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(07) 3105 7800
Turrbal and Jagera Country
Level 4, 348 Edward Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
Dr Vicki Stonehouse is a dedicated clinician with the Palm Island Community Company (PICC), providing vital healthcare in a remote community where mental health emergencies often arise with limited support.
Dr Stonehouse recently attended her first Health Workforce Queensland (HWQ) professional development workshop on Emergency Mental Health, and we caught up with her to hear about her experience.
HWQ: Dr Stonehouse, can you share a bit about what made you decide to register for the Emergency Mental Health Workshop?
Vicki: I guess it was a combination of things. Working in a really remote community, we often have mental health emergencies and there’s limited resources to deal with those situations, usually it’s just us. That can get really stressful, so I wanted to pick up some more skills in that area and make sure I could give the best outcomes for patients back home.
HWQ: Was there anything that has surprised or stood out to you during the workshop?
Vicki: Actually, I was pleasantly surprised! The presenters took such a common-sense approach to situations we encounter with in remote and rural practice — and even urban settings, really. I wasn’t expecting it to be so clear and straightforward, but it was, and I feel like I learned a lot. So yes, expectations have definitely been exceeded.
HWQ: Health Workforce Queensland strives to bring in knowledgeable and engaging presenters for our workshops. How did you find the presenters and the way they delivered the content?
Vicki: I was impressed. You never quite know what to expect and whether the content will be relevant to the audience, but I felt the workshop was smartly designed to target remote and rural clinicians. I think the calibre of presenters has been really, really great!
HWQ: How do you see the skills you’ve learned helping you back in Palm Island?
Vicki: They’re going to be really useful. Just having a structured, simple approach, and knowing where to find support and extra information, will make a real difference when I’m back home dealing with mental health emergencies.
HWQ: What would you say to colleagues who haven’t attended one of these workshops before?
Vicki: I’d say, absolutely do it! It’s been a really great weekend, full of knowledge, new ideas, and you get to connect with people who really understand what you’re dealing with.
At HWQ, we take pride in delivering workshops that provide participants with practical, up-to-date knowledge to support their clinical practice. For Dr Stonehouse, who often finds herself managing mental health crises in a remote community with limited resources, the Emergency Mental Health Workshop has been really valuable. She now has a clear, practical framework to guide her decisions, along with the reassurance of knowing exactly where to access additional support if needed, giving her the confidence to provide timely, effective care to her community.
You can view our 2026 Workshops Calendar via the button below.
Pictured: Dr Vicki Stonehouse, talking with HWQ at the Mental Health Workshop in August.
