What Are the Challenges and Enablers to Delivering Peer Support Within Rural Primary Care?
Tracks
Grand Ballroom 3 - In-Person Only
| Thursday, November 6, 2025 |
| 12:05 PM - 12:35 PM |
Overview
Associate Professor Tania Shelby-James, Flinders University
Presenter
Associate Professor Tania Shelby-James
Principal Research Fellow
Flinders University
What Are the Challenges and Enablers to Delivering Peer Support Within Rural Primary Care?
Presentation Overview
Background
Peer support workers (PSWs) are increasingly employed in paid roles within many parts of mental health system within Australia and many other countries. The evidence for their effectiveness in supporting holistic recovery-oriented outcomes is clear. Research on the various enablers and barriers to their inclusion within existing mental health systems and alongside existing workforces is also clear. However, inclusion of PSWs in primary care services is extremely limited despite the significant potential to provide earlier support and help address gaps in care and support. Research investigating their role within rural mental communities and services is also extremely limited.
Methods
We undertook an MRFF-funded trial exploring the feasibility and acceptability of mental health peer support in primary care with four Australian primary care clinics (three in rural locations), with PSWs drawn from local Community Managed Organisations (CMOs). The study included workshops and in-depth interviews with mental health consumers, family carers, PSWs, CMO managers and general practice staff to establish the model of care to be used in the trial, and post qualitative in-depth interviews with these stakeholders, plus a range of process and outcome quantitative data collected during the trial and post-trial.
Results
There was overwhelming support for peer support in primary care by all stakeholder groups. Several enablers and barriers to implementation of peer support in primary care were identified. Challenges included structural differences in service delivery and communication, primary care awareness of the PSW role, and known peer support workforce challenges.
Conclusions
Results of this trial show that there is still much work to be done to bring primary care ways of working and CMO / peer support ways of working together to deliver this important support to community members who seek mental health support in primary care. Despite the challenges, there is significant goodwill to do so.
Peer support workers (PSWs) are increasingly employed in paid roles within many parts of mental health system within Australia and many other countries. The evidence for their effectiveness in supporting holistic recovery-oriented outcomes is clear. Research on the various enablers and barriers to their inclusion within existing mental health systems and alongside existing workforces is also clear. However, inclusion of PSWs in primary care services is extremely limited despite the significant potential to provide earlier support and help address gaps in care and support. Research investigating their role within rural mental communities and services is also extremely limited.
Methods
We undertook an MRFF-funded trial exploring the feasibility and acceptability of mental health peer support in primary care with four Australian primary care clinics (three in rural locations), with PSWs drawn from local Community Managed Organisations (CMOs). The study included workshops and in-depth interviews with mental health consumers, family carers, PSWs, CMO managers and general practice staff to establish the model of care to be used in the trial, and post qualitative in-depth interviews with these stakeholders, plus a range of process and outcome quantitative data collected during the trial and post-trial.
Results
There was overwhelming support for peer support in primary care by all stakeholder groups. Several enablers and barriers to implementation of peer support in primary care were identified. Challenges included structural differences in service delivery and communication, primary care awareness of the PSW role, and known peer support workforce challenges.
Conclusions
Results of this trial show that there is still much work to be done to bring primary care ways of working and CMO / peer support ways of working together to deliver this important support to community members who seek mental health support in primary care. Despite the challenges, there is significant goodwill to do so.
Biography
Associate Professor Tania Shelby-James is an internationally recognised expert in change management, knowledge exchange, and workforce capacity building, with a strong focus on mental health. She was a co-investigator on innovative peer-led support initiatives in primary care and leads a national workforce program for community-based psychosocial services. Tania works closely with the federal government and the NDIA on improving psychosocial service delivery. Her work is grounded in a commitment to equity, aiming to ensure all Australians—regardless of income or location—have access to high-quality mental health care.
Professor Sharon Lawn
Researcher / Mental Health Lived Experience Advocate
Flinders University / Lived Experience Australia
What Are the Challenges and Enablers to Delivering Peer Support Within Rural Primary Care?
Presentation Overview
Background
Peer support workers (PSWs) are increasingly employed in paid roles within many parts of mental health system within Australia and many other countries. The evidence for their effectiveness in supporting holistic recovery-oriented outcomes is clear. Research on the various enablers and barriers to their inclusion within existing mental health systems and alongside existing workforces is also clear. However, inclusion of PSWs in primary care services is extremely limited despite the significant potential to provide earlier support and help address gaps in care and support. Research investigating their role within rural mental communities and services is also extremely limited.
Methods
We undertook an MRFF-funded trial exploring the feasibility and acceptability of mental health peer support in primary care with four Australian primary care clinics (three in rural locations), with PSWs drawn from local Community Managed Organisations (CMOs). The study included workshops and in-depth interviews with mental health consumers, family carers, PSWs, CMO managers and general practice staff to establish the model of care to be used in the trial, and post qualitative in-depth interviews with these stakeholders, plus a range of process and outcome quantitative data collected during the trial and post-trial.
Results
There was overwhelming support for peer support in primary care by all stakeholder groups. Several enablers and barriers to implementation of peer support in primary care were identified. Challenges included structural differences in service delivery and communication, primary care awareness of the PSW role, and known peer support workforce challenges.
Conclusions
Results of this trial show that there is still much work to be done to bring primary care ways of working and CMO / peer support ways of working together to deliver this important support to community members who seek mental health support in primary care. Despite the challenges, there is significant goodwill to do so.
Peer support workers (PSWs) are increasingly employed in paid roles within many parts of mental health system within Australia and many other countries. The evidence for their effectiveness in supporting holistic recovery-oriented outcomes is clear. Research on the various enablers and barriers to their inclusion within existing mental health systems and alongside existing workforces is also clear. However, inclusion of PSWs in primary care services is extremely limited despite the significant potential to provide earlier support and help address gaps in care and support. Research investigating their role within rural mental communities and services is also extremely limited.
Methods
We undertook an MRFF-funded trial exploring the feasibility and acceptability of mental health peer support in primary care with four Australian primary care clinics (three in rural locations), with PSWs drawn from local Community Managed Organisations (CMOs). The study included workshops and in-depth interviews with mental health consumers, family carers, PSWs, CMO managers and general practice staff to establish the model of care to be used in the trial, and post qualitative in-depth interviews with these stakeholders, plus a range of process and outcome quantitative data collected during the trial and post-trial.
Results
There was overwhelming support for peer support in primary care by all stakeholder groups. Several enablers and barriers to implementation of peer support in primary care were identified. Challenges included structural differences in service delivery and communication, primary care awareness of the PSW role, and known peer support workforce challenges.
Conclusions
Results of this trial show that there is still much work to be done to bring primary care ways of working and CMO / peer support ways of working together to deliver this important support to community members who seek mental health support in primary care. Despite the challenges, there is significant goodwill to do so.
Biography
Sharon is a Professor in Public Health at Flinders University, previously Director of the university's Department of Psychiatry research unit, and lead SA Mental Health Commissioner in 2020-21. Prior to these roles, Sharon worked in mental health, aged care and disability services in SA for 23 years. Sharon is also Executive Director of Lived Experience Australia, a nationally awarded mental health consumer/carer advocacy organisation. Sharon brings her personal and carer lived experience to several national representative roles including the Board of Mental Health Australia. Sharon continues to undertake a broad range of mental health research from a lived experience perspective.
