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Final Report
Project Name: MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY CAMP
Lead Organisation: University of Wollongong
Partner Organisation: Independent Mental Health Service (IMHS) - collaborator
Date: 8 Aug 2013
Contact Person: Professor Lorna Moxham/Ms Susan Liersch
Aim and Scope of Project:
The project trialled an innovative placement model in a rural and regional setting to enhance the
capacity of student placements in the mental health sector. The project aimed to undertake
multidisciplinary clinical placements in a non clinical setting, align placements with the VET sector,
increase the number of placements offered and connect students with primary health care
professionals. The camp will create an immersive, practical, placement experience for students that
can be applied to many different disciplines.
Parties Involved and Definitions:
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Independent Mental Health Service – collaborator. Private mental health nursing service.
University of Wollongong – Nursing Midwifery and Indigenous Health division
Budget
$56,540
Timeline – Summary of Project:
6 Mar 2013 – 31 May 2013
 The mental health recovery camp ran at Richmond, Sydney NSW for 5 days
 One exercise physiologist, 15 nursing students and one psychology student attended on
placement
 28 consumers with varying mental illnesses were present. Many had comorbid physical and
biological conditions
 3 academic supervisors and two nursing clinical supervisors attended for the 5 days.
 Evaluation was conducted from consumers, students and supervisors
Outcomes – Both Intended and Unintended:
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Students gained knowledge, skills and experience in enhanced assessment capacity,
critical thinking, problem solving, interdisciplinary working relationships, program
development and evaluation and research concepts. A large aspect centred on
enhanced skills in therapeutic counselling.
Clients benefited from the multidisciplinary team support and supervisors gained
experience in interdisciplinary interactions, informal relations with students and other
clinicians and enhanced assessment and supervisory skills.
Consumers have developed new relationships from the camp, continuing friendships
and support mechanisms. Two consumers in particular have gone on to develop a
service directory for mental health support and are looking for funding to expand their
contribution to a community that so closely identify with.
 Consumers enhanced understanding of medication management, increased confidence,
decision making and relationship building.
 Independent Mental Health Service connected with the ICTN to create new clinical
placements in nursing. They had previously not supervised students.
Feedback – Including Summaries of Evaluations:
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Students reported enhanced communication skills, assessment and analysis skills,
improved confidence for building therapeutic relationships, learnt the importance of
evaluation and their techniques.
 Consumers experienced reduced blood pressure, reduced weight, challenged personal
limitations and benefited from the informal opportunities to engage with students and
clinicians.
 Consumers felt more ‘at ease’ to share experiences, thus increasing student’s awareness
and knowledge in treating people with mental illness.
Lessons Learnt/ Opportunities:
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Sustainability is dependent on funding.
Student placements at the camp are dependent on funding.
The informal environment was conducive to improved relationships between students,
consumers and supervisors and should be further utilised in contemporary placements. .
 The model proved to be a true example of multidisciplinary patient care
 Medical students will be invited in the future
Recommendations:
□ Self-sustaining
□ Further development required for implementation
□ Publish resources online
□ Enable distribution of resources via USB
□ Statewide applicability
Other: The project is not sustainable without funding. Future funding is sort for delivery of similar
style placements.