Mental Health Workforce Collaboration and Partnership: Towards a response to World Health Assembly Resolution WHA 57.19

Using Australia as the main example, the aim of this paper is to consider selective aspects of the forthcoming World Health Report 2006 as it sets an agenda to create a responsive and dynamic health workforce. At the core of a culturally competent mental health workforce will be clinicians prepared to question and respond to particular health experiences and what they, managers and policy makers of all per-suasions see as different perceived causes of concern, optimal care and culturally appropriate support and treatment. The enlargement of focus contained in this paper is intended to stimulate more informed and compassionate awareness and respect for alternative points of view held between health and human service workers and communities from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.