A Day in the life of a DVA Psychiatrist

Psych Matters

This episode explores the work of psychiatrists in government, private practice and research for the population of military and veteran personnel in Australia. The conversation covers various specialist fields in psychiatry, including trauma-related disorders, substance abuse and forensic work. A/Prof Jon Lane, Leonie Nowland, Dr Alex Lim and Prof Jenny Firman discuss their experiences in private practice and its unique challenges and opportunities. They also highlight the role of Open Arms, a national counselling service for the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), in providing culturally aware and trauma-informed care.
A/Prof Jon Lane, FRANZCP, MBBS (Hons), PhD, has been in the Army since 1989 and is also an Afghanistan veteran. He is a clinician in private practice, as well as holding several different roles. These include being a Consultant Psychiatrist for the DVA and Open Arms; the Psychiatry Lead for the University of Tasmania School of Medicine; and has adjunct appointments and research projects with the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research and Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation. He is also the current Chair of the College's Military and Veterans' Emergency Services Personnel Mental Health Network.
Leonie Nowland is the First Assistant Secretary of Open Arms. Leonie has a wealth of experience working in critical roles in mental health across the State and Commonwealth public sectors and in the private sector in the UK and New Zealand. Leonie’s move to the role of First Assistant Secretary of Open Arms, is the culmination of many years’ experience in the mental health sector and she brings to the role a strong background as a mental health administrator and clinician, with a focus on community mental health.
Dr Alexander Yick-Chern Lim is an Adjunct Associate Professor with the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) at the University of Queensland, and Co-Founder, Director and Chief Medical Officer of Zed3 Medical Group, a nationwide mental healthcare services provider. He is a Consultant Psychiatrist at Zed3 Specialist Centre, and is engaged with policy, research and education in the field of serving and ex-serving uniformed personnel healthcare with a focus on precision medicine. Dr Lim is a member of the Military, Veterans' and Emergency Services Personnel Mental Health Network at the RANZCP.
Professor Jenny Firman AM joined the Royal Australian Navy as a medical student and over the next 22 years of full time service was posted to a range of positions in the Navy and Australian Defence Force. After leaving the full time Navy she spent a decade in the Australian Government Department of Health working on communicable diseases and health emergencies. In 2019 she was appointed as the Chief Health Officer in the DVA.

Topic suggestion:
If you have a topic suggestion or would like to participate in a future episode of Psych Matters, we’d love to hear from you.
Please contact us by email at: [e-mail]

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.