Sustaining Australia’s mental health workforce: personal and professional benefits of participation in the Mental Health Professionals’ Network (MHPN) network program

Abstract

Introduction: Interprofessional networking enables health professionals to be part of a supportive and collaborative collegial community. The Mental Health Professionals’ Network (MHPN) was established to support Australia’s mental health workforce to deliver collaborative mental healthcare. MHPN’s National Networks Program has been shown to improve professionals’ knowledge and skills in collaborative care, but little is known about the personal benefits to network members’ sense of connection and wellbeing. Method: Using a cross-sectional design, an online survey of participants of MHPN’s National Networks Program who had attended at least one meeting over a 20-month period was undertaken to assess benefits obtained across three broad areas: professional development, improved wellbeing, and workforce cohesion. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were undertaken to investigate prevalence of benefits obtained and to identify factors associated with increased benefits. Results: 735 health professionals who had attended MHPN network meetings completed the online questionnaire. Findings demonstrated high endorsement of items assessing improved interprofessional awareness and connection, increased work satisfaction and confidence, reduced isolation and increased belonging, and reduced stress and improved wellbeing. Benefits were greatest for those who attended more meetings and those who attended in person. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates the personal benefits of professional networking for Australia’s mental health professionals. The findings highlight the importance of MHPN in supporting the resilience and sustainability of Australia’s mental health workforce.