This episode of Psych Matters recorded at the 2023 RANZCP Congress in Perth is about remote supervision for psychiatry trainees.
Inequitable access to psychiatric care has been highlighted as a significant shortcoming for both the Australian and New Zealand mental health care system for some time.
The college developed a rural psychiatry roadmap 2021 to 2031, a pathway to equitable and sustainable rural mental health services, and has made a number of proposals for change, emphasizing how building the rural psychiatry workforce will require the development of dedicated rural psychiatry training pathways to fellowship.

The roadmap focuses on expanding opportunities for aspiring psychiatrists to live, train and practice rurally, as well as optimising the support available for those who take up these opportunities. One of the key priority areas for the roadmap has been to develop the remote supervision regulations which have been endorsed by the board and will be implemented over the coming years.

Remote supervision is for newly created and established training posts that have not previously been provided by existing resident psychiatry supervision. The principal supervisor does not reside in the location and is primarily off site. Remote supervision is not designed to replace existing supervision arrangements but rather extend the training opportunities into locations which may have been unable to offer a training post due to meeting requirements of the current supervision policies.

This conversation is with Associate Professor Jill Benson and Associate Professor Mat Coleman, who were involved with an expert advisory group in the development of the remote supervision guidelines and new regulations.


Associate Professor Jill Benson AM is an Adelaide-based GP who has mostly worked with refugees, Aboriginal people and doctors. She is also an academic and medical educator and has written the Remote Supervision Guidelines for the RACGP as well as RANZCP.

Associate Professor Mathew Coleman is a consultant psychiatrist with the WA Country Health Service, Clinical Director for the Great Southern and Midwest Mental Health Service and Clinical Academic with the Rural Clinical School of WA. He is a qualified child and adolescent, and addiction psychiatrist and has experience and qualifications in health service management. He was also the former Commissioner with the National Mental Health Commission.

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Disclaimer:
This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP’s Your Health In Mind Website.