The recruitment, retention and training of mental health workers is of major concern in rural
Australia, and the Gippsland region of Victoria is no exception. Previous studies have
identified a number of common factors in these workforce difficulties, including rurality,
difficulties of access to professional development and training, and professional and
personal isolation. However, those previous studies have often focused on medicine and
been based on the perspectives of practitioners, and have almost ignored the perspectives …

Introduction: The recruitment, retention and training of mental health workers is of major
concern in rural Australia, and the Gippsland region of Victoria is no exception. Previous
studies have identified a number of common factors in these workforce difficulties, including
rurality, difficulties of access to professional development and training, and professional and
personal isolation. However, those previous studies have often focused on medicine and
been based on the perspectives of practitioners, and have almost ignored the perspectives …