It has been a year of transition, reflection, and planning for the future. Having been appointed CEO in April, I’d like to extend my thanks to my predecessor, Chris Gibbs whose leadership has laid very solid foundations on which MHPN will continue to evolve and grow.
This year has seen a significant increase in both the diversity and number of practitioners who have engaged with MHPN’s Programs, evidencing that our goal to improve multidisciplinary care continues to resonate with, and be of value, to clinicians.
In 2024, our National Networks Program held over 900 meetings with more than 10,000 attendances, both online and at locations all over Australia. We’re proud to offer our interdisciplinary networks the flexibility of tailoring their meetings to the unique needs of their community. Of note, this year many have chosen to focus on ADHD and neurodiversity, trauma, and eating disorders.
Our Online Professional Development Program has also been very well supported by practitioners. Twenty-four podcasts were produced in the year, attracting thousands of listens. In addition, more than 11,000 practitioner attendances were recorded at the 14 webinars broadcast in 2024. A wide range of topics were covered via webinars and podcasts including Borderline Personality Disorder, trauma, chronic pain, eating disorders, and suicidality and bereavement.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Board and Member Organisations; the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses, the Australian Psychological Society, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners for their guidance and support this year, particularly in developing our new strategic plan. Set to launch in 2025, this plan builds on our strong foundations, guiding our path forward to increase our reach and enhance our impact on supporting excellence in multidisciplinary care in the dynamic mental healthcare landscape.
I’d also like to acknowledge the contributions of our volunteer Network Coordinators, the organisations we’ve partnered with this year, and all the clinicians who have provided their expertise to network meetings, webinars and podcasts.
I wish everyone a safe and happy festive season and I’m excited about MHPN’s future and what we can achieve in 2025 and beyond.
