The Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research-Barwon Health Partnership was established in 2007 and is uniquely positioned to tackle some of the most salient and complex challenges related to quality and patient safety issues in healthcare. Our focus areas are:

  • Patient experience
  • Patient safety
  • Health workforce

Our researchers have expertise in evaluation, generating knowledge for evidence, supporting knowledge translation efforts, and utilising a range of research methods.

Recent Research Highlights

  • Professor Cate Nagle was appointed as the Inaugural Chair in Midwifery at Barwon Health in September 2025.
  • Funding was awarded in 2025 to the research team to support the evaluation of the new specialist dementia care program at Blakiston Lodge. Funding was provided by the Institute for Health Transformation (IHT), Deakin University.
  • Dr Renee Fiolet was awarded a Values-Based Leadership Award by Deakin University (Dec 2024).
  • Professor Alison Hutchinson was appointed as an Adjunct Professor in Nursing, University of Southern Denmark (Dec 2023).

 

  • In December 2023, Prof Alison Hutchinson was appointed as an Adjunct Professor in Nursing, University of Southern Denmark.
  • Members of the centre are investigators on successful grant applications to the value of approximately $6 million in funding.
  • In May 2024, we welcomed Dr Jen Whan-Cooper to our team.

Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to enhance First Nations peoples’ accessibility to and experiences of health care provision in Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centres in the Barwon Southwest of Victoria.

The project extends across the Barwon Southwest area and includes part or all the Countries of the Wathaurong (Wadawurrung), Gulidjan, Gadubanud, Eastern Marr, Peek Marr, Djargurd Wurung, Gunditjmara, Djab Wurrung, Girai Wurrung, Dhauwurd Wurrung, and Bunganditj communities.

Engagement with First Nations community members and Aboriginal Health staff occurred across the region using both individual and group yarning methods that were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. A total of 54 participants were engaged during the process. In addition, departmental walk-throughs provided additional data about the environment of each centre.

Findings revealed that First Nations individuals and communities perceive Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centres in the Barwon Southwest region to lack prioritisation for First Nations health care and are staffed with healthcare providers with limited knowledge of trauma-informed care. Findings also exposed perceptions of culturally unsafe environments, staff who lacked appropriate cultural awareness in the delivery of healthcare, and a lack of support for the Aboriginal Liaison Officer role.

Despite First Nations peoples reporting culturally unsafe access and experiences of care when attending Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centres across the Barwon Southwest Coast, they were optimistic that both minor, immediate modifications and longer-lasting, resource-intensive structural transformation can bring about impactful change.

The 19 community-informed recommendations resulting from this work included modifications to the physical environment, suggestions for enhanced care delivery, and an adjusted and enhanced approach to better support First Nations staff.

The project team evaluated the University Hospital Geelong implementation of a multi-component strategy to improve the induction of labour (IOL) processes for women, optimise induction timing and use, and support clinical decisions for IOL. The evaluation involved an audit of routinely collected perinatal data 12 months pre- and post-implementation and a focus group interview with midwives.

The findings indicated no statistically significant differences in labour, birth, or neonatal outcomes between the two time periods. Statistical differences were found for three indications between the two time-periods: inductions due to diabetes and advanced maternal age were lower post-implementation, while inductions for maternal request were higher. Three themes from the focus group interview were identified in relation to improved practice: consistent information sharing with women and families, embedding best practice, and improved interprofessional collaboration. The final theme reflected the barriers: challenges operationalising the process.

Funding acknowledgement: Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University.

Advanced Care Planning (ACP) remains significantly underutilised in Australia, with a low proportion of older adults completing the required documentation.  Some of the barriers to uptake include lack of awareness, low cognitive function and health literacy, the complexity of the ACP process, and communication challenges between individuals, families and healthcare providers.

The Wicking Trust provides grants to support projects that are focused on improving the end of life of the ageing, death and grieving. Dr Marcus Sellars from the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Deakin has secured a $420,000 grant from the Wicking Trust to undertake an ACP project over 3 years.

The purpose of this 3-year study is to collaborate with older Australians, families, and aged care providers to develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered Advanced Care Planning (ACP) assistant. The AI ACP tool will guide individuals through the process of making decisions about their healthcare preferences. This tool will be extremely useful when individuals are unable to make the decision or are unable to communicate for themselves. Older people who are patients of Barwon Health will be invited to participate in this project involving a co-design approach to ensure the tool is user-friendly and culturally sensitive.

Collaborating Organisations

Deakin University

Research Team

Deakin Distinguished Professor Alison Hutchinson, Chair in Nursing, Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research – Barwon Health Partnership; Adjunct Professor in Nursing, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark; Honorary Fellow, National Ageing Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia

Professor Cate Nagle, Chair in Midwifery, Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research – Barwon Health Partnership

Dr Susan Perlen, Research Fellow

Dr Renee Fiolet, Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Knowledge Translation; Honorary Fellow, Department of General Practice and Primary Care, MDHS, University of Melbourne

Dr Marcus Sellars, Alfred Deakin Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Dr Vanessa Watkins, Research Fellow

Dr Jen Whan-Cooper, Research Associate

Rachel Mrhar, Research Assistant

 

Research Grants

  • Palmer, V., Banfield, M., Neil, A., Eades, S., Hermeston, W., Stephens, D-M., Babyack, W., Vadiveloo, J., Tilmouth, W., Donnellan, C., Lynch, J., Orcher, P., Larkins, S., Knight, K., Rosenbaum, S., Hegarty, K., Bibb, J., Fiolet, R., Johnson, C., Smith, J., Miller, E., Ravulo, J.,…. Moriarty G. (2025). Casting the Net for What Matters: The ALIVE National Consortium for Equitable WellBeing and Mental Health Systems Transformation. Medical Research Futures Fund. MRF2036872 9,998,845.00. 5 Years.
  • Fiolet, R., Gleeson, J., & Whan-Cooper, J. (2025). Aboriginal Health Improvement Initiative. Barwon Health. $82, 126.30
  • Perlen, S., , Fiolet, R., Cooper, J. Hutchinson, A.M. (2025). Evaluating the implementation of a Specialist Dementia Care Unit. Accelerator grant –Institute for Health Transformation, Faculty of Health, Deakin University. $14,906.70, 12 months.
  • Fiolet, R. (2024). Launch of AASERT/Call to Action. Partnership funding – Institute for Health Transformation, Faculty of Health, Deakin University. $3792.72
  • Perlen, S., Fiolet, R., Cooper, J.,  Bucknall, T., Hutchinson, A.M. (2024) Workforce Qualitative Analysis within Victorian Public Sector Residential Aged Care. Public Sector Residential Aged Care Leadership Committee, $88,355.06, 12 months.
  • Iliadis, M., Satyen, L., Toumbourou, J., Farmer, C., Sharman, S., Clancy, E., Gleeson, J., Fiolet, R., Klettke, B., Green, J. (2023). Co-design, development and evaluation of state-wide model for victim advocacy service and model of an integrated response to sexual assault. Department of Justice and Attorney-General – Queensland. $1,092,188.53. 3 years.
  • Hegarty, K., Sanci, L., Cullen, P., Hooker, L., Manski-Nankervis, J., Spangarro, J., Vaughan, C., Boyle, D., Fiolet, R., Chondros, P., Satyen, L., Johnson, C., Gold, L., Kyei-Onanjiri, M., McMorrow, R. (2023). Promoting safer families: Strengthening primary care to sustainably address domestic and family violence. Medical Research Futures Fund. MRF2032099 $2,638,296.90. 4 Years.
  • Smith, L., Boydell, K., Brady, B., Darling, G., Fiolet, R., Hardy, R., Hind, A., Hutchinson, A., Kirby, E., Morris, T., Newman, C., O’Shea, A., Phillipson, L., Watson, J. (2023). SAGE Dem: A model of care to improve health of sexuality and/or gender diverse people living with dementia. Medical Research Futures Fund MRF2031598 $754,121.00, 4 years.
  • Rasmussen, B., Currey, J., Druce, T., Kerr, D., Browne, J., Fiolet, R., Mullan, L., Casey, J., Hamblin, P. Kevat, D., Hagger, V., Kelly, J., Peachey, M., Ropitini, A., (2023). Guided Self-Determination: A co-designed self-management program for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples living with type 2 diabetes. Medical Research Futures Fund. MRF2029652. $498,701.20 3 years.

 

Featured Publications

Cameron, J., Kothari, A., & Fiolet, R. (2025). Managing power imbalance in research: exploring power in integrated knowledge translation health research. Research Involvement and Engagement, 11(35). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-025-00706-2
Dziruni, T. B., Hutchinson, A. M., Keppich-Arnold, S., & Bucknall, T. (2025). A realist-informed evaluation of a rapid response system for mental state deterioration in acute hospitals: Testing program theories through interviews. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 34(3), e70083. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.70083
Hutchinson, A. M., Macpherson, H., Petrovich, T., Vasa, R., Chong, T. W. H., Engel, L., Botha, T., Bucknall, T. K., Burns, K., Daly, S., Lomas, J., Mouzakis, K., Mowszowski, L., Naismith, S. L., Redley, B., Rivera Villicana, J., Vouliotis, A., Yuen, E., & Orellana, L. (2025). Implementing innovative technology promoting self-awareness of brain health and self-determination in obtaining a timely dementia diagnosis: Protocol for a multi-methods, concurrent, two-part observational study. BMJ Open, 15(6), e088182–088182. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088182
Lamb, K., Fiolet, R., Broadhurst, K., De Silva, H. & Hegarty, K. (2025). Sailing Into Uncharted Territory: Victim Survivors’ Perspectives on Some of the Tensions of Engagement as Partners in Co-Design Research. Violence Against Women. doi:10.1177/10778012251362227
Lee, L. Z. Y., Nicholson, P., Gerber, K., Naicker, R., & Hutchinson, A. M. (2025). PROTOCOL: Understanding intergenerational programmes to improve the psychosocial health and well-being of older adults in residential aged care: A rapid realist review protocol. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 21(2), e70023. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.70023
McMullen, N., Fiolet, R., Redley, B., & Hutchinson, A.M. (2024). A beautiful Bush Space on Country: Indigenous women’s perspectives on the cultural significance of a placenta garden.  Women and Birth. Accepted for publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2024.101630
Watkins VJ, Wong Shee A, Field M, Alston L, Hills D, Albrecht SL, Ockerby C, and Hutchinson AM (2024) Rural healthcare workforce preparation, response and work during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia: Lessons learned from in-depth interviews with rural health service leaders. Health Policy, Volume 145, July 2024, 105085 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2024.105085
Fiolet, R., Brown, C., McKay, D., Marsden, S., Leins, K., & Harris, B. (2023). Perpetrator perceptions on the emotions and motivations driving technology-facilitated abuse in relationships: a story completion study. Journal of interpersonal violence, 38(23-24), 11999-12024.
Hutchinson, A.M., Chalmers, C., Nankervis, K., Phillips, N.M. (2022). Managing academic- health service partnerships, in Graham, I.D., Rycroft-Malone, J., Kothrai, A., McCutcheon, C. (Eds.), Research Co-Production in Healthcare, (pp. 155-166). Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781119757269.  ch9.
Bloomer, M.J., Poon, P., Runacres, F., Hutchinson, A.M. (2022) Facilitating family needs and support at the end of life in hospital: A descriptive study. Palliative Medicine, Mar;36(3):549-554. doi: 10.1177/02692163211066431.
Bucknall, T.K., Considine, J., Harvey, G., Graham, I.D., Rycroft- Malone, J., Mitchell, I., Saultry, B., Watts, J.J., Mohebbi, M., Bohingamu Mudiyanselage, S., Lotfaliany, M., Hutchinson, A.M. (2022). Prioritising Responses Of Nurses To deteriorating patient Observations (PRONTO): a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a facilitation intervention on recognition and response to clinical deterioration. BMJ Quality and Safety, Apr 21;31(11):818–30. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2021-013785.
Schoch, M., Bennett, P.N., Currey, J., Smith, V., Orellana, L., Hutchinson, A.M. (2022). Point-of-care ultrasound-guided cannulation versus standard cannulation in hemodialysis vascular access: A controlled random order crossover pilot feasibility study. Journal of Vascular Access, Jan 27:11297298211069821. doi: 10.1177/11297298211069821.Epub ahead of print.
Squires, J.E., Hutchinson, A.M., Coughlin, M., Bashir, K., Curran, J., Grimshaw, J.M., Dorrance, K., Aloisio, L., Brehaut, J., Francis, J.J., Ivers, N., Lavis, J., Michie, S., Hillmer, M., Noseworthy, T., Vine, J., Graham, I.D. (2022). Stakeholder Perspectives of Attributes and Features of Context Relevant to Knowledge Translation in Health Settings: A Multi-Country Analysis. International Journal of Health Policy Management. 2021 May 1, 11(8):1373–90. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2021.32.
Watkins, V., Nagle, C., Kent, B., Street, M., Hutchinson, A.M. (2022). Labouring Together: Women’s experiences of “Getting the care that I want and need” in maternity care. Midwifery, Oct, 113:103420. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2022.103420.
Williams, R., Ockerby, C., Redley, B., Rawson, H., Hutchinson, A.M. (2022). Enablers and barriers to engaging in dementia-specific education: A cross-sectional survey. Collegian, 29(5): 581-589. doi: 10.1016/j.colegn.2022.01.007.
Fiolet, R., Tarzia, L., Owen, R., Eccles, C., McGough, K., Owen, M., Fry, S., Knox, J., & Hegarty. K. (2021). Indigenous perspectives on help-seeking for family violence: voices from an Australian community. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260519883861
Fiolet R, Tarzia L, Hameed M, Hegarty K. (2021). Indigenous Peoples’ Help-Seeking Behaviors for Family Violence: A Scoping Review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 22(2):370-380. doi:10.1177/1524838019852638
Chamberlain, C., O’Mara-Eves, A., Porter, J., Coleman, T., Perlen, S. M., Thomas, J., & McKenzie, J. E. (2017). Psychosocial interventions for supporting women to stop smoking in pregnancy. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2(2), CD001055. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001055.pub5

 

 

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Participate in a Clinical Trial

To find out about clinical trials currently underway at Barwon Health, click here.

Donate

Research requires ongoing investment and there are several ways to support this amazing work.

You can make a donation today and contribute to an item on our research wish list, consider a bequest in your will, or establish a lasting legacy fund in your name. No matter what size, your philanthropic support with deliver an immediate impact.

To donate now or for more information and further discuss your support, please contact the Barwon Health Foundation.

Wish List

  1. $1000 – $5000- A coding framework for research concerning dignity and quality of life.
  2. $5000 -$20000 – A project that explores the perspectives and values systems of older people with diabetes about what safe and personalised care is.
  3. $5000 -$20000 – An impact evaluation of the End of Life Guidelines and accompanying resources.

Page last updated: September 12, 2025