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Objective: The objectives of this paper are to provide an overview of recovery-focused models of care and discuss the implementation of the Strengths Model at St. Vincent's Mental Health Melbourne (SVMH), Victoria, Australia. Conclusions: The implementation of the Strengths Model at SVMH is discussed with particular emphasis on the process of implementation, service implications, practical challenges and dilemmas that have arisen, and proposed evaluation. Recovery-focused care is feasible and can enhance current practice of mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about the 2008 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Congress held on May 25-29 in Melbourne, Victoria is presented. Professor James Angus officially opened the Congress with a speech about working in partnerships and the development of the teaching of psychiatry at the University of Melbourne. Professor Ken Kirkby talked about education and learning in psychiatry and opportunities that the College provides in these areas.

• Summary: What characterizes the practice of expert mental health social workers? An observational study of social workers in a public mental health network in Melbourne, Australia sought to answer this question and the findings are reported in this article. As part of a larger study of mental health social work expertise, direct observation was done of the work of six practitioners engaged in a range of activities about which they were subsequently interviewed. • Findings: In the first stage based on group interviews, six themes were identified. These were termed: 1) 'The Knowledge'; 2) 'A lot of hard grind'; 3) 'We are here for the clients'; 4) 'The complicated and the difficult'; 5) 'The stone in the shoe'; and 6) 'Going ten rounds with the system'. In this second stage observational study, evidence was found for all of these six themes, plus two additional ones relating to supervision and the emotive content of the work. • Applications: Development of expertise consists of three elements: 1) a personality predisposition and personal capacity; 2) education; and 3) a conducive workplace environment. The application of the findings lies in developing the conditions for these elements to emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1995, the Royal Children's Hospital Mental Health Service in Melbourne developed the first telepsychiatry programme in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in Australia. A survey of 25 CAMHS clinicians in five rural regions who had used videoconferencing showed that 64% had used the technology for more than 18 months, and 20% had used it for 7–12 months. Also, 60% had used the technology on over 30 occasions, and 24% had used it on 20–29 occasions. Respondents clearly recognized its benefits in terms of their increased knowledge and skills (96%), strengthening of relationships with colleagues (92%) and decreased sense of isolation (92%). To build on the success of telepsychiatry there are a number of challenges that health service managers will need to address. Telepsychiatry works most effectively as a tool to complement face-to-face contact. It cannot be promoted as the total solution to the issue of isolation from mainstream services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]