42nd International Mental Health Nursing Conference
25 - 27 October 2016
Adelaide Convention Centre, South Australia

There are many factors that impact on the health of Australians. Where there is disparity, across any aspect of life, health outcomes are affected. Compared to people from the general population, people with mental illness experience reduced life expectancy, poor physical health, and reduced access to treatment for a range of health issues.

Join mental health nurses and key stakeholders from around the world in Adelaide in October at the International Mental Health Nursing Conference to network and discuss programs and models of care aiming to improve outcomes for consumers, carers and their families.

The conference theme - nurses striving to tackle disparity in health care - encompasses a number of areas for discussion including cultural diversity, clinical care, and new directions for nursing practice. The Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) is keen to hear from nurses and stakeholders working in mental health practice and research as part of this three day event, and is inviting abstract submissions until 15 May 2016.

Keynote speakers are still being announced, and the College is thrilled to have Professor Philip Darbyshire presenting the annual ACMHN Oration as part of the conference. Professor Darbyshire began nursing almost by accident, and in a career spanning over 40 years (so far) he has worked across a range of clinical, education, research and leadership areas, with a particular focus on all aspects of children’s and young people’s health.  He is internationally recognized as a leader in nursing and health care research and service development.

For 13 years Professor Darbyshire has led one of Australia’s most successful practice-based research departments at Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide, described by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards as, “an example of excellence in research leadership”. As a consultant, nurse leader and speaker, he has helped health services, NGOs and Universities in Australia, New Zealand, UK, Norway, Sweden and Italy to ‘raise the bar’ and ‘change how they change’.

Professor Darbyshire is a part-time Professor of Nursing at Monash University, a prolific and provocative speaker and writer and a proud ambassador for AWCH (Association for the Wellbeing of Children in Healthcare) and Patron of the ‘'Supporting Silk Sisters’ maternal child health programme in Cambodia.

Join Professor Darbyshire and a number of internationally renowned speakers, including Gabrielle Kelly (SAHMRI) and Sharon Lawn (Flinders University), in Adelaide for ACMHN2016 to discuss the future of mental health nursing.
For information about the conference or to submit an abstract to present please visit acmhn2016.com, email events@acmhn.org or call the College on 1300 667 079.