Mental Health - challenges and opportunities for workplaces
This session explores a range of contemporary mental health issues , bringing together evidence, expert perspectives and real-life experience in relation to prevention, assessment and management.
Dr Michael Schirripa
Psychiatrist, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
When the scan is silent: Functional Neurological Disorder and work injury
Functional Neurological Disorder (or what was previously called a Conversion Disorder) has become a far more common presentation in terms of workplace injuries and the workers' compensation scheme, as these workers are increasingly seen by occupational physicians, pain specialists, neurologists and psychiatrists. At times we are confronted with a baffling mixture of psychological and physical medicine, as aetiology, symptoms and treatment can all seem bewildering and unclear. As such, it is a pertinent time to look at how a psychiatrist approaches these types of complex workplace injury presentations.
Learning Objectives:
By participating in this session, delegates can expect to:
- Understand how a Functional Neurological Disorder is diagnosed.
- Understand the psychiatric history of this condition and how this condition is caused.
- Discover the evidence-based treatment options for Functional Neurological Disorder.
Dr Dan Pronk
Ex-SASR Special Operation Doctor, Author, Medical Director
Building your resilience shield
Discussion of The Resilience Shield model, which presents resilience as a dynamic, multifactorial, and modifiable construct and offers evidence-based tools to build resilience and manage stress in high consequence roles.
Learning Objectives:
By participating in this session, delegates can expect to:
- Develop a better understanding of the interaction between stress, performance and resilience
- Explore a structured approach to proactively build resilience and mitigate stress prior to an overt stress reaction
- Gain practical, evidence-based tools to manage stress and build resilience
Dr Jo-Jo-Anna Wilson
Occupational Physician
The quest for doctors in denial
This moving and sometimes confronting life story is told by an Adelaide
occupational physician who has lived with the challenges of gender incongruence throughout life. Given that gender dysphoria affects an estimated 0.5% of the population, one might expect around 500 Australian doctors to be transgender or experience gender dysphoria. Yet only about a dozen could be identified. Why the disparity?
Learning Objectives:
By participating in this session, delegates can expect to:
- Develop an understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by transgender people, including within the medical profession.
- Transgender does present issues in the workplace: identify strategies to foster inclusive and supportive work environments.
- Reflect on the impact of stigma, bias and discrimination on transgender individuals, and consider opportunities to promote greater inclusion and equity within the medical profession.
