Ben Thomas
Dr. Ben Thomas
Chief Nurse St Vincent's Mental Health Service & St George's Aged Psychiatry Service
Ben Thomas is committed to the advancement and development of humane mental health services across the Asia Pacific Region. As part of his current role he has the lead for the Post Graduate Overseas Specialist Training Program (POST) for nursing and allied health staff. This is a joint venture between St. Vincent’s Mental Health Service and the University of Melbourne. The training program caters for professionals who wish to develop their knowledge and expertise in modern mental health service delivery. The program also provides on-site training and consultation in various Asian Pacific countries including Malaysia, China, Cambodia and Korea.
Prior to working at St. Vincent’s Mental Health Service Ben worked in the UK where he held a number of senior clinical, managerial and academic appointments. One of his major achievements is being awarded a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing for his outstanding contribution to the art and science of mental health nursing. Ben completed a Batchelor of Science in psychology and sociology at Brunel University, England, a Master of Science in nursing at the University of Manchester and his Doctorate in psychiatry at Kings College, University of London. Ben has written widely on the topic of mental health and has edited three text books. He is on the editorial board of a number of academic journals and is a columnist for a UK mental health journal.
When not working Ben enjoys the good food and wine and the café lifestyle Melbourne has to offer. He enjoys reading, theatre, travel, rowing and jazz.