Dr Hanan Khalil, the Chronic Disease Management director with the Evidence Transfer Award

At the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) 2013 International Convention in October, special recognition awards and certificates of recognition were presented to four international centres/nodes, including the Chronic Disease Management Node. Dr Hanan Khalil, Director of the Chronic Disease Management Node (CDM), received the Evidence Transfer Award for the significant development and maintenance of the CDM.

The Joanna Briggs Institute is an international organisation, operating more than 50 collaborating centres and groups around the world. JBI is a global collaboration of health scientists and clinicians that operate as an independent, not-for-profit organisation that seeks to improve global health, focusing on researching evidence-based healthcare.  JBI is based in University of Adelaide, South Australia.

The Chronic Disease Management Node (CDM) is a collaboration between the Monash University School of Rural Health and the School of Nursing and Midwifery with Latrobe Community Health Services (Inc.) and Latrobe Regional Hospital. The CDM is based at Monash University and is an affiliate centre of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).

The CDM centre focuses on promoting the development and implementation of evidence-based health care in chronic disease. To date the CDM centre has developed over 70 evidence summaries related to chronic diseases to help clinicians make decisions ‘at-the-bedside’. The centre conducts five executive committee meetings throughout the year, publishes two newsletters, has an internationally recognised expert reference group and a corresponding reference group that contributes to peer reviewing of the materials published by the centre. The CDM also focuses on offering electives for students interested in evidence-based health care research and publications. In the near future, the centre will focus on training clinicians, academics and students to undertake quantitative, qualitative and economic evaluation systematic reviews.

Dr Anton Neville Isaacs is a lecturer at MUDRIH (Monash University Department of Rural and Indigenous Health)

Describe your job/role

I mostly do research into mental health services for Aboriginal people. I also teach medical and nursing students as part of their Indigenous health and wellbeing program

Why is it important?

Mental disorders are the leading cause of disease burden among Aboriginal people after cardiovascular disease. Reasons can be broadly classified into adverse consequences of colonisation that include ongoing poor socio-economic determinants as well as poor access to services. Population-based approaches to improve socio-economic indicators require huge amounts of resources. However, improving access to services can be achieved by providing an environment where Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal mental health professionals can work together in a culturally sensitive way. This is not only very rewarding but also result oriented.

Most students have either an incomplete understanding of Aboriginal people or no understanding at all. Their opinions are mostly informed by the media and hearsay. Negative stereotypes of and attitudes towards Aboriginal people need to be challenged if we are to make any progress towards closing the gap.

What is the best aspect of your work with the School of Rural Health?

I cherish the autonomy and freedom I have in choosing the research I do and planning for it.

When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing?

Spending time at home with my children.

What was your most recent holiday destination and why did you choose it?

Phillip Island. It’s a nice place for a family holiday

If you were emperor for a day, what is one thing you would implement?

A thousand dollar fine for poor road etiquette (Abuse, tail gating, road rage, etc).

Surprise us! What is something about you that most of your peers would not know?

I used to be a Sea Cadet in School and was selected to march in the Republic Day parade at New Delhi. Unfortunately, the group that marched before us was a mounted regiment. Avoiding horse dung and keeping step and formation at the same time was challenging. But as a treat for having been selected to represent the Corps on the national stage, we were allowed to sail on Naval frigates and fly in helicopters.

Better outcomes for those affected by mental illness is the focus of two Monash University research projects that have received more than $4 million in combined funds from the Victorian Government.

In June, Minister for Mental Health Mary Wooldridge announced five projects to receive grants from the Victorian Coalition Government’s $10 million Mental Illness Research Fund.

One Monash grant was won by Associate Professor Darryl Maybery of Monash University’s Department of Rural and Indigenous Health (MUDRIH) and Dr. Andrea Reupert from Education (Krongold Centre) with $1,855,891 awarded to continue their research into support services for parents with a mental illness. They were partnered in the grant by Northern Area Mental Health Services, Family Life Shine, Parenting Research Centre, The Bouverie Centre, Eastern Health, University of Melbourne, Deakin University, Beyond Blue, Neami, and SANE Australia.

The four-year project, ‘Developing an Australian-first recovery model for parents in Victorian mental health and family services’, will trial specific interventions that engage families and children within specialist mental health and family services.

Associate Professor Maybery said ‘the Australian-first approach was expected to deliver significant mental health and wellbeing benefits to both parents and their children’.

‘The key question to be addressed by this project is how we can improve longer-term recovery of people with severe mental illness by addressing their parenting role as a core part of their treatment,’ Associate Professor Maybery said.

‘We know that between 21 to 23 per cent of all children at some stage have a parent with a mental health problem.’

‘Family interventions have important mental illness prevention benefits for children.

The five funding recipients were chosen from 43 submissions, based on the strength of their collaboration across different sectors, including the active and ongoing involvement of clients, their carers and families.

Congratulations to Dr Julie Willems of MUDRIH on the release of two books in which she is co-author. The books are entitled ‘Global challenges and perspectives in blended distance learning’ and ‘Outlooks and opportunities in blended distance learning’. Well done, Julie!

Guests at the NAIDOC celebrations

The team at MUDRIH celebrated this year’s National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) with a tasty luncheon, inviting guests from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, staff, industry colleagues, partners and friends.

The group also included representatives from the Gippsland Medicare Local, Latrobe Regional Hospital, Department of Human Services and Latrobe Community Health Service.

Tanisha Smitherson from the Gippsland Medicare Local gave the Acknowledgement and everyone enjoyed the luncheon and company. The group reflected on the state of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing and the individual and combined efforts to create positive outcomes for the local and national Australian Indigenous communities.

A ‘Thanks a Million’ afternoon tea party was held for volunteers at Latrobe Community Health Service (LCHS) in mid-May during Volunteers’ Week.

According to Jane Taylor, the MUDRIH lecturer who supervises a student-centred clinic at LCHS, the volunteers are “our secret weapon in providing a powerful role in student learning.”

“The volunteers are first trained as simulated clients, and they are on call to be interviewed by Interprofessional pairs of students. We were delighted to honour two of our faithful volunteer simulated clients, who have attended regularly since the student clinic started in 2010, amongst the finalists in the ‘Volunteer of the Year’. Some of our volunteers who are our simulated clients attended for the party along with many other LCHS volunteers.”

The ‘Thanks a Million’ volunteer afternoon tea had a 1960’s Rock and Roll theme.

Kerry Bell, administrative officer at MUDRIH for the GRIPS project and who also works at LCHS, collaborated with the LCHS volunteer coordinator Joanne Creighton to create a sixties ambiance. Kerry provided some of the music and posters and also led a troupe of enthusiastic and nimble footed rock ‘n roll dancers.

“Our MoU with LCHS is often serious, but sharing in a celebratory event such as the afternoon tea is just as important as the more academic side of our collaborations within the community health service,” Jane added.

Kerry Bell enjoyed the ‘Thanks a Million’ volunteer afternoon tea, especially the opportunity to break out the dancing shoes with Greg Cake.

Dr Julie Willems at MUDRIH is to be congratulated following her selection for the 2013 Mentoring Scheme for Women.

The E-Learning Designer and Educational Developer will be a mentee on the scheme, which is designed to increase women’s access to the learning and developmental opportunities provided by a mentoring relationship.

The Scheme involves a senior, more experienced individual (the mentor) facilitating the learning and development of the mentee by offering support, information and advice about career planning and skill development, and access to organisational knowledge and networks.

The next step for Julie is to attend a Mentee Preparation Session, held to help both the mentee and mentor prepare for the program.

Each mentee is matched with a suitable mentor, with the pair meeting about once a month during the course of the program from June to December this year.

This year’s program includes 32 academic and 30 professional staff from across the University who have been selected as mentees.

… and also becomes an author

Further congratulations to Dr Julie Willems of MUDRIH for the recent publication of her new book ‘Global challenges and perspectives in blended and distance learning.’

The book highlights the perspective, challenges and current practices within higher and distance education around the world. As a reference source it brings together a unique view of global research essential for academics, managers and leaders, researchers and practitioners in higher education and distance education.

The book co-authored by Dr Julie Willems.

Associate Professor Darryl Maybery of MUDRIH has been awarded $1,855,891 to continue his research in support services for parents with a mental illness.

His project – Developing an Australian-first recovery model for parents in Victorian mental health and family services – was one of five successful projects to be funded by the Victorian Mental Illness Research Fund.

Announcing the funding at the end of March, Minister for Mental Health, Mary Wooldridge said the funded projects were of very high scientific merit and build on Victoria’s key research strengths.

“The five projects were selected from a very strong field of 43 submissions and will build knowledge that can be applied to improve treatment and recovery outcomes for people with mental illness,” the minister said.

Associate Professor Maybery will lead the research project and work with SANE Australia, Family Life, Neami, the Bouverie Centre, the Parenting Research Centre, Raising Children Network, beyondblue, Eastern Health, Northern Health and the University of South Australia. The project will work with parents with a mental illness to develop and trial approaches that effectively engage families and children within specialist mental health services. This is expected to deliver significant mental health and wellbeing benefits to both parents and their children.

This year’s Joanna Briggs Institute convention is themed “The 2013 campaign for getting evidence into policy”. The convention will bring together Australian and international speakers and delegates in Adelaide from 21 to 23 October. Organisers are currently seeking abstracts (see the convention website for details.) Early bird discounts are also available for delegates who register by 12 July 2013.

The Joanna Briggs Institute promotes and supports the use of evidence in developing healthcare practices and policy globally. A collaboration of 70 entities across the world, it maintains a free database of evidence-based resources JBI COnNECT+, to help practitioners with clinical decision-making.

Charlotte D'Amore

Eleanor Mitchell and Angelo D’Amore, of East Gippsland Regional Clinical School and MUDRIH, are celebrating the arrival of their baby girl Charlotte, on Monday 25 March.

Parents and babe are all doing well and East Gippsland staff are lining up to assist with babysitting duties.

Contrary to the sign on Charlotte’s cot blanket, Angelo assures us that she is not for sale.

Baby statistics (statistics being Angelo’s forte) are:

Name: Charlotte Antonietta Margaret D’Amore
Born: Bairnsdale Regional Health Service
Birth Date: 25 March 2013, 5:05pm
Weight: 3,260kg, 7lbs 3oz
Length: 48cm
Head circumference: 35.5cm

Congratulations to both Eleanor and Angelo.