Mental health clinician, Alexandra Robertson, has expanded her passion for Child and Youth Mental Health Services (CYMHS) at North West Hospital and Health Service (North West HHS), lured by affordable accommodation, adventure, and beautiful scenery, but retained by a supportive workplace and a work-life balance.  

“In the city, it could take me 30 minutes to get to work, in Mount Isa we live in a beautiful place where I can get to work in 4 minutes and I get to develop my dream career working as part of the Evolve Therapeutic Services within the North West HHS CYMHS,” Alexandra said.

“I am passionate about my career in mental health, and the Mental Health team is very supportive and I’m able to leave work at work.

“The lifestyle out here is fantastic, I can switch off on weekends and because of the shorter travel times between home and work, I feel like I have time after work to do recreational hobbies and interests outside of work hours.”

In rural areas like North West Queensland there is more career progression, and the lifestyle benefits are unparalleled.

Alexandra has a bachelor’s degree in law, where she dealt with cases pertaining to child safety, through this work she discovered her passion for child protection and worked to get her masters in social work so she could assist youth with supporting their wellbeing.  

Prior to joining the North West HHS, Alexandra worked in Rockhampton and made trips out to Woorabinda and the Banana Shire work, so she was experiencing both city and remote living, before her husband was offered a role in Mount Isa, beginning their outback adventure. 

“I was looking for the opportunity to move into the Evolve Therapeutic Services space for 6 years when I discovered the opportunity after moving for my husband’s work, and I knew I had to take on the role,” Alexandra said.

“I wanted to get into Evolve Therapeutic Services because it’s an intensive long-term holistic approach to providing mental health services in out-of-home care for children and youth who have significant concerns with their mental health.

“Getting to watch these children engage in a way that builds their skills and suits their cultural developmental needs, is incredible, and you’re able to tailor the therapeutic intervention to suit the psychosocial needs of the child, plus their family, carers, teachers, or support workers, to provide them the appropriate support that also takes into consideration developmental needs and disabilities the child may be experiencing.”

Social workers are highly regarded in multi-disciplinary teams and have a lot to offer in consumer care.

Alexandra is especially happy to have put down roots in North West Queensland while she and her partner embrace the lifestyle and supportive working arrangements.

“Living in North West Queensland is absolutely amazing. I’ve lived in Sydney and Rockhampton and rarely got out to enjoy nature, but now here we can go to the lake and pack up for the weekend to go camping.”

Take your health career further in rural Queensland, with access to inhouse supervision for clinicians from staff such as Alexandra and the team.

For more information on current job vacancies, please visit the North West HHS careers page: Work with us | North West Hospital and Health Service