts Id be ever so grateful, its always useful to talk to people and see what they are looking for. Good luck with moving next August, Im so jealous - although after planning for this for 5 years (since being in a finance job) I can finally start seeing the light!!! I love 2nd year, I feel like I finally start to see what I can do to help people.

[elainew]

Contact Glenside Hospital,that is the main campus . They do take Graduates and do sponsorship.

 

I am a MH Nurse having Emigrated 9.5yrs ago. I have a wealth of experience in Adelaide and also around the country having just completed 28000km journey in just over a year of working as a nurse and travelling around this wonderful country we have . Hope this helps xx Elaine You can contact for any help

[Guest julie2010]

Hello,

 

My husband and I hope to move to Adelaide in August next year. I am a mental health nurse who qualified in 2011. Like Ridz said, I have heard that you need to secure a agency position first and I have also found this from personal experience.

 

Last year I managed to secure 3 perm positions in Darwin, Perth and Sydney, however when we decided we would go for SS in SA It proved very difficult to apply for and secure positions from over seas. I have since been in touch with an agency, HCA (NA SA in SA) and got myself an agency position.

 

At first I was a bit worried about the security of it but I have heard that there is LOTS of agency work, from HCA and from my friend who is a nurse in Adelaide. I am now looking at being an agency nurse as a really positive thing. I am moving to Adelaide to better my life and if working agency means I can pick and choose my shifts then this would work so much better for me and my husband than a full time position. Of course agency has its downsides but none more than a perm job would.

 

HCA have been amazing and Bronwyn is fantastic, she has put my mind at ease. If you would like some contact details for her I would be happy to give them to you.

 

I would say, be careful of other agencies some of whom I have not had the best experience with. I hope that helps xx

 

Hi, I wondered if you would be able to give me details of your nursing agency? Im trying to make contact with a few people so that I am not searching around next year when I have my final year at uni. Thankyou

 

Contact Glenside Hospital,that is the main campus . They do take Graduates and do sponsorship.

 

I am a MH Nurse having Emigrated 9.5yrs ago. I have a wealth of experience in Adelaide and also around the country having just completed 28000km journey in just over a year of working as a nurse and travelling around this wonderful country we have . Hope this helps xx Elaine You can contact for any help

 

Hi Elaine, thanks for the advice. Iv tried searching on the Glenside Hospital website and it just links me to SA Health website. Are you aware of anybody/department I could contact to ask about their requirements? Im so jealous that you had the opportunity to travel Aus as a nurse, that sounds fantastic. We have settled on Adelaide as we have family there but there is sooo much more we want to see!

[Nutty Nurse Nic]

[h=2][/h]

 

 

Hi Julie,

 

I'm a MH Nurse working for Country Health although I am based in Adelaide (Glenside Campus). I've been working in Adelaide for 5 yrs. First got my job (at James Nash forensic services) whilst in the UK via an agency (Geneva Health based in New Zealand). Since then I moved south and worked at Noarlunga Mental health services and now work on an emergency MH phone service.

 

Basically within the state for government there is Central and Northern Local Health Network which encompasses mental health wards at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Glenside Campus, Modbury Hospital and Lyell McEwin Hospital. Then there is Southern Mental Health Local Health Network which encompasses Flinders hospital (Margaret Tobin Unit) and Noarlunga Hospital. Then there is Country Health which has one ward on Glenside campus for patients from the rest of the state (although they are about to open regional centres in Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Berri and Whyalla I think - these are all far to far away to commute to but interestingly some of the hold up's with opening the new units will be difficulty recruiting to country positions).

 

In my opinion you are much more likely to gain a position as a new graduate on one of the metropolitan or country mental health wards than working in community teams which require more experience and knowledge of the mental health act etc. However there is an abundance of mental health community teams and emergency services which will sometimes take new graduates. In the past few years there has been a move to open 'step down' units generally called Intermediate care centres or community recovery centres. Within twenty mins drive of Flagstaff you have two options in these areas The Southern Intermediate Care Centre located on Noarlunga Hospital grounds or the Trevor Parry Community Recovery Centre across the road. As these are newer services, (again in my opinion) there are a bit more progressive and are more likely to welcome a new graduate in the hope that your practice is more up to date and recovery focussed. Otherwise you could try the Margaret Tobin Centre based at Flinders Hospital (15 mins from Flaggy) which has 3 mental health wards from memory 5K, 5H, 5J.

 

In terms of the job situation, there is always a shortage of mental health nurses. Sometimes this is hidden by not advertising so much and using more agency nurses dependent on the political situation at the time and I suspect we are in this sort of scenario at the moment.

 

 

Oh - Your other options are private hospitals of which there are two in the state both based in Adelaide - Fullarton Private and the Adelaide Clinic.

 

Hope that helps. Good luck with it. Shout if you need anything else.

 

Nicola

 

[elainew]

Australia is behind UK by 15yrs , So don't come with any expectations or you'll be very disappointed in the system .

 

Trevor Parry centre is going to the Private Sector and FMC Mgt Tobin Centre is cutting 10 beds soon. However always the need of Nurses all over the country . I know as we have just travelled around Australia working as Nurses .

 

Today we finish our journey heading back to Adealide after being 13 mths on the road :-)

 

Anything else you need to know just ask .

 

PS Do not go Private big mistake !! unless as an agency nurse

Edited November 13, 2012 by elainew

[Guest julie2010]

 

 

Hi Julie,

 

I'm a MH Nurse working for Country Health although I am based in Adelaide (Glenside Campus). I've been working in Adelaide for 5 yrs. First got my job (at James Nash forensic services) whilst in the UK via an agency (Geneva Health based in New Zealand). Since then I moved south and worked at Noarlunga Mental health services and now work on an emergency MH phone service.

 

Basically within the state for government there is Central and Northern Local Health Network which encompasses mental health wards at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Glenside Campus, Modbury Hospital and Lyell McEwin Hospital. Then there is Southern Mental Health Local Health Network which encompasses Flinders hospital (Margaret Tobin Unit) and Noarlunga Hospital. Then there is Country Health which has one ward on Glenside campus for patients from the rest of the state (although they are about to open regional centres in Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Berri and Whyalla I think - these are all far to far away to commute to but interestingly some of the hold up's with opening the new units will be difficulty recruiting to country positions).

 

In my opinion you are much more likely to gain a position as a new graduate on one of the metropolitan or country mental health wards than working in community teams which require more experience and knowledge of the mental health act etc. However there is an abundance of mental health community teams and emergency services which will sometimes take new graduates. In the past few years there has been a move to open 'step down' units generally called Intermediate care centres or community recovery centres. Within twenty mins drive of Flagstaff you have two options in these areas The Southern Intermediate Care Centre located on Noarlunga Hospital grounds or the Trevor Parry Community Recovery Centre across the road. As these are newer services, (again in my opinion) there are a bit more progressive and are more likely to welcome a new graduate in the hope that your practice is more up to date and recovery focussed. Otherwise you could try the Margaret Tobin Centre based at Flinders Hospital (15 mins from Flaggy) which has 3 mental health wards from memory 5K, 5H, 5J.

 

In terms of the job situation, there is always a shortage of mental health nurses. Sometimes this is hidden by not advertising so much and using more agency nurses dependent on the political situation at the time and I suspect we are in this sort of scenario at the moment.

 

 

Oh - Your other options are private hospitals of which there are two in the state both based in Adelaide - Fullarton Private and the Adelaide Clinic.

 

Hope that helps. Good luck with it. Shout if you need anything else.

 

Nicola

 

 

Nicola you have no idea how helpful that is. I spent all last night researching the places you have mentioned in regards to services and their location. Id love to start working in any of them today... Unfortunately Iv another 21 months to complete! There isnt really much more I can ask really however if anyone knows of any email addresses where I can send my CV when its time, Id be more than grateful. I know when I googled a few of the unit's I was redirected to SA Jobs website, Im not sure if thats a good or a bad thing.

[Guest julie2010]

Australia is behind UK by 15yrs , So don't come with any expectations or you'll be very disappointed in the system .

 

Trevor Parry centre is going to the Private Sector and FMC Mgt Tobin Centre is cutting 10 beds soon. However always the need of Nurses all over the country . I know as we have just travelled around Australia working as Nurses .

 

Today we finish our journey heading back to Adealide after being 13 mths on the road :-)

 

Anything else you need to know just ask .

 

PS Do not go Private big mistake !! unless as an agency nurse

 

Thanks again Elaine, hopefully being a newby myself I wont be too dissapointed. When I decided I wanted to be in MH Id no idea which area Id like to work in however my last placement was so enjoyable I didnt want to leave. It was an Acute uni in my local hospital. Im just hoping that having it so early on in my training wont stop me being able to apply to this area on qualifying.

 

You've all given me so much more to look at over the next year. I really appreciate that.

[Guest HRHelp]

When you get here you may be able to get free careers guidance help if you live in Southern Adelaide.

Edited November 19, 2012 by noworriesmate
removed email address as per forum rules

[Guest Adam31]

 

 

Hi Julie,

 

I'm a MH Nurse working for Country Health although I am based in Adelaide (Glenside Campus). I've been working in Adelaide for 5 yrs. First got my job (at James Nash forensic services) whilst in the UK via an agency (Geneva Health based in New Zealand). Since then I moved south and worked at Noarlunga Mental health services and now work on an emergency MH phone service.

 

Basically within the state for government there is Central and Northern Local Health Network which encompasses mental health wards at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Glenside Campus, Modbury Hospital and Lyell McEwin Hospital. Then there is Southern Mental Health Local Health Network which encompasses Flinders hospital (Margaret Tobin Unit) and Noarlunga Hospital. Then there is Country Health which has one ward on Glenside campus for patients from the rest of the state (although they are about to open regional centres in Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Berri and Whyalla I think - these are all far to far away to commute to but interestingly some of the hold up's with opening the new units will be difficulty recruiting to country positions).

 

In my opinion you are much more likely to gain a position as a new graduate on one of the metropolitan or country mental health wards than working in community teams which require more experience and knowledge of the mental health act etc. However there is an abundance of mental health community teams and emergency services which will sometimes take new graduates. In the past few years there has been a move to open 'step down' units generally called Intermediate care centres or community recovery centres. Within twenty mins drive of Flagstaff you have two options in these areas The Southern Intermediate Care Centre located on Noarlunga Hospital grounds or the Trevor Parry Community Recovery Centre across the road. As these are newer services, (again in my opinion) there are a bit more progressive and are more likely to welcome a new graduate in the hope that your practice is more up to date and recovery focussed. Otherwise you could try the Margaret Tobin Centre based at Flinders Hospital (15 mins from Flaggy) which has 3 mental health wards from memory 5K, 5H, 5J.

 

In terms of the job situation, there is always a shortage of mental health nurses. Sometimes this is hidden by not advertising so much and using more agency nurses dependent on the political situation at the time and I suspect we are in this sort of scenario at the moment.

 

 

Oh - Your other options are private hospitals of which there are two in the state both based in Adelaide - Fullarton Private and the Adelaide Clinic.

 

Hope that helps. Good luck with it. Shout if you need anything else.

 

Nicola

 

 

wow Nicola, that is an ace informative post...so much useful information. I have just recently posted for info on MH nursing in Adelaide and this is one of the best pieces of info that I have come across, thankyou so much for imparting your knowledge!

[Nutty Nurse Nic]

wow Nicola, that is an ace informative post...so much useful information. I have just recently posted for info on MH nursing in Adelaide and this is one of the best pieces of info that I have come across, thankyou so much for imparting your knowledge!

 

 

:smile:Thank you, and your welcome. Need anything else or have a specific question feel free to ask (same for anyone else reading this).

 

Just had another thought, you might want to know which are the acute psychiatric wards in each government hospital (for aged 16-64) here is a list

 

Queen Elizabeth Hospital - Crammond Clinic

Lyell McEwin Hospital - 1G

Modbury Hospital - Woodleigh House

Royal Adelaide Hospital - C3

Flinders - Margaret Tobin Centre wards 5j, 5h, 5k Also there is 4G which specialises in eating disorder treatment

Noarlunga Hospital - Morier ward and Morier HDU.

 

I'm not all that familiar with acute wards for children services and older adults but here are two that I know of:

Womens and Childrens Hospital - Children's mental health is Boylan ward

Repatriation Hospital - (Older adults - over 65 unless aboriginal over 45) wards 17 & 18.

 

Good luck

Nicola

[Guest Chelsea86]

Hey,

You do require at least 6 months post grad experience but yes there is loads of agency work in Adelaide. I would def reccomed emailing HCAfor more info.

Thanks

C x