Tom Toner

Tell us about your career so far in the mental health sector.

I gained endorsement as a mental health nurse in 2005 in the UK. I initially worked within a private hospital in a 26-bed-unit that was designed to equip patients with skills to be able to live and function as independently as possible. From there, I worked as a community nurse and spent time moving between adult and older people’s services to gain a broader experience across patient groups.

In 2011, I commenced work with a crisis team that both operated out of an emergency department and was community based. Here I qualified as a prescriber where I worked until 2016 before emigrating to Australia. I have retrained as a Nurse Practitioner and have been working with the drug and alcohol service since November 2024.

What made you choose a career in mental health? 

I worked as a support worker before I started my nurse training and enjoyed it. At 19, I started university in mental health nursing and have never looked back.

What do you find most rewarding about your current role? 

I find the commencement of treatment being the most rewarding given the usually quick response to treatment. People with an opioid addiction with comorbid mental health conditions have been generally disadvantaged and spending time talking to them has lead to an upturn in some people’s lives.

What do you find most challenging about your current role?

I go to a prison one day per week and seeing people, who misuse illicitly sourced opioids paying tens of thousands of dollar per year, is difficult.

What does a typical day for you look like? 

A typical day consists of a morning cup of tea (still very much English), checking emails and the daily clinic lists. I will then review individual medical records to assess progress and to check if there have been any medical admissions or recent pathology. Clinic is usually completed by 1.30pm so the afternoon is spent completing paperwork.

What are misconceptions you believe people have about working in the mental health sector?

1. That people with a mental health problem get off lightly in terms of charges for crimes but this is not true, in the slightest. I have worked with the forensic team and can count on one hand the amount of people who were deemed unfit at the time of an alleged offence.
2. That people with mental health issues all use drugs. While there is a portion of the patient group who do, this is usually to self medicate and being locked inside of your own chaotic mind must be so difficult to live with… who wouldn’t use drugs to cope?
3. That we have it easy and drink tea and coffee all day. This is something that I have heard, but Iike any job, this is only a very small part of the day.

What advice would you give to people who are interested in working in mental health?

Go into it with an open mind, don’t judge people and treat people the way you would want your family member treated. It’s rewarding and you can literally travel the world with it. For new starters, structured clinical supervision is highly recommended!