NSW Branch Executive 2010-2011

Greg Clark - NSW Branch Chair

Greg originally trained at Macquarie Hospital, North Ryde, commencing in 1978. He has worked continuously as a mental health nurse since that time. He received authorisation as Nurse Practitioner in 2007. Greg holds a Bachelor of Health Science (MHN) from Charles Sturt University and a Master of Nursing (Advanced Practice) and Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) from the University of Newcastle. He has been a College member since 1999, was awarded Fellowship in 2005 and was part of the original national cohort of credentialed mental health nurses. Greg was appointed to the Board of the Institute of Psychiatry by the Minister for Health, as the College representative, at the beginning of 2008. He received the Stan Alchin Award in 2007 and The Stan Alchin runner up award and The Hunter Mental Health Award in 2008. Greg has been actively involved in College activities since joining and became a member of the NSW Branch Executive in 2007, Vice Chair in 2009 and Chair in 2010. He has co-written a number of position statements for the College and has been a peer reviewer for the Credential for Practice Program for several years.

Terry Froggett - NSW Branch Deputy Chair & Chair Illawarra Branch

MSc BHA FAIM RN MHN FACMHN

Terry is a credentialed Mental Health Nurse and Fellow of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses. Co-ordinator of undergraduate mental health nursing at the University of Wollongong and is committed to evidenced based practice and organisational learning and development.

Experienced in providing innovative and learner focused seminars and programs, which facilitate; Mental Health Nursing, knowledge transfer, management of change, organizational culture, management and leadership development.

Terry holds formal qualifications and accreditations in Nursing, Management, psychological type and emotional intelligence. Terry is an accomplished researcher and is published in several management books and journals. Currently he is completing a PhD, on the topic of Learning Organisations, at the University of Wollongong. Terry has international experience in teaching and learning.

Anabel de la Riva - NSW Branch Secretary

Anabel de la Riva started working in the field of mental health in 1993 and has worked in a number of mental health settings over the years including acute inpatient, community acute crisis team and case management. Currently Anabel works as Clinical Nurse Consultant on the Consultation Liaison Psychiatry team at Westmead Hospital. Her areas of focus in the hospital include renal & transplant, aged care, cancer, orthopaedics, and neurology and also with outpatient clinics with cardiac patients. She is making her way (slowly) through the Masters of Mental Health Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) and is currently involved in the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses as Secretary for the NSW Branch. She is a Fellow of ACMHN and a Credentialed MHN. Anabel is the inaugural Ambassador for MHN in NSW.

Janine van Bruinessen – NSW Branch Treasurer

I am currently employed as a Recovery Services Manager for Sydney West Area Mental Health Network. I am a Registered Nurse and have worked in various roles both clinical and managerial during the past 17 years. My experience includes acute and recovery focused clinical practice in both hospital and community settings. I have completed a Master of Nursing -Mental Health and am currently completing a Master of Health Service Management. My special interest include recovery and rehabilitation program development, clinical risk management, community mental health care, service development / evaluation and professional development. I have been a member of the ACMHN since 1993 and became a fellow in 2009. I currently hold the role of the ANZCMHN New South Wales- Branch Treasurer ( since 2006), in addition to being a current executive member for the Greater Western Sydney Regional Branch.

Denise McGarry - Chair Education Committee

Denise has worked in mental health nursing since she began her training at North Ryde Psychiatric Centre in 1977. From 1988 she has taught in the university sector and from 2003 held the position of Nurse Manager for Education in Mental Health Drug & Alcohol Services in Northern Sydney Central Coast Health. Denise is a credentialed mental health nurse and Fellow of the ACMHN. She has worked in the Education Committee of the NSW Branch of the ACMHN since 2006 holding the position of Deputy Chair and has just been elected chair. Denise also serves on the ACMHN Accreditation Committee. Her special interests include the clinical placement experience of mental health for pre-registration nurses, the use of simulation in teaching mental health concepts, communities of learning, history of psychiatric treatment and interventions for physical illness co-morbidities experienced by mental health consumers.

Sue Liersch - Deputy Chair Education Committee

Sue Liersch is a credentialed mental health nurse who works in private practice under the Medicare Mental Health Nurse Incentive Scheme. Sue also works as a lecturer in mental health nursing to undergraduate nursing students at the University of Wollongong and a consultant lecturer to the NSW Police Force in their Safe Custody Program. Sue is currently completing a PhD in the area of resilience and schizophrenia and in 2008 completed a Churchill Fellowship to investigate less restrictive practices in acute mental health care. Sue is Treasurer for the Illawarra Branch of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses and is Deputy Chair for the NSW Education Committee of the ACMHN.

Regina McDonald - Education Committee

Position:

• Area CNC for Specialist Mental Health Services for Older People Sydney South West Area Health Service and Braeside Hospital, Hammond Care
• Course coordinator for the Management of Challenging Behaviours in Old Age at the NSW Institute of Psychiatry

Qualifications:

• Registered Nurse and Credentialed Mental Health Nurse
• Certificates in Midwifery and Gerontology
• Bachelor of Health Science
• Master of Nursing (Mental Health)
• Currently undertaking Doctor of Philosophy at ACU National, Australian Catholic University, Nth Sydney

Affiliations:

President of the Psychogeriatric Nurses’ Association, Australia (Inc)Member of the College of NursingFellow of the ACMHN

Sue Kennedy - Executive Officer

Sue Kennedy has been nursing for over 40 yrs & a Fellow of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses.

• Holds hospital-based training as a General Nurse, Midwife and Psychiatric Nurse.
• Has completed a Bachelor of Health Science & Master of Mental Health Nursing, Nurse Practitioner.
• Registered as a Nurse Practitioner & working as a CNC in Emergency Mental Health & Consultation Liaison.
• Is a continuing panel member to the Australian Nurses Registration Board for the Nurses Tribunal & impaired Nurses.
• Has been member for five years on the NSW Mental health & Drug & Alcohol Office working party for Emergency Department Mental Health.

Associate Professor Kim Foster - Executive Officer

Kim Foster has been a mental health nurse academic for over 20 years, and is currently Associate Professor Mental Health Nursing at Sydney Nursing School, The University of Sydney. Kim is a member of the ACMHN NSW Branch Education Committee, Fellow of the ACMHN and member of the ACMHN Research Committee. She was the Scientific Chair and member of the Organizing Committee for the 33rd ACMHN International Mental Health Nursing Conference in Cairns.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

REGIONAL BRANCH EXECUTIVE 2010-2011

Andrea McCloughen - Greater Western Sydney Chair

MHN FACMHN MRCNA MSTTI

QUALIFICATIONS: PhD MN (Mental Health) BN

CURRENT POSITION: Postdoctoral Research Fellow Mental Health Nursing Sydney Nursing School, University of Sydney.

MENTAL HEALTH EXPERIENCE:

Prior to commencing at Sydney University early 2010, Andrea worked for over fifteen years in acute and rehabilitation inpatient mental health services. Over that time she held clinical positions and worked as a Nurse Educator, Clinical Nurse Consultant and Project Officer and worked on a number of clinical research studies. She has provided clinical supervision, peer support, and CISM to mental health nurses, is a credentialed mental health nurse, and a Fellow of ACMHN. Her research interests include physical health of mental health consumers, mental health nursing practice, nursing mentorship and leadership and mental health consumer and carer expertise.

Joanne Seymour – GWS Secretary

I have been a mental health nurse for 15 years, and am currently employed as a Nurse Practitioner In the Emergency Department Nepean Hospital. I am a credentialled mental health nurse and a fellow of the college. I have been an executive member of the NSW Branch in 2009. I hold 4 masters degrees in mental health nursing across the lifespan.

Rebecca Sherriff – GWS Deputy Secretary

Qualifications: B Nursing

Current Position: Clinical Improvement officer, Eastern Cluster Mental Health SWAHS

Mental Health Experience: Work Experience includes a broad range of nursing roles, including CNS within Community Mental Health Extended Hours Crisis Team and Consultation Liaison Services. I gained valuable experience in project management as the Project Officer for the National Mental Health Benchmarking Project (Blacktown, SWAHS). As the Clinical Improvement Officer for eastern cluster the core functions of my role are:

• Co-ordination of EQUIP4 within eastern cluster
• Collection and review of the ACHS clinical indicators
• Review of current practices, procedures and policies
• Review Quality Improvement Projects and guide the project leads in the process

Maureen Lagan – GWS Treasurer

My name is Maureen Lagan I am Clinical Nurse Specialist with over 25 years nursing experience, in general, psychiatry and mental health nursing. For the last five years I have worked in Perinatal Psychiatry/Mental Health.

I have had the additional bonus experience of hospital-based training in general and psychiatry nursing, my university qualifications include Bachelor Health Sciences Nursing and Master of Management.

As a member of ACMHN GWS regional branch I have gained enormous experience in the various roles and functions of the NSW and GWS branches. Activities and roles have included Executive Member, Vice Chair, Chair, Education Officer, and Conference Convenor. I am currently in the position of treasurer at GWS ACMHN

I have many interests, but currently I am very enthusiastic in my aim to build on my knowledge and experience in the field of Perinatal Psychiatry / Mental Health nursing and assist the nursing profession in their clinical experience with this population.

Jane Lee – Education Officer

Megan Buxton

Qualifications:

• April 2000 Master of Nursing (Mental Health) University of Western Sydney, Nepean
• February 1998 Registered Nurses Mental Health Course Cumberland Hospital
• October 1997 Bachelor of Nursing University of Western Sydney, Nepean

Current Position: A / Clinical Nurse Consultant – Mental Health Rehabilitation Cumberland Hospital

Mental Health Experience: I graduated Master of Nursing – Mental Health in 2000. I attained my Clinical Nurse Specialist status in January 2008. My experience in mental health nursing spans 13 years, working directly in clinical, consultative and educational roles. I have worked in acute and rehabilitation settings, acted in Clinical Nurse Consultant role,Project officer and as Educator in the Nurse Education Centre at Cumberland Hospital. I have managed programs of education for Enrolled Nurses, Registered Nurses, Re-connect nurses, allied health staff, domestic staff, and clinical rehabilitation / recovery programs.

Robyn Bowcock - Executive Officer

Qualifications:

• Registered Nurse – Certificate General Nursing;
• Certificate Psychiatric Nursing;
• Master of Nursing (Mental Health)

Current Work Position: Quality Systems Manager – Mental Health Network, SWAHS

Mental Health Experience: Diverse experience spanning Acute Inpatient, Community – Acute, Case Management, Early Intervention & Rehabilitation. Community CNC role for 6 years, with secondments to Consultation Liaison and Project work at Nursing & Midwifery Office (NaMO). Working in Quality for a 2 years.