Catherine Schofield RN MN CGNC MCATSINaM, is the Executive Director of Nursing /Director of Service for Statewide Mental Health Services in Tasmania, a position she has held since Sept 2021. 

Catherine was born in the United Kingdom, where she undertook her hospital-based mental health nurse training before emigrating to Australia in 1996. In Australia, she continued to expand her knowledge, graduating from a Bachelor Degree in Applied Science (Nursing) from Sydney University in 1993, and completing further qualifications in Management, Human Resource Management, and Forensic Behavioural Science.  The completion of her Master Degree in Nursing in 2005 saw her registered as the first Tasmanian Nurse Practitioner.

Soon after arriving in Sydney, she worked as the only clinician on one of Sydney’s first needle and syringe programs.  This work gave her an immense regard for peer workers and the importance of ensuring that when health care is provided the input from those with lived experience is fundamental.

Throughout the Tasmanian health sector, in both the government and non-government divisions Catherine is well known and well regarded.  In 2006 Catherine was appointed as the inaugural manager for Tasmania’s first dedicated forensic mental health facility.  In 2008, she relocated to the north of Tasmania for a period of 4 years and worked as a Strategic Nurse Coordinator and led significant reform of local mental health services.  In all roles, Catherine’s focus is the development of a person-centred culture of inclusion, the least restrictive practice and the upholding of consumer rights.

During her time as the Strategic Nurse Coordinator, she was also the lead clinician on the Beacon Project, a national initiative to reduce and where possible eliminate restrictive practices in mental health settings, work she has continued to promote by becoming an advocate for Safewards in Tasmania and leading the community of practice established for this purpose.  She was also instrumental in leading the work to establish all Tasmanian public mental health facilities as smoke-free environments.

From 2012-2019 she was a member of the National Mental Health Online Development Expert Reference Group which provided content advice and review for an online education platform for all mental health clinicians.

She served as the chair of the Tasmanian branch of the College of Mental Health Nurses 2008-2010 and remains a member of this organisation.  In 2010, she was accepted into the Tasmanian Leaders program and following that, appointed to the Tasmanian Lead Clinicians group, 2012-2014, which provided advice to the Tasmanian Government on health service reform.

Catherine is a passionate practice developer and works in a facilitative, person-centred way.  She has been involved with the International Practice Development Collaborative (IPDC) since 2008, facilitating the 5-day immersive workshops, which focus on the development of workplace cultures in health that promote human flourishing for all.  In 2012, she led the successful application for the Tasmanian Health Service (THS) to become a member of the IPDC. 

Catherine is also a past recipient of the Florence Nightingale awards and in 2019 she graduated from the International Council of Nursing’s Global Nurse Leadership Institute program.  In 2020 Catherine became a regional facilitator for that program as it transferred to an online mode of delivery due to the pandemic.  In 2021 Catherine was certified as a Global Nurse Consultant by the International Council of Nurses.

Catherine worked as a clinical advisor to both the Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing and the Tasmanian Minister for Health from 2014 – 2021 providing high-level strategic advice regarding contemporary mental health policy and clinical practice to government.

In 2021 Catherine was inducted into the Tasmanian Nurses and Midwives Honour Roll. 

Catherine’s current position as Executive Director of Nursing and Director of Service for the Tasmanian Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug and Forensic Mental Health Services has seen her transform the service from being on the verge of losing accreditation status (3 years ago when she was asked to take over the leadership of the service)  to becoming a service with a thriving safety and quality focus, strong governance and is seen as a service to emulate within Tasmanian in a number of areas. 

Catherine has also served as the Tasmanian Practitioner member on the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Australia since 2018 and been closely involved in regulation since 2010 when she served as the chair of the Tasmanian NMBA until being appointed to the National Board.

Catherine also works for the International Council of Nurses, Global Nurse Leadership Institute (GNLI) as the Western Pacific Regional Facilitator for the GNLI program and has undertaken this role since 2020.