Questions

What are the Best Practice Guidelines?

These guidelines have been developed to guide employers, managers, employee assistance services, mental health professionals and others who may have a role in supporting multidisciplinary remote health practitioners following exposure to job related traumatic events.

Why were the Best Practice Guidelines developed?

A critical appraisal suggests models of interventions developed for urban contexts are unsuitable for application in remote areas. Interventions need to take account of the unique dimensions of vulnerability and risk associated with remote practice, and the complex nature of traumatic experience in small communities.

Who developed the Best Practice Guidelines?

Bush Support Line Best Practice Guidelines were developed by Kerrie Kelly, BCL & SS Coordinator, in collaboration with the CRANAplus Bush Support Line & Support Services Reference Group:

  • Ron Archer: Indigenous Counsellor & Cross Cultural Facilitator, Qld
  • Ree Dunn: Remote Area Nurse, Darwin, NT
  • Ernest Hunter: Psychiatrist, Chair Public Health (Mental Health) Qld University
  • Damien Howard: Psychologist, Darwin, NT
  • Lyn Johnson: Health Worker and Mental Health Worker, Mossman, Qld
  • John Maher & Aboriginal
  • Mental Health Team: Territory Health Services, Darwin
  • Craig San Roque: Psychologist, Alice Springs, NT
  • Mandy Seal: Remote Doctor, Pilbara Public Health Unit, Port Hedland, WA
  • Robert Williams: Psychologist, Royal Flying Doctor Service, Qld Section
  • John Wilson: Remote Health Service Coordinator, Nganampa Health, SA
  • James Woolrich: Remote Psychiatrist, Cairns Integrated Mental Health Service, Qld
  • Review, comments and feedback on successive drafts provided by members of the CRANAplus Bush Crisis Line & Support Services Project Advisory Group:
  • Australian College of Rural & Remote Medicine: Jack Shephard then Wendy Page
  • Services for Australian Rural & Remote Allied Health: Michael Bishop
  • National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations:Steve Larkin then Mary Buckskin
  • Royal Flying Doctor Service: Margaret Hansford then Barbara Ryan Thomas
  • CRANAplus State Representative: Mary Filmer, Victorian Bush Nursing Association.
  • CRANAplus Executive Committee member: Susan Green, RFDS, Port Augusta, SA
  • CRANAplus Executive Officer: Nigel Jefford
  • Nick Williams: Senior District Medical Officer, Alice Springs, NT
  • Sam Heard: Division of GPs Rural Registrar Program, Darwin, NT
  • Isabelle Ellis: CRANAplus
  • Review, comments and feedback on successive drafts were provided by members of the CRANAplus Executive Committee:
  • Sabina Knight, NT; Alison Dawes, NSW; Vicki Gordon, NT; Louis Ariotti, Qld; Sandyl Kyriazis, Qld; Chris Gill, Qld
  • The following people kindly offered comments and feedback on the final draft:
  • John Raftery: Australasian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
  • John Valent: Australasian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
  • Lenore Meldrum: Australian Critical Incident Stress Association
  • Beverley Raphael: Director NSW Mental Health, NSW
  • Peter Yellowlees: Department of Psychiatry, University of Qld
  • Richard Hayes: Centre for General Practice, University of Qld
  • Glen Norris: Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Consultant, Darwin Region, Territory Health Services, NT
  • Jenny Corey: Social Worker, Thursday Island, Torres Strait, Qld
  • Marsat Ketchell: Mental Health Worker, Thursday Island, Torres Strait, Qld
  • Larry Tierney: Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Consultant, Thursday Island, Torres Strait, Qld
  • Bart Welton: Psychologist, South West Counselling, Bridgetown, WA
  • John Keenan: Coordinator, Far West Mental Health Service, Broken Hill, NSW
  • Garth Richards: Associate Lecturer, University of New England, Armidale, NSW
  • Cliff Nelder: Far North Qld Critical Incident Stress Team, Cairns, Qld
  • Ken Meldrum: Assistant Director of Nursing, Cape York Health Service, Qld
  • Robert Corrie: Regional Health Worker, Cape York Health Services, Qld
  • Melanie van Haaren: DON, Remote Health Services, Alice Springs, NT
  • Sally Johnson: Remote Area Nurse & educator, Alice Springs, NT
  • Sue Lenthall: Senior Lecturer, Centre for Remote Health, Alice Springs, NT
  • Anne Kreger: Remote Area Nurse and administrator, Far North Qld

Who has endorsed the Best Practice Guidelines?

Member organisations of BCL & SS Steering Committee April 1999, Mental Health Council of Australia April 1999, Australian Nurses Federation Feb 2002