Rate My Professor Ellie Fossey

Emeritus Professor Ellie Fossey is a former Head of the Department of Occupational Therapy in the School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University. She completed her professional qualification in occupational therapy at Dorset House School of Occupational Therapy in England, a Master of Science in Health Psychology at City University, London in 1993, and a PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2009. Prior to academia, she worked as an occupational therapist in mental health services in London, New Zealand, and Australia, focusing on community teams, supported housing, and employment programs. Her academic career began at the University of South Australia with undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research, followed by positions at Coventry University and La Trobe University, before joining Monash University in 2015.

Ellie Fossey's research examines participation and disability, experiences of everyday living with mental health issues, and the effects of ongoing health conditions on engagement in daily occupations. She specializes in qualitative and participatory research methods, leading projects on the implementation of occupational therapy and recovery-oriented practices in mental health care, vocational interventions, tertiary education support for students with disabilities, and evaluations of Prevention and Recovery Care services. She holds adjunct appointments at La Trobe University and the University of Melbourne. Awards include the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Dean's Award for Excellence in Industry Education Programs (team, 2021), Monash University Vice-Chancellor's Excellence Award for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (2024), and Vice-Chancellor's Education and Research Excellence Awards (team, 2021). Key publications feature 'Understanding and evaluating qualitative research' (2002), 'Appraising the trustworthiness of qualitative studies: Guidelines for occupational therapists' (2007), 'Mental Health in Australia: Collaborative Community Practice' (2012), 'Co-designing formal health professions curriculum in partnership with students: A scoping review' (2025), and 'Increasing demand and persistent gaps in perceived need for mental health care: National findings from 2007 to 2021' (2026). As Editor of Frontiers in Psychiatry's Mental Health Occupational Therapy section, she contributes to the National Mental Health Services Conference Network and the National Mental Health Achievement Awards Assessment panel.