Allied Health Graduate Program in Mental Health - West Moreton Hospital and Health Service

West Moreton Hospital and Health Service (West Moreton Health) is committed to growing its workforce and creating a workplace where staff and others are valued and excel.

As part of its focus on innovative strategies to attract and retain an allied health workforce in mental health services, West Moreton Health is offering the Allied Health Graduate Program in Mental Health (AHGP).

The AHGP is an opportunity to strengthen the allied health workforce in mental health by enhancing the clinical education and learning culture within West Moreton Health and focusing on 'growing our own'.

About the program

The AHGP is a 2-year (24-month) comprehensive work-based program for eligible allied health new graduate exercise physiologists, occupational therapists, psychologists and social workers seeking to develop and apply their skills in mental health.

The AHGP offers graduates:

• a positive transition to professional practice specifically in mental health, with access to workplace learning while supporting clinical and professional skills development
• opportunities to work in a range of mental health specialised services within West Moreton Health, focusing on core skills development for the mental health alcohol and other drugs workforce
• the opportunity for graduates to rotate 4 times and gain experience in a range of different clinical areas and specialised mental health teams and settings over the 2-year period
• a combination of formal education and work-based experience, including
  • workplace education and training
  • interdisciplinary training days
  • Queensland Centre for Mental Health Learning (QCMHL) courses
  • discipline specific supervision
  • journal clubs and more.

Benefits of the AHGP

The AHGP provides a balance of both theoretical and experience-based learning opportunities.

During the program you will:

• work and learn with other allied health graduates in dynamic, highly professional multidisciplinary mental health teams
• gain specialised skills and experience in a variety of clinical areas and specialised mental health teams and settings, including
  • Acute Care Team – Ipswich Hospital
  • Adult Community Care Teams – Goodna Community Health and Ipswich Health Plaza
  • Alcohol and Other Drugs Service (AODS) – Ipswich Health Plaza
  • Child and Youth Mental Health Service (CYMHS) – Ipswich Health Plaza and Goodna Community Health Centre
  • EVOLVE Therapeutic Service – Ipswich Health Plaza
  • Gailes Community Care Unit – Gailes
  • Living Well Team – Ipswich Hospital
  • Mental Health Acute Inpatient Service (MHAIS) – Ipswich Hospital
  • Older Persons Community Mental Health Service – Ipswich Health Plaza
  • Prison Mental Health Services – Centre for Mental Health, Treatment, Research and Education, Wacol
  • The Park – Centre for Mental Health, Treatment, Research and Education, Wacol
• have access to comprehensive and quality education and professional development opportunities in addition to discipline-specific supervision and support.

Who can apply

The following graduate roles are eligible for the AHGP:

• exercise physiologists
• occupational therapists
• psychologists
• social workers.

Note: A position in the program is reserved for a candidate in either exercise physiology, occupational therapy, psychology or social work that identifies as Indigenous to the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community.

Applicants should be committed to working in West Moreton Health during the 2-year program, while undertaking a variety of allocated mental health rotations.

To ensure the safety and security of employees, Queensland Health requires a number of pre-employment checks, such as mandatory vaccinations and criminal history checks.

How to apply for the AHGP 2025 recruitment

The AHGP recruits bi-annually and recruitment for the 2025 intake is now open, with a view for commencement in February 2025.

Applications close Sunday, 29 September 2024.

To apply:

• visit the Queensland Government Smart Jobs Advertisement for the West Moreton Allied Health Graduate Program in Mental Health:
  • AHGP – Exercise Physiologist, Occupational Therapist, Psychologist, Social Worker
  • AHGP – Exercise Physiologist, Occupational Therapist, Psychologist, Social Worker (Identified)
• read through all information and documentation and follow the instructions to submit your online application:
  • review the comprehensive AHGP 2025 Recruitment Prospectus in conjunction with the relevant role description for your profession. This will support you with each step of the application process
  • ensure that you have submitted all required documents and completed your application in full prior to submitting
• submit your application by Sunday, 29 September 2024.

All applications for the program must be submitted via the relevant Queensland Government Smart Jobs advertisement for the role as linked above. Those who have previously registered their interest in the program through the Graduate Portal will still need to submit their applications through the above Smart Jobs links in order to be considered for the program.

More information

• Email WM_MHSS_AlliedHealthGraduate@health.qld.gov.au for more information or enquiries about the AHGP.
• Read about West Moreton Health.