Dr Rao will be responsible for both clinical and operational aspects of the Spectrum service. A restructure of the senior leadership positions within Spectrum will come into effect on 21 June, in order to promote high quality clinical care and efficient service provision.

Dr Rao will be responsible for both clinical and operational aspects of the Spectrum service. A restructure of the senior leadership positions within Spectrum will come into effect on 21 June, in order to promote high quality clinical care and effIt is estimated that 1.8 per cent of the general population experience Borderline Personality Disorder. Spectrum handles approximately 230 cases per year, including direct treatment to patients, secondary consultation to mental health services and statewide training.

Dr Rao comes to Eastern Health with extensive experience, most recently as the Director of Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) at Southern Health. Well known to the Eastern Health community, Dr Rao has been working as a consultant psychiatrist at Spectrum since July 2006.

Dr Rao is Chair of the Victorian Psychiatry Training Committee (VPTC). The committee oversees the statewide approval of psychiatric trainee applications to specialty psychiatry training. The VPTC office will move to Eastern Health as a result of Dr Rao’s appointment.

Proactive in the education and training of psychiatrists, Dr Rao currently holds the position of Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Monash University’s School of Psychology and Psychiatry.

Dr Rao has clinical qualifications from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in India, including a Diploma in Psychological Medicine, Master of Psychological Medicine and is a Diplomat of the National Board in Psychiatry and fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

“We look forward to having Dr Rao on board at Eastern Health on a full-time basis, as his experience and knowledge will be a huge asset to our organisation,” said Associate Professor Paul Katz, Eastern Health’s Executive Clinical Director of the Mental Health, Turning Point, Alcohol and Drugs Program.

About Spectrum

Spectrum, the Personality Disorder Service for Victoria, was established in 1998 supports the treatment of people who have severe or borderline personality disorder and are being treated by State Government-funded area mental health services (adult mental health services, child and adolescent mental health services and other statewide mental health services). There is an emphasis on patients who are at risk from serious self-harm or suicide, who have particularly complex needs.

Media information: Ashlea Milner, Eastern Health Communications & Community Relations, ph 03 9895 4879cient service provision.