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.

East Gippsland Regional Clinical School has hosted an information night for Koori students interested in a career in the health sector.

The evening in early August included a discussion forum on pathways and support for careers in Medicine, Nursing and other Health Professions.

The forum at the School’s Bairnsdale campus was highly successful, with 19 attendees, including community members and representatives from many key organisations. The event opened with a welcome by Uncle Albert Mullett, followed by a presentation by Doris Paton and Debra Blaber. They highlighted findings from their research into identifying ways in which more local Aboriginal people could work in the health sector.

The steering committee and instigators for this research were the East Gippsland School for Aboriginal Health Professionals (EGSAHP), with support from the East Gippsland Regional Clinical School, local secondary colleges, especially the local Koori Engagement Support Officers (KESOs), students and parents. This project evolved from community members recognising a need in the community.

The research was undertaken in East Gippsland, with surveys conducted at Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance Secondary Colleges. Parents and families also contributed by participating in focus groups or interviews, with a total of 98 people taking part.

The research highlighted the need to raise awareness of careers in the health profession, to identify role models for students in the community, to offer work experience at local health services, as well as providing useful and timely information about health courses and university entry requirements.

While it was said that there should be no barriers to Koori students completing school and pursuing further studies, the research showed that lack of transport, peer pressure, teacher attitudes, financial issues, as well as family support and stability, were all issues for students.

This research and the forum provided an opportunity for EGSAHP, the health services, schools, agencies, parents and community to work collaboratively to improve outcomes. The findings will now provide a direction and way forward for EGSAHP.

–       By Eleanor Mitchell, Lecturer, East Gippsland Regional Clinical School and Department of Rural and Indigenous Health, Monash University

Eli Ristevski attended the recent Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC)/International Society of Oral Oncology (ISOO) International Symposium on Supportive Care in Cancer Conference.

It was held in Berlin, Germany and Eli presented a poster entitled: ‘Health professionals’ knowledge, attitudes and skills in supportive care screening and referral: outcomes of an education program.’

The poster presentation has provided a basis for two key publications to come out of the study, one by the end of the year and the other planned for mid-2014. Eli said the conference reinforced to her that Australian research into cancer supportive care is world class.

The emphasis was on how different health care systems and policies can impact on patient care. For example, issues of travel, availability of services and even having the drugs to treat people.

Differences in cultural meanings associated with cancer are an issue, where families can request that a patient is not told they have cancer.

Eli felt this was a challenge to her personal and professional beliefs about patient care, patient involvement in decision making, information seeking and provision, confidentiality and the role of the family in the care trajectory. Patient care issues around the world demonstrate how different health systems can achieve different health outcomes for people.

A reminder that the Academic Conference Attendance and Funding Guidelines and Application Form can be accessed on the Staff Intranet.

As stated in one of Judi Walker’s recent communiques, the Ethics Application Flowchart is now available on the School of Rural Health Intranet.

All Monash Ethics applications, Multi-Centre applications or external applications need to follow the process on the flowchart.

A reminder that you can also find the flowcharts for grant and contract research applications which outline the process for submitting grants and establishing contracts for research projects.

Please contact Cathy Ward if you have any questions about these processes.

Following are research funding opportunities available in the next three months, identified by the existing School of Rural Health searches on Research Professional.  Remember, if you would like to learn more about Research Professional please contact Helen Chambers or Cathy Ward who can help you set up specific searches or alerts for your particular area.

Research grants – Financial Markets Foundation for Children
Grants support projects that aim to improve the health, well-being and welfare of children in Australia. The foundation generally awards grants of between AU$50,000 and AU$80,000 for up to two years. This award is listed in the Australian Competitive Grants Register (ACGR) – research income Category 1.
Closing date: 30 Sep 13

Beat cancer hospital research grants – Cancer Council South Australia
These support cancer research and integration of translational research activities into health outcomes. Grants are worth up to AU$250,000 per year for a period up to five years. Equivalent matched financial support from a partnering source is required.
Closing date: 30 Sep 13

Focus grant – Heart Foundation of Australia
This supports research projects that specifically address research questions identified by the foundation and deliver information that can inform the future work of the foundation.  The grant is worth up to AU$150,000.
Closing date: 01 Oct 13

Clinical placement scholarships  – Australian Department of Health and Ageing
These support allied health and oral health students to undertake a clinical placement in a rural or remote Australian community during their degree. Scholarships are worth up to AU$11,000 for a maximum period of six weeks.
Closing date: 08 Oct 13

Honours grants – National Stroke Foundation Australia
These are for honours students undertaking a thesis in the area of stroke research. Grants will be made to students in the areas of allied health, nursing and basic science. The value of the grant is AU$3,000.
Closing date: 17 Oct 13

Travel grants – Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International
These enable Australian early-stage researchers or allied health and nursing professionals to travel to research institutions or scientific meetings for the purpose of furthering their expertise on type 1 diabetes. Grants are worth up to AU$2,000 for domestic travel or up to AU$4,000 for international travel.
Closing date: 18 Oct 13

Accelerator research grants – National Breast Cancer Foundation
These enable research teams to further develop cancer research capacity and competitiveness in translational research. Grants are worth up to AU$250,000 per year for up to five years.
Closing date: 18 Oct 13

Robert Pierce grant-in-aid for indigenous lung health – Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand
This supports a project focused on understanding and improving the lung health of indigenous people in Australia or New Zealand. Grants are worth AU$15,000 for one year.
Closing date: 16 Nov 13 (Forecast)

Lizotte family research award for interstitial pulmonary fibrosis research – Australian Lung Foundation
This aims to assist research in interstitial pulmonary fibrosis.  The award is worth AU$5,000.
Closing date: 19 Nov 13 (Forecast)

Future fellowships – Australian Research Council
These encourage mid-career researchers to build collaborations across institutions and disciplines by conducting innovative research. Each investigator’s administering organisation will receive up to AU$50,000 annually to support research related infrastructure, equipment, travel and relocation costs. Fellows can receive up to AU$203,248 per year for up to four years.
Closing date: 30 Nov 13 (Forecast)

Note: MRO Closing date is early-mid Nov (tbc)
For further information, go to the Staff Intranet.
Contact: Michelle Armstrong

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released a new report late in August, titled ‘Alcohol and other drug treatment services in Australia 2011-12.’

Almost 700 agencies provided more than 150,000 treatment episodes for alcohol and other drug issues in Australia in 2011-12.

Most of the closed episodes provided in 2011-12 were for clients receiving treatment for their own drug use, and these clients tended to be male and in their 20s and 30s.

Alcohol was the most common principal drug of concern, accounting for almost half of these closed episodes, and counselling was the most common type of treatment.

View the media release and download the full report for free online.

There was plenty of networking at the Research Soiree.

Monash and La Trobe Universities have a proven track record of working together in North-West Victoria.

This was evident at a Research Soiree held recently in Bendigo to give staff an opportunity to exchange news about current research activities, share ideas for future research collaborations, renew old acquaintances and make contacts. Approximately 50 staff from both universities attended.

A proposed joint Research Bootcamp from 20-24 January 2014 based in Bendigo received strong support from attendees who provided plenty of suggestions for activities to include in the program.

Cathy Ward will be working with Jacquie Randles from La Trobe University to finalise a program in the next month.

All education, clinical and research staff and students are invited to take part in the Journal Club.

It is held on the second Wednesday of each month, either in Bendigo, Gippsland, and Mildura in person or by tele/videoconference link.

This month’s article is: Crocombe LA, Stewart JF, Brennan DS, Slade GD and Spencer AJ  2012 ‘Is poor access to dental care why people outside capital cities have poor oral health?’ Australian Dental Journal 57: 477-485

Facilitator: Matthew McGrail

When:         11 September 2013

Time:          12 noon- 1pm

Where:        Meeting Room 3 (Level 2), School of Rural Health, 26 Mercy St Bendigo or by videoconference (IP 130.194.213.113) or teleconference (9903 5988) from other sites.

Please let Cathy Ward know if you are able to participate in this journal club.

The next SRH Educational Technology Inservice will be held on Wednesday 18 September, on the topic Qualtrics 2, and run by Keith Sutton and Shane Bullock.

It is from 1.00pm to 2.00pm via videoconference.

Details are as follows:

To join the conference from a Video Conference endpoint dial:

• From inside Monash: 35929
• From outside Monash: 35929@monash.edu or  130.194.20.3 then enter conference 29

To join the conference from a telephone (Audio Only):

• From a Monash phone: 35929
• From outside Monash:  +61 3 990  35929

For further details, or to suggest or offer to present a session, please contact Dr Julie Willems.

Laura Bidstrup is enjoying the upgrades at Yarram made possible through Commonwealth funding.

One of the clinics which supports East Gippsland medical students has had a face lift, thanks to Commonwealth Government Rural Education Infrastructure Development (REID) funding.

The funding has started to make an impact at the Yarram Medical Centre with the recent acquisition of two beds, a high low, desks, computers and some medical equipment.

Laura Bidstrup, who has been placed at the Yarram clinic for the 2013 academic year as part of the East Gippsland Regional Clinical School integrated Year 4C program, is happy to now have a realistic ‘doctor’s office’ in which to hone her skills.