Overview

Clinical neuropsychologists enter the workforce as highly trained clinicians and researchers, yet many receive little formal preparation for influencing the health systems in which we work. In a small discipline that is easily overlooked, advocacy is essential. Advocacy is not activism - it is the quieter work of educating, influencing, and ensuring our contributions are visible and valued. With increasing financial pressures on health services and growing threats to public health psychological care and research investment, advocacy is no longer optional in our profession.

This session explores the different forms of value neuropsychology offers and how we can communicate this effectively to a variety of audiences. It will also reflect on the shared responsibility for advocacy across all career stages, acknowledging the training gap that leaves many clinicians unprepared for leadership and systems work. Real world examples will illustrate practical ways to influence our systems and strengthen the role of neuropsychology in healthcare.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand advocacy within a healthcare context including approach, levers and opportunities for neuropsychology.
• Articulate the different types of value neuropsychology provides and the outcomes that appeal to decision makers and stakeholders.
• Apply practical strategies at all career stages to influence services and contribute to system improvement.
• Learn about the APS advocacy team and tips on how we can engage with the APS advocacy team.

Presenter(s)

About the presenter(s)

Jo is a Senior Director of Psychology (General Health) and a Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist at Austin Health, and an Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne. She has extensive experience in leadership, governance and advocating for psychology at a hospital and broader system level, including as a past Chair of the Victorian Directors of Psychology and as a current member of the Allied Health Council at Safer Care Victoria. A strong advocate for the value of psychology in public health, Jo has secured numerous Victorian Department of Health Grants for novel models of care as well as other research funding totalling over $3.5 million.

Kylie Coventry is the APS General Manager of Professional and Public Interest, providing leadership across the Policy and Research teams, Professional Advisory and Professional Resources teams, and the Community Advancement and Projects team. Kylie joined the APS over five years ago and, prior to her appointment as General Manager in April 2025, was Head of Policy.

Kylie is a counselling psychologist with more than 35 years’ experience. Alongside her role at the APS, she maintains a private practice one day per week.

Kylie is deeply committed to the profession of psychology and, through her work at the APS, has played a key role in driving advocacy to profile and promote the profession across the health, mental health and disability sectors. This includes strengthening the visibility of the evidence base underpinning psychological science, supporting professional practice, and highlighting the significant contribution psychologists make across diverse sectors and settings.

Notes

Target Audience

This event is aimed at all Psychologists and Neuropsychologists.

Please note:

• This is a Member Groups event. All communication will be sent to the registrants’ registered email address. This includes event reminders with details (such as the Zoom link) and any pre-event or post-event resources, if provided by the facilitators.
• A post-event email will be sent within two weeks of the event’s completion to each registrant’s registered email address. This email will include the CPD certificate, event-recording, and any additional resources shared during the session.

Duration of Access

This event will be recorded. The recording will be emailed to all registered within 2 weeks post event and available for viewing up to 90 days.

CPD

It is up to attendees to assess and determine how learning from this event aligns with the requirements of their learning plan. The providers accordingly do not make any representation that the event counts towards attendees’ CPD learning requirements. If an attendee determines themselves that the learning they complete aligns to their learning plan, then they can decide to count those hours towards their CPD requirements for the registration cycle.

The information in this presentation has been prepared in good faith and for educational purposes only. Therefore, the information is general in nature and should not be relied upon in the treatment of any condition and you should seek your own independent professional and/or legal advice concerning any specific issue. The APS accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions or decisions relating to the information. The content should not be reproduced without permission or unless permitted by law.

If you are experiencing registration difficulties please contact APS Events Support.