Allied Health Research and Translation

• Dr Sarah Price (Neuropsychologist, McKellar Community Rehabilitation Centre) won the Qualitative Research prize category for her poster, ‘An Interdisciplinary Group Intervention Program for Persisting Symptoms After Concussion’ at the Barwon Research Symposium. Sarah’s work has developed clinical practice and the scope of rehabilitation options that can be offered at McKellar to individuals following concussion. Her work is currently being prepared for publication.
• Barwon Health’s Speech Pathology team has kept up their winning streak in the Dr Renée Sheedy Scholarships. Speech pathologist Lidia Davies was one of this year’s recipients alongside physiotherapist Gabby Schultz and Allied Health Clinical Education Manager Angela Brommeyer. The recipients received funding to support their attendance at the National Allied Health Conference (NAHC) where Lidia and Angela presented posters. Allied Health Director Paula Harding also presented on Allied Health advanced practice at the NAHC.
• Physiotherapist Alex Cain is leading a multidisciplinary project reviewing the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary model of care for chronic lung disease. The introduction of this new model of care is supporting more streamlined care for patients at Barwon Health and was recognised as a winner in the Barwon Best Care awards.
• Five Allied Health Clinicians presented their research at the 2024 Western Alliance Symposium. Nicola Lloyd (Physiotherapist), Meg Barber (Psychologist), Chloe Brown (Speech Pathologist), Gabby Schultz (Physiotherapist) and Sarah Price (Neuropsychologist) did an amazing job showcasing a wide scope of research and generating follow-up from an engaged region-wide audience.
• Physiotherapist Dr Stephen Gill led a successful application for a $20,000 Barwon Health and Deakin University Business of Health Grant to assess the feasibility of using personal mobile devices to objectively evaluate changes in life-space mobility in older adults following hip or knee replacement surgery
• The Allied Health Clinical Trials Unit has been growing the number of projects and Allied Health professionals it supports. Following on from leading a 3-year project funded by Cancer Council Victoria, Allied Health Clinical Trials Lead Catherine Williams is developing mechanisms to support allied health staff involvement in clinical trials, alongside input from consumers.  This includes work being undertaken as part of her PhD investigating the best methods for training allied health professionals to lead more clinical trials.
• With the introduction of the National Clinical Trials Governance Framework and the inclusion of clinical trials in healthcare service accreditation, the unit aims to ensure Allied Health are equipped to do clinical trials, and to do them well.

• Physiotherapist Catherine Williams is the first Barwon Health and Deakin University Clinician Scientist Pathway Scholarship Recipient. The Clinical Scientist Pathway is an innovative collaboration between Barwon Health and Deakin University supporting clinicians to maintain a clinical role at up to 0.5 FTE with protected PhD research time, blending patient care with research.
• Allied Health were successful in securing an Australian Physiotherapy Association Pat Cosh Trust Fund Grant to support ongoing research aiming to improve support for clinical educators. Clinical educators, performing their roles within a healthcare setting, are integral to supporting optimum patient care, delivery of best practice and the professional development of colleagues. The findings of the study will inform the development of a competency-based framework to facilitate improvements in service-based education for physiotherapy practitioners.
• For the first time, Barwon Health oncology dietitians implemented the Victorian Cancer Services Malnutrition Point Prevalence Study. This survey is undertaken every 2 years across Victoria to assess the prevalence of malnutrition risk and identify areas requiring local improvement in the management and treatment of malnutrition in Victorian Cancer Services. This was a great opportunity to be involved in an ongoing regional research project, with credit to the oncology dietetics team for making it happen.
• The HIPSTER study [HIP fracture Supplemental Therapy to Enhance Recovery] has completed recruitment. HIPSTER is a multi-site Australian trial funded by NHMRC that investigates the effects of a more intensive early physiotherapy program on the recovery of patients with hip fractures. It is a huge credit to Rupert Sangster (Principal Investigator), a great team, and the broader physiotherapy department who assisted with the delivery of the trial at Barwon Health that recruitment was completed in May. Data collection will continue until April 2025.
• The Allied Health Clinical Trials Unit is in its formative stages. While currently focusing on oncology trials [supported by grant funding from Cancer Council Victoria, the Victorian Cancer Agency and Western Alliance] the team, led by Catherine Williams, are developing mechanisms to support allied health staff involvement in clinical trials, alongside input from consumers. With the introduction of the National Clinical Trials Governance Framework and the inclusion of clinical trials in healthcare service accreditation, the unit aims to ensure allied health are equipped to do clinical trials, and to do them well.
• The 2024 award of the Dr Renée Sheedy Scholarship were received by the Barwon Health Speech Pathology team with funds awarded to progress research supporting a risk feeding policy and education programme. The programme of work will be led by Speech Pathologist Chloe Brown. Beth Davidson (Allied Health Clinical Trials Co-ordinator [ACT-ONC project] and Dietitian) received funding to support her attendance at World Indigenous Cancer Conference.

There are a number of projects active projects in this stream including:

The Allied Health Clinical Trials Unit – Oncology Project (ACT-ONC Project)

The primary aim of this project is to build capacity for Allied Health professionals to lead clinical trials in cancer supportive care and survivorship. This is a multi-stage 3-year project funded by a Clinical Trials Management Scheme Competitive Grant from Cancer Council Victoria and the Victorian Cancer Agency ($500,000), and a Funding Support Grant from Western Alliance ($20,000).

The education and training needs of Allied Health professionals to engage with and lead clinical trials are being explored as part of a Barwon Health/ Deakin PhD by the Project Lead.

Consumer perceptions of Allied Health clinical trials will also be investigated – recruitment is about to commence in a qualitative study examining consumer needs when engaging with Allied Health clinical trials as trial participants. Consumers are also as a part of the study design team.

For further information on the ACT-ONC Project please contact Project Lead Catherine Williams, Physiotherapist.

A randomised control trial evaluating the effect of different trismus exercise regimens on adherence during radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.

This multi-site randomised controlled trial is investigating whether different stretching regimes using a device known as the ‘Restorabite’ lead to improved adherence to the stretching program, and what the impact of this is on the development of trismus in head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation therapy.

Trismus (restricted mouth opening) is a common problem after oral cancer treatment, causing significant functional and quality of life impairments. Trismus impairs access to the mouth for oral hygiene and dental care, which can lead to malnutrition, anxiety, impaired socialisation, and loss of employment.

Barwon Health’s Speech Pathology department is involved as a site for this trial, being led by the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse in NSW, and supported by the Allied Health Clinical Trials Unit at Adrian Costa Clinical Trials Unit.

For more information on this trial please contact Rebecca Hart (Manager, Speech Pathology) or Catherine Williams (Allied Health Clinical Trials Lead).

The Exercise Prehabilitation Trial (EXERT)

This is a feasibility trial investigating the use of a remote monitoring digital platform and wearable technology to improve the safety and accuracy of at-home exercise monitoring during prehabilitation (clinician-led exercise) prior to autologous stem cell transplant for individuals with Multiple Myeloma.

This collaborative project between the Institute of Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN-Deakin) and Barwon Health (Allied Health and Cancer Services).

For further information on this study please contact Catherine Williams, Physiotherapist, Allied Health Clinical Trials Lead.

Surgery for breast cancer – Barriers and enablers to engagement with prehabilitation

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Australia. Unfortunately, breast surgery can commonly result in loss of shoulder and neck movement, increased pain and limited ability to participate in everyday life. Actively engaging in clinician-led exercise before surgery for breast cancer (prehabilitation) offers an opportunity to improve fitness, reduce long term issues with shoulder movement, arm strength and pain. Despite established benefits, the Barwon Health prehabilitation service was poorly utilised.

This research aimed to investigate why, with the goal of shaping a service that facilitates more people to access prehabilitation and potential improvements in patient outcomes relating to fitness, neck and upper limb pain and dysfunction. April and the team were awarded a $5,000 Western Alliance Emerging Researcher Seed Grant to support this work.

Results indicated that clinician time constraints for discussion about, and referral to prehabilitation may impact on participation rates, while patients expressed motivation to participate in prehabilitation to improve their overall fitness and wellbeing prior to breast surgery.  This project has now been published in the journal ‘Supportive Cancer Care’ and can be accessed here.

For more information on this project, contact physiotherapists April Chiu or Sarah Huntly.

Advancing psycho-oncology care services

Psycho-oncology services are a key element in optimising outcomes for patients undergoing cancer treatment.

Evaluation has been undertaken to appraise an online group psychoeducation intervention for people with cancer that has been integrated into a stepped-care model. The success of this model has generated international interest with the Barwon team leading the way in implementation and evaluation. Further exploration of this model of care is being undertaken as a qualitative study in collaboration with Deakin University’s Professor Vicki White.

Quantitative findings that show the psychoeducation intervention appears to be acceptable with high uptake and satisfaction; a significant reduction in waiting times from referral to first intervention and the proportion of patients requiring more intensive 1:1 therapy. Senior Psychologist Fiona Lynch presented findings from this study at the International Psycho-oncology Society (IPOS) World Congress 2023 (Milan, Italy).

For more information on this project, contact the lead researcher Fiona Lynch, Senior Clinical Psychologist.

Psychological prehabilitation for people undergoing autologous stem cell transplant: a qualitative study

This project evaluated the perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals on psychological prehabilitation prior to autologous stem-cell transplant. Barwon Health staff collaborated with Deakin University’s Professor Vicki White and  Masters Research Student Kathryn Wilkin, using qualitative research to guide developments in patient-centred care. Findings of this study will be presented at the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) / International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) Annual Scientific Meeting 2025 (Adelaide).

For more information on this project, contact Fiona Lynch, Senior Clinical Psychologist.

Strengthening Health Services Response to Family Violence (SHRFV)

Family Violence impacts patients and workforce at Barwon Health. From 2018 to mid-2021, Barwon Health received funding to roll out the Strengthening Hospital Responses to Family Violence (SHRFV) initiative, and provide support to Colac Area Health, Hesse Rural Health and Great Ocean Road Health Service to implement this enhanced response to family violence. This initiative sits alongside the Victoria-wide Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework (MARAM). Policies, procedures, practice guidance and tools supporting the response to family violence need to align with the MARAM framework and encompass ongoing legislative requirements of the Child and Family Violence Information Sharing Schemes.

Our current research aims to provide an evidence-based understanding of the impact, outcomes, and processes that have evolved through the implementation of the SHRFV project and the expanding legislative requirements. Alongside assessing the impact of implementation, we will be exploring staff perceptions of training that supports engagement in addressing family violence and defining the requirements for a sustainable, effective and legislation-aligned model for the future.

This research aims to support Barwon Health to be instrumental in reducing family violence, family violence injuries, deaths from family violence and facilitate the effective provision of support.

The final report for this project has been completed and the team are now busy preparing a journal submission to share their learning from this project.

This project is led by members of the social work team; Karen Todd can be contacted for further information.

No More Shame: Changing health providers recognition and response to elder abuse to reduce associated stigma

Elder abuse ravages the lives of older people, decreases quality of life, and increases mortality risk by 40%. This MRFF funded cluster randomised controlled trial aims to improve the lives of older people by providing all subacute health providers with the skills to identify and respond sensitively to this difficult issue. This was a HREC approved, randomised control intervention, multi -site study, funded by the National Aging Research Institute (NARI) and the Dept Health & Ageing.

The Barwon Health site champion/study coordinator (a senior social worker) has now successfully completed participant recruitment and data collection at all study timepoints.  Support for the project was overwhelming with initial targets for staff recruitment to the training programme being exceeded. In addition, 60 older people consented to participate in the study, providing data at baseline and 4 months later and a retrospective audit of records was undertaken.

The training delivered to staff (accessed online) supported the integration of a screening tool [the Australian Elder Abuse Screening Instrument (AuSI)] into routine practice on the wards, aiming to facilitate detection of possible elder abuse and appropriate support.

Analysis of study data from all the sites will now be undertaken by the lead site prior to sharing these results.

If you would like further information on this study, please contact Karen Todd (Social Work Manager), NMS Primary Investigator.

The System Audit Family Violence Evaluation (SAFE) Project Expanded

Between 2019 and 2021 the System Audit Family Violence (SAFE) Project was undertaken at Barwon Health to provide an overview of whole-of-hospital responses to family violence. 2024/5 saw an expansion of this Quality Assurance project. The ‘SAFE Project Expanded’ involved administering the SAFE Tool (a revised version of the previous tool, designed to assist health services to undertake a structured audit to gather system-level data on whole-of-hospital responses to family violence) to extract audit data to support a site report. Data extraction was completed in May 2025 and analysis is ongoing.

For further information on this and other Quality Improvement projects being driven by the Social Work team, please contact Karen Todd (Social Work Manager).

Evaluating the Hospital Discharge Planning Process for Adults with Newly Acquired Disability and Complex Support Needs: Barriers, Challenges and Facilitators of Timely and Effective Discharge

The Summer Foundation is an organisation who focus on support and advocacy for people with disability who are at increased risk of entry into residential aged care.

This project focuses on the experiences of NDIS participants as they progress from hospital to the community. In order to improve outcomes and timeliness of discharge once medically stable, the processes and challenges need to be investigated and understood.

A number of health services are contributing data to inform the Summer Foundation-led research project, including Barwon Health, by providing relevant information in relation to barriers to discharge.

The Social Work team, led by Karen Todd, are committed to improving the experience of inpatients with disability, as they work closely with people who are eligible for NDIS supports. There are many different ways we actively work to achieve systems change to ensure people who are eligible for NDIS are supported to efficiently access necessary supports.

The provision of this state-wide data has potential to achieve significant change in policy and processes, with the ultimate goal being reduced length of stay in hospital, achieved by speeding up approval times by the NDIS for necessary supports.

For further information, please contact Karen Todd (Social Work Manager) or Erin Parker.

The lived experience of individuals attending a fatigue management group in a community setting 

This research project is a collaboration between Barwon Health OT and Deakin University and is designed to fulfil the requirements of a Deakin University 4^th Year Occupational Therapy Honours thesis.

The research seeks to explore the lived experience of individuals participating in a fatigue management group (Fatigue Fighters) offered through Barwon Health at the Belmont Community Rehabilitation Centre (BCRC) and The McKellar Centre (McK). The program is a five-week group program that runs once a week for approximately 60-90mins for adults with a variety of health conditions in which fatigue is a primary concern. The sessions are facilitated by 1-2 occupational therapists, depending on participant numbers and complexity. Despite anecdotal evidence from occupational therapy (OT) staff about the positive outcomes observed and voiced among participants, formal evaluation is yet to be completed.

This research project adopts a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis to identify key themes related to participants experiences of fatigue, experiences of participating in the fatigue management group process, and the impact that group attendance has had on participants’ participation in daily life.

It is anticipated that findings from this research will inform future re-development of the fatigue management group at Barwon Health in addition to contributing to the broader literature informing occupational therapy practice and support options for individuals affected by fatigue.

For further information on this project, please contact one of the supervising OT Team: Emily Adcock, Johannah Menzies or Sarah Riddell.

“It’s like it was specifically designed for me”. A Pilot Study Examining iRest Yoga Nidra as a Mind-Body Intervention for Persistent Pain Management

Integrative Restoration (iRest) is a modern, trauma-sensitive adaptation of Yoga Nidra which follows a replicable 10-step protocol.

Starting in 2021, a six week ‘iRest for Pain’ program was offered, via telehealth, to suitable clients as an adjunct to standard care for pain treatment and management. This program was offered by a Clinical Psychologist within PMU, who is also trained as a Level 2 iRest Yoga Nidra teacher. In collaboration with Deakin University School of Psychology, a qualitative feasibility and acceptability trial began in 2022.

Two intakes of iRest for Pain participants were interviewed about their experience of the program. Analysis of this data identified three themes which reflected a range of therapeutic benefits and increased self-efficacy: 1) “Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained”, 2) “It’s like It Was Specifically Designed for me”; 3) “I Am Not Pain, I Have Pain”.

This qualitative study provides preliminary evidence that iRest is an acceptable and beneficial mind-body intervention for people with persistent pain by facilitating foundational self-management of pain skills including; awareness of sensations, emotions and thoughts, self-regulation, relaxation and mindfulness. Valuable insights were gained into how iRest could meet critical gaps in service delivery and future directions for research, including utilising iRest to support opioid reduction. These findings were presented at the 2024 Australian Pain Society 44th Annual Scientific Meeting in Darwin in May 2024. The results of this study have been published and can be accessed here.

For more information contact Meg Barber (Clinical Psychologist).

Evaluating the effects of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) for joint replacement surgery

Study site: University Hospital Geelong

More than 120,000 hip and knee joint replacements occur in Australia each year and this number is expected to double over the next 10 to 20 years. To improve access to safe and effective surgical care, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols are being implemented internationally. ERAS protocols are designed to provide standardised evidence-based care to patients before, during and after surgery. Barwon Health is currently implementing ERAS protocols for a colorectal and joint replacement surgery.

This quality assurance activity will investigate if outcomes following joint replacement surgery have changed following the implementation of ERAS. Primary outcomes include patient length of stay, complications and the patient’s experience of care.

It is anticipated that approximately 150 patients will be eligible to participate in ERAS each year.

The ERAS protocol has been designed by key stakeholders at Barwon Health and includes evidence-based optimisation of patient care before, during and after surgery.

Collaborators: This project is a collaboration between all departments that contribute to care for people undergoing replacement surgery of the hip or knee and is led by project coordinator Matt Hall who can be contacted for further information

GLA:D® (Good Life with osteoArthritis: Denmark), Australia – data registry

Osteoarthritis (OA) commonly affects the knee and hip joints and is a leading cause of pain and disability worldwide. International and national guidelines recommend exercise therapy and education as primary treatments but there is a known gap between this recommended OA management and the care provided to Australians. Good Living with OA in Denmark (GLA:D®) was developed to provide a program of clinician education; structured supervised exercise and education sessions to people with OA and the systematic collection of outcome measures. This programme has been adapted to the Australian setting and is now delivered nationally.

Current Australian data reflects comparatively poor access to GLA:D® Australia within the public health system and a subsequent imbalance in the outcome data gathered and applicability of findings across healthcare providers. Barwon Health is among the first public health services to adopt the GLA:D® Australia education and exercise programme. This is now integrated into care pathways at Barwon Health, providing access to best-practice care and enabling our patients to contribute to the national data base that will guide the development of evidence-based care delivery.

Working with the GLA:D® Australia team at La Trobe University has enabled staff to become familiar with the rigor required to maintain the integrity of data within a national research programme and supported the development of Allied Health research capacity.

For more information, please contact Denise Jones (AHRKTL), Gabby Schultz or Jess McDonald (Physiotherapists).

Balancing convenience and care in Gestational Diabetes management: A retrospective evaluation of an evolving model of care using remote patient monitoring in the Geelong region.

Birthing parents diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at an increased risk for clinical complications during both the perinatal and postpartum periods. At Barwon Health, the number of patients requiring support for GDM has increased by 400% over the past 10 years. To help meet this growing demand, remote patient monitoring (RPM) is increasingly being adopted in GDM care to provide convenient, flexible, patient-centred service delivery and enable healthcare providers to effectively manage growing caseloads.

The model of care has been evolving in the Geelong region. The primary objective of this study is to help us determine how remote patient monitoring measures up to traditional face-to-face management in terms of clinical and birth outcomes. As GDM prevalence grows and health services become more stretched, evaluating the comparative effectiveness of RPM is essential to guide the development of our future care models.

For further information on this project, please contact Principal Investigator Kate van Berkel (Dietitian)

Improving the provision of prescribed food, fluid and mealtime supervision requirements in inpatient and aged care settings

A food allergy refers to the reaction of the immune system to a substance (allergen) in the environment which is usually harmless (such as food). An allergic reaction occurs when a person develops symptoms following exposure to an allergen. Dysphagia refers to difficulties in swallowing. People with food allergies and/or dysphagia have specific meal requirements (e.g. no peanuts, texture-modified food, thickened fluids) and may require ‘specified higher-level care’ which involves a specific set of strategies to ensure safety when eating and drinking. These supports may include supervision, assistance with eating/drinking, verbal prompting and regulating the rate of eating/drinking and/or size of mouthfuls. Inappropriate management of food allergies and dysphagia can have life-threatening consequences including choking, aspiration and severe allergic reactions.

Our research has identified challenges in the provision of appropriate food and drinks for patients/residents in healthcare settings. Some challenges are attributable to the enormity & complexity of the food/fluid operation and the inherent risks. However, we have identified a breakdown in the communication and documentation of dietary information to be an attributable factor, amenable to intervention strategies. Our current project aims to implement and evaluate tailored interventions that improve the communication of appropriate food, drink and supervision requirements for patients in inpatient settings and to optimise safety and high-quality care. The project aims to benefit over 1051 patients across 21 sites in Victoria’s largest regional health service.

This project has been supported by a $10,000 Western Alliance STaRR Emerging Researcher Grant.

Contact speech pathologists Cara Hill or Rhianon Beggs for further information.

Every year more than 22,000 Australians break their hip, with this number expected to grow to 60,000 by 2050.

Early movement and walking are key to enabling people to reduce their hospital and rehabilitation stays and return to day to day life, however, historically the amount of physical activity performed by patients who have had a hip fracture whilst in hospital is low.

Barwon Health is proud to be taking part in the “HIPSTER: HIP fracture Supplemental Therapy to Enhance Recovery” randomised controlled trial. This research is a multi-site Australian trial funded by NHMRC that investigates the effects of a more intensive early physiotherapy program on the recovery of patients with hip fractures.

Full recruitment for this study was achieved in May 2024.  In May 2025, the follow-up data collection for the final participant was completed. In August 2025 all data for the 8 participating sites were cleaned and submitted for data analysis. Barwon Health has now concluded its formal participation in the trial and we await the results in the near future.

Rupert Sangster, Physiotherapist, Principal Investigator at Barwon Health can be contacted for more information.

There is an increasing emphasis on involving the public in designing (or redesigning) health services. At Barwon Health, this is referred to as consumer engagement. The National Safety and Quality Health Services Standards have ‘Partnering with Consumers’ as the second of eight standards (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2021). This standard details how health services must include consumers in the “planning, design, delivery, measurement and evaluation of systems and services”.

While there are multiple potential benefits of public involvement, many authors have concluded the benefits are lacking in strong evidence. Studies have been primarily focused on outcomes for participants, rather than outcomes for health services, or how these have been evaluated. It is not known how outcomes are, or should, be evaluated.

The purpose of this programme of research is to explore:

• what outcomes from public involvement in health service design occur,
• if and how they have been evaluated,
• the barriers and enablers to evaluation, and
• how evaluation might be improved

This research has benefits for consumers, future practice and policy, and research. Previous research findings indicate that members of the public want to know their contributions to health service design have made a difference. Without improved evaluation, these differences are unknown. It is expected a planning guide/resource will improve the likelihood, ease and quality of evaluations being conducted by key stakeholders at Barwon Health. Improved evaluation will increase knowledge about the outcomes and processes of public involvement in health service design. Evaluation also has an important role in learning for improvement. Improved evaluation and dissemination of these findings will translate into a growing body of research evidence in this area, which benefits Barwon Health and other public health services.

The final study started in July 2024. Together with a group of Barwon Health staff and Consumer Advisors, we are designing materials to support evaluations of consumer involvement. These materials could be used by other health services as well as Barwon Health.

This research is being conducted as part of a PhD at La Trobe University.

Contact physiotherapist Nicola Lloyd for further information.

Lloyd, N., Hyett, N., & Kenny, A. (2023). Barriers and enablers to evaluating outcomes from public involvement in health service design: An interpretive description. Qualitative Health Research, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323231191048

Lloyd, N., Kenny, A., & Hyett, N. (2021). Evaluating health service outcomes of public involvement in health service design in high-income countries: a systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1), 364-364. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06319-1

Lloyd, N., Hyett, N., & Kenny, A. (2024). To member check or not to member check? An evaluation of member checking in an interpretive descriptive study. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 23. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069241301383

There are unique challenges in managing diabetes during pregnancy for women who have had bariatric surgery as part of their weight management programme. Helping women to effectively monitor and manage these challenges can involve a multidisciplinary team that potentially includes endocrinologists, dietitians, obstetricians, bariatric surgeons, diabetes educators, and midwives.

To help healthcare teams navigate appropriate and effective care, this project aims to bridge an identified gap in current clinical guidelines. By bringing together available evidence that and a consensus of expert opinion, the clinical research team aim to develop evidence-based consensus guidelines specifically for managing diabetes in pregnancy following bariatric surgery.

For more information on this project contact: Principal Investigator Purva Gulyani, Dietitian; or Co-Principal Investigator David Maze, Endocrine Registrar.

Evaluation of Structured Group Supervision for Allied Health clinicians across varied groups

Clinical supervision is necessary to support allied health professionals in their roles, facilitate continued professional development and to ensure patient safety and clinical care. Group supervision has been shown to be an effective and efficient way to achieve the benefits of clinical supervision for allied health professionals. However, little is known about how the profession, group composition or the model of supervision influence the effectiveness of group supervision.

This project aims to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of highly structured group supervision, utilising groups with different compositions of Allied Health professions. Twelve groups of Allied Health staff  nominated to participate in group supervision and have completed 12 months of group supervision sessions.

Participants have completed sessional evaluations and the interim results from these were presented as a poster at the National Allied Health Conference in August 2025. The 12-month evaluation is currently underway, which will inform future group supervision practices at Barwon Health. For further information on this study please contact Angela Brommeyer – Allied Health, Centre for Education and Training.

Acceptability and Feasibility of a Physiotherapy Clinical Educator Support Training Model

Clinical education plays a critical role in the development of undergraduate physiotherapy students. Effective clinical placements not only support students’ learning but also contribute to the overall quality of the healthcare workforce by ensuring that new graduates are well-prepared to meet the demands of the profession and provide patient-centred care. Students are supported during their placements by qualified staff who take on the role of Clinical Educator.

This project aims to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a programme designed to support Physiotherapists, facilitating them to be confident and effective in undertaking their Clinical Educator roles.

The programme is currently underway and data is being collected for ongoing evaluation.

For further information on this project, please contact Jane Dow, Physiotherapist

Supporting physiotherapy clinical educators – Identifying key competencies as a foundation for physiotherapy clinical educator career progression within a healthcare environment

Clinical education takes place throughout the career lifespan for Allied Health professionals, from being students to advanced practice staff working in highly specialised roles. Clinical staff also take on the role of clinical educators throughout their career, some specialising in this field and taking on designated clinical educator roles.

Providing clinical education requires a number of skills that vary at different career stages. The value of high-quality clinical supervision/education has the potential to be impactful across a number of patient care and profession-related factors.

Over 2024/5 physiotherapy clinical educators from across the region participated in surveys and focus groups  to explore  the perceived competencies & capabilities for physiotherapists delivering clinical education at different levels of their educator career progression. These findings have been analysed and are being used to underpin the development of a Clinical Educator Framework to support physiotherapists developing their skills in clinical education delivery.

This project is being supported by grant funding from the Pat Cosh Trust Fund

Please contact Paula Harding (Director of Allied Health) or Denise Jones (Allied Health Research and Knowledge Translation Lead) for more information.

The AdvICE course: leveraging clinician experience in interprofessional education to promote collaborative practice

As part of the global agenda to increase the interprofessional collaborative practice capability of the healthcare workforce, it is recognized that post-qualification health professionals require interprofessional education (IPE) to upskill them in the key competencies of collaborative practice. Previously published accounts of IPE initiatives directed as post-qualification health professionals have been based in a specific practice setting within a health service or related to a specific health condition. Differing from these initiatives, the Advancing Interdisciplinary Clinical Excellence (AdvICE) IPE course is offered to experienced clinicians across settings and professions at Barwon Health. This study evaluated the impact of the AdvICE course on participants’ interprofessional collaborative practice beliefs, attitudes and behaviours.

Participants experienced improvements in self-perceived interprofessional beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours, and willingness to work in interprofessional relationships. Participants also reported interprofessional learning related to role clarification, interprofessional communication, conflict resolution, clinical teaching and supervision. Interprofessional education initiatives, such as the AdvICE course, that target experienced clinicians across a health service may be valuable in contributing to the World Health Organization’s recommendation to develop champions of interprofessional collaborative practice

Shaw, N., Evans, S., & Hewitt, Y. (2023). The AdvICE course: leveraging clinician experience in interprofessional education to promote collaborative practice. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 37(5), 832-835.

Please contact Nicole Shaw (Clinical Education Team) for more information.

Improved values- based goals of care documentation through interprofessional communication education  

This study explores the impact of interprofessional education (IPE) for communication skills on goals of care documentation in an acute setting

Shared decision making for goals of care decisions is a process that is influenced by informal and formal communication interactions with all health care professionals. Medical discussion for goals of care is a formal process. However, informal conversations between patients, their significant others and other health care workers has been shown to be influential in shared decision making for advance care planning, goals of care and end of life decision making.

This study found that Interprofessional education, characterised by two or more professions learning with, from, and about each other for communication skills, correlated significantly with improvement in documentation of values-based goals of care for patients with life limiting illness in acute care.

Preliminary results were presented at ANZAHPE (Australian & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators) conference in Adelaide.

Please contact Sharyn Milnes and Nicole Shaw (Centre for Education and Training) for more information.

Pelvic floor muscle tenderness in women having investigative laparoscopy for pelvic pain: a prospective cohort study

Almost half of Australian women have experienced pelvic pain in the last 5 years.   This can have a negative impact on women’s mental health, relationships, and capacity to work. Persistent pelvic pain (PPP) – pain lasting for longer than 6 months- can be associated with pelvic floor muscle tenderness and tension, pain and problems relating to bladder and bowel function and impact on sexual health and intimacy.  Endometriosis, a condition where cells similar to those that line the uterus are found in other parts of the body, can contribute to pelvic pain.

Lead Clinician Pelvic Health Physiotherapist, Naomi Nalder, is the Barwon Health Principal Investigator for this study aimed at women with pelvic pain who are going to have laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery to investigate for the presence of endometriosis. . The study involves an investigation of pelvic floor muscles and pain experiences before and after surgery. Recruitment for this study is currently ongoing and more details can be found here.

For further information on this study please contact Naomi Nalder (physiotherapist).

The POLARiS study (Pathway Of Low Anterior Resection syndrome)

Low Anterior Resection syndrome (LARS) is a collection of bowel dysfunction symptoms, including incontinence, urgency and frequency, which occur after a low anterior resection surgical procedure and can have a significant impact on quality of life.

The POLARiS study (Pathway Of Low Anterior Resection syndrome) is due to commence recruitment at Barwon Health soon. This is a prospective, international multi-arm trial which aims to investigate the natural history of LARS and compare different treatments. The Barwon Health site Principal Investigator is colorectal surgeon Dr Pia Bernardi. The Barwon Health pelvic health physiotherapy team will participate in the research by providing routine pelvic health physiotherapy as part of the optimised conservative management arm.

For further information on this study please contact Naomi Nalder (physiotherapist).

ParkinsonNet – Implementaing a new model of care for people living with Parkinson’s disease in rural and remote Australia

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic progressive neurological condition with no cure. Allied health interventions are recommended to reduce disability and improve quality of life. ParkinsonNet is a multidisciplinary care model developed in the Netherlands and implemented in various countries, including the US and Europe. It is designed to improve access to quality care from a range of professions for people with Parkinson’s. The Allied Health team at Barwon Health team are part of an international team collaborating to adapt this model of care to regional and remote Australia.

The project is supported by a $2.88 million MRFF grant and is led by the Menzies Institute for Medical Research at the University of Tasmania.

For further information on this project please contact Denise Jones or Lauren Woodall.

The SENSe Implement Project – A Research Translation Study

Within healthcare, a major challenge is translating research findings into clinical practice, such that the process of translation, or implementation, has become a science in its own right.

Barwon Health is one of 8 centres engaged in the ‘SENSe Implement’ knowledge translation research project to identify barriers/enablers to implementing evidence-based practice, in partnership with the Florey Institute and Latrobe University.

Targeting assessment and treatment of sensory loss after stroke, this project investigates the use of evidence-based knowledge translation strategies to increase the use of SENSe therapy by physiotherapists and occupational therapists working with stroke survivors

Barwon Health completed phase 1 (evaluating usual care) between 2016-2019 and recently completed phase 2 (implementing SENSe approach) data collection 2023-2025.  Overall, 64 consumers and clinicians were recruited to the study; including 19 occupational and physiotherapists who were upskilled in administering the standardized SENSe Assessment and structured treatment approach across inpatient rehabilitation, at home programs and the two community rehabilitation centres.  Whilst participate recruitment and staff attrition was a challenge, data collection targets were achieved and we eagerly await centralised data analysis and subsequent publications.

Further information and publications can be found here.

For more information please contact Melissa Mew (Occupational Therapy).

Assessing the feasibility of using personal mobile devices for objective evaluation of changes in Life-Space Mobility in older adults following hip or knee replacement surgery

Life-Space Mobility (LSM) refers to the extent, modes and frequency of an individual’s movement within their environment, ranging from home to the broader community. LSM is a key indicator of independence and quality of life as it reflects an individual’s capacity to participate in meaningful behaviours such as activities of daily living, social interactions, and work. LSM measurements can therefore inform clinical care and assessment of health interventions.

The aim of this project is to test the feasibility of using personal mobile devices to objectively quantify changes in Life-Space Mobility (LSM) in older adults following hip or knee replacement surgery.

The study is supported by Barwon Health/Deakin University Business of Health grant.

For further information on this project, please contact Stephen Gill (PhD, Physiotherapist)

The EMPOWER Trial – Exercise and Menopausal hOrmones for Postmenopausal womEn with shouldeR pain).

This study is a triple blinded pilot randomised clinical trial being undertaken as a joint venture between Barwon Health and Deakin University. Subacromial pain syndrome (SAPS) is a common cause of chronic, debilitating shoulder pain, particularly in postmenopausal women, and involves tendons at the shoulder.

The use of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), alongside appropriate exercise and advice, has been demonstrated as effective management for tendon-related pain at the hip. This project aims to build on the initial research undertaken by the team and explore the effectiveness of MHT and exercise as interventions for postmenopausal women with tendon-related shoulder pain. The findings of this pilot study will be used to inform a larger (fully powered) trial.

For further information, please contact the Chief Investigator, Rachael McMillan, Senior Clinician Physiotherapist.

Prevalence of tinnitus following non-blast related traumatic brain injury: a systematic review of literature

Le, M., Šarkić, B., & Anderson, R.

This review aimed to establish the prevalence of tinnitus in adults who have sustained non-blast related traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as the prevalence of tinnitus following TBI in the absence of hearing loss.

The published review can be accessed here.

Patient and service-related outcomes of interdisciplinary intervention in children born prematurely with feeding or swallowing difficulties: A systematic review.

Preterm infants are at greater risk of feeding difficulty and prematurity has been reported as one of the most important risk factors for developing dysphagia.

Paediatric feeding difficulties are complex problems. Multiple healthcare providers from different disciplines are often needed to provide supports and services, yet Barwon Health offers limited interdisciplinary clinics for infants and children with feeding or swallowing difficulties.

This review aims to identify the specific outcomes for patients/carers and health services of interdisciplinary care for those born prematurely (<37 weeks gestation) with feeding or swallowing difficulties.

For further information, please contact Julianne Cuthbert, dietitian.

The Role of Timely Pain Education for Children in Hospital Care

Liz Patton, Anna Wong Shee, Therese Clark, Meg Barber, Helen Skoglund, Dara Twomey

Pain education plays a crucial role in paediatric healthcare, helping children and families understand pain mechanisms and manage pain more effectively. This review aimed to synthesise current evidence to indicate the most appropriate time to deliver pain education for effective management.

Preliminary analysis indicates that early pain education interventions could be provided closer to the time of a painful procedure, such as surgery, to enhance knowledge and coping strategies rather than directly reducing pain intensity. Post-procedure education within the first 72 hours may maximise benefits for pain management and recovery. For persistent pain conditions, single-session interventions have been shown to decrease pain, however the impact of education on sustained improvements is unclear.

Please contact psychologist Liz Patton for further information.

Unlocking Access – Telehealth for Pelvic Floor Muscle Therapies: A Systematic Review and Best Practice Synthesis

Chloe Burger, Udari Colombage, Emma West

This study aims to collate the current evidence underpinning the provision of pelvic floor muscle therapies, via Telehealth, to adults with pelvic floor dysfunction. The review will include patient an clinician experiences and potential barriers and facilitators to implementation.

Clinically, this will assist decision making guiding access to pelvic floor physiotherapy (particularly for regional and remote services), utility and best practice.

For further information, please contact Chloe Burger, Physiotherapist (SWH).

Vestibular Rehabilitation for Dizziness and Vertigo after Stroke: A Scoping Review

Vestibular rehabilitation is often used in clinical practice for dizziness and vertigo post stroke, but the evidence base surrounding this is uncertain. The scoping review being undertaken will present current evidence on this topic to inform practice and guide the direction of future research strategies.

Progress: Currently completing full text screening. The published protocol on OSF can also be found here: OSF Registries | Vestibular Rehabilitation for Dizziness and Vertigo after Stroke: A Scoping Review Protocol.

Please contact Beau Valka for more information.

Exploring non-pharmacological interventions for behaviours of concern to improve the patient experience in a hospital setting: A Systematic Review

Authors: Monique Walsh, Jessica Nolan, Nicola Lloyd, Stephen Gill

The aim of the systematic review is to identify non-pharmacological interventions utilised in acute hospital settings to manage behaviours of concern.  The systematic review also explores patient experience and satisfaction with non-pharmacological interventions.

Findings indicate a lack of high-quality evidence regarding the effects of non-pharmacological interventions to inform the management of behaviours of concern in the hospital setting. Low quality evidence indicates the potential for cognitive/intellectual non-pharmacological intervention to lower the occurrence of the behaviour of concern. No changes in occurrence were identified with the use of mobilisation as an intervention.

Prospero registration number CRD42023381570. Manuscript under review.

Please contact Monique Walsh for further information

DELIVER – Growing research for better healthcare in western Victoria

There are a number of projects that Barwon Health is collaborating with DELIVER partners to undertake.  These include:

Connected Care evaluation study

Connected Care is an expansion of the well-established Hospital Admission Risk Program (HARP), and is a novel program aiming to meet the needs of those in the Geelong community with complex health and psychosocial needs to reduce demand on the emergency department and bed-based services.  The program includes care coordination and timely access to outreach medical, pharmacy, psychiatry and allied health according to individual need.

The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness and economic cost of Connected Care in reducing avoidable emergency department presentations, hospitalisations and reducing length of stay (LOS) in bed-based services for those under and over 65 years.  Ethics approval has been granted, with data collection and analysis to commence.  This research is a collaborative project between Barwon Health and the DELIVER Health Economics team.

Evaluation of remote patient monitoring via a technology platform in chronic heart failure

The Barwon Health DELIVER team is collaborating with DELIVER partners (Centre for Digital Transformation of Health, University of Melbourne) to prepare an ethics submission aiming to determine the cost-benefit of using a technology platform for monitoring of patient biometric data and clinical observations. As a comparative study, the study aims to evaluate chronic and complex care service delivery for people with chronic health failure with, and without a technology platform compared to telephone monitoring.  The study will incorporate both qualitative and quantitative data and will examine clinician and consumer experiences of using a technology platform.

Consumer and carer perspectives of healthcare at home

Barwon Health has been actively involved in the Consumer and carer perspectives of healthcare at home: a DELIVER study, which aims to explore consumer and carer experiences of at home care and virtual services and how these can be improved in the future.  This study involves four health services across Western Victoria led by the Centre for Digital Transformation of Health and is now in the final stages of recruitment.

Health professionals’ knowledge and confidence in accessing At Home programs

This study aims to examine health professionals’ confidence and knowledge in accessing at-home programs.  This is a Barwon Health led project with support from DELIVER Research Translation.  Ethics approval has been granted, and clinicians will be invited to take part in a survey in mid-2025.  The results of the survey will inform resources and processes as part of the implementation of the new service navigator role.

Patient and carers preferences for Hospital-In-The-Home program: A discrete choice experiment

The aim of this study is to examine patient and caregiver preferences for optimisation of Hospital in the home (HITH) in Australia, particularly for the older population.  Ethics submission is in progress, with plans for the Barwon Health DELIVER team to support recruitment of study participants for stage 2 of the qualitative part of the study.

Publications (with Barwon Health DELIVER co-authors)

Tagne, J.F., Burns, K., O’Brein, T. et al. Challenges for remote patient monitoring programs in rural and regional areas: a qualitative study. BMC Health Services Research 25, 374 (2025).

For more information on any of the Barwon Health DELIVER projects, please contact Megan Battersby (DELIVER Research Support, Dietitian) or Jodie Reid (DELIVER Site Investigator).

Western Alliance is committed to building research in western Victoria and supporting the translation of research findings into healthcare. Our congratulations to these emerging Barwon Health researchers, who have been awarded Western Alliance research grants and scholarships:

STaRR Emerging Researcher Seed Grant

• April Chiu, Physiotherapist, Barwon Health: Barriers and Enablers to Prehabilitation prior to Breast Cancer Surgery in a Regional Health Service.

STaRR Emerging Researcher Translation Grant

• Rhiannon Beggs and Cara Hill, Speech Pathologists, Barwon Health: Improving the provision of prescribed food, fluid, and mealtime supervisions requirements in inpatient aged care settings.

Western Alliance Higher Degree By Research Scholarship

• Cara Hill has been awarded a PhD with Deakin University to implement best-practice meal-related dysphagia interventions to improve mealtime-related quality of life for people living with dysphagia in rural and regional aged care facilities in western Victoria. Cara works clinically as a Speech Pathologist and also as a research assistant. This PhD program will be based at Grampians Health and will complement the work she will be leading as part of her Western Alliance Rapid Applied Research Translation Grant.

Barwon Health is proud to highlight the recent research publication presenting the work undertaken by Dr Renee Sheedy as part of her PhD research.
Dr Renee Sheedy, Senior Acute Neurological Physiotherapist, was one of Barwon Health’s pioneer allied health clinician researchers. Renee’s PhD research formed part of the A Very Early Rehabilitation Trial (AVERT) study, which investigated the impact of early physical mobilisation after stroke.

Renee sadly passed away following a battle with brain cancer before her work could be published. She was granted a well-deserved Doctor of Physiotherapy (Professional Doctorate) posthumously by La Trobe University, Melbourne.

With the assistance of Renee’s colleagues at Barwon Health and her family who helped acquire the data needed to complete this manuscript, Renee’s co-authors were able to publish her research in the journal Stroke Research and Treatment.

The paper demonstrates that the vast majority of stroke patients are inactive in the first few days following a stroke. This is concerning given that the Clinical guidelines for stroke management promote the commencement of out of bed activity within the first few days of the stroke (unless contraindicated). It is hoped that the findings of this research will prompt some evidence-informed changes to clinical practice.