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COMPLETED RESEARCH PROJECTS 2000-2011
1. Ross River Virus
A Ph.D fellowship named "The South West Cities and Shires Ross River Disease
Research Fellowship" funded by donations from 14 Cities and Shires of the South
West was established at the University of Western Australia in 2002. All other
research costs for Phase 1 were met by the Western Australian Health Department
and the University of Western Australia. Mr C Gordon commenced his three-year
research fellowship in March 2002. The Scholar’s supervisors for the Ph.D degree
were: Dr Cheryl Johansen, Dr David Smith, Prof Geoffrey Shellam and Dr Annette
Broome.
The participating Cities and Shires were: Augusta-Margaret River, Bunbury,
Busselton, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Collie, Capel, Dardanup, Donnybrook-
Balingup, Harvey, Manjimup, Mandurah, Murray, Rockingham and Waroona.
The research was conducted over 4 years and completed in 2004 at cost of
$250,000.
The research identified new methods for prediction of epidemics and provided
new information on the optimal time and extent of spraying mosquito breeding
ground to prevent or contain epidemics. The findings provided evidence
supporting the expense of spraying wetlands for up to five kilometers from
human habitation.
REPORT: A formal report was provided to participating Local Governments in the
South west.
2. Underwater diving injury The Foundation supported a survey conducted
by a Masters student from the University of Western Australia. The survey was
conducted over a 12 month period and completed in 2004 at a cost of $1,000.
The survey was a demographic study defining training, experience and
equipment. The findings resulted in recommendations for improved training.
3. Enhancing cancer care research was conducted in partnership with
Murdoch University and the Western Australian Health Department.
The research was funded by community donations including a major donation by
Pat and Bill Catalano.
Commenced in 2006 and completed in 2007 at a cost of $80,000, the research
identified seriously impaired delivery of therapy and aftercare services for a
number of patients not accessing the services of the then new regional cancer
coordinator nurses, thus fully supporting that initiative of the Health Department
of WA.
PUBLICATION: Cancer Nursing, Vol. 32, No. 6, 2009.
4. Health of an aging workforce research was conducted in partnership
with Murdoch University, Worsley Alumina and Bemax Cable Sands. The Val
Lishman Health Research Foundation Inc. initiated the project, coordinated the
collaboration and provided seed funding of $5,500 for the preparation of the
proposal and pilot studies. Industry contributions were valued at over $200,000
plus a grant from the Australian Research Council of $375,000. The research
was conducted over three years and completed in 2008 with a formal report to
each participating industry completed in 2009.
5. Open Disclosure is an alternative to the familiar adversarial legalistic
approach to adverse events during health care which requires professionals to
make no comment or admission to the patient on pain of losing legal and
insurance support. Open disclosure by contrast actually requires a full and
frank discussion between the health professional and patient about what went
wrong, why it happened and what is being done to prevent it happening again.
In particular this system permits immediate investigation and correction of
institutional failures and avoids a culture of denial.
The Foundation provided seed funding of $10,000 to an Edith Cowan Universityled
collaboration with health, insurance and legal organizations to understand
barriers to introduction of Open disclosure to Western Australia.
Professor Alfred Allan, Professor of Psychology at the School of Psychology and
Social Science, Edith Cowan University, established a cross industry committee.
Following two years of research a formal report was provided to the West
Australian Health Department. Open Disclosure has now been adopted as
State-wide government policy.
PUBLICATION: International Journal for Quality in Health Care 2010;
pp. 1–6
10.1093/intqhc/mzq001 The health implications of apologizing
after an adverse event ALFRED ALLAN AND DIANNE MCKILLOP School of
Psychology and Social Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
6. SW Suicide Prevention Capacity Research: While the rate of suicide in
the SW is not above the State or National average, it is unacceptably high. Many
nations have a lower rate.
Initiated in 2008, after two years of research Professor English of Edith Cowan
University reported in 2011 on his major SW suicide prevention study. This is the
first attempt in Western Australia to understand suicide prevention services across
a regional community.
Generously funded by the Chef’s Long Table Lunch, Cristal Millennium, the
community and a Lotterywest matching grant, Professor English used the national
“Life is for everyone” (LiFE) framework as benchmark for questionnaires and
interviews with people in organizations dealing with people at high risk of suicide.
Arising from the research, major opportunities for constructive change backed by
evidence have been achieved:
· Improved availability of standardized quality information to underpin future
assessments of progress in improving prevention capacity.
· Lack of access to services, particularly in relation to adolescents and
children is in need of management attention. Where viability of service is in
doubt research to identify the cost benefit of change is recommended
· Enhancement of Professional development is urgently needed to improve
skills of non-specialist carers
· Collaboration for seamless service not active. This requires active
promotion and facilitation
· Clarification of legal responsibilities around confidentiality and duty of care,
where currently confusion is widespread
· Clarified suicide prevention roles for staff within and between agencies
· High staff turnover in Mental Health services and transient capacity of non
government organizations intermittent grants requires professional HR
management action.
REPORT: Published on www.vlfoundation.com.au. There is a full report and a
summary with added comment of the Project Advisory Committee.
7. Clinical Cancer Trials
Clinical cancer trials are conducted internationally and are the main means for
establishment of new and improved treatment regimes for cancer.
To ensure reliable and quick results, collaborative cancer trials involve many
hospitals and thousands of volunteer patients. Traditionally, these trials were
conducted by major city teaching hospitals. However, the Cancer Council of WA
identified a need to increase participation in trials in West Australia.
In 2003 the Cancer Council of Western Australia and the West Australian Clinical
Oncology Group approached the Val Lishman Health Research Foundation to
attempt to set up trials in a Regional setting in the SW of Western Australia. After
extensive accreditation processes and major community fund raising, trials
commenced in collaboration with St John of God Health Care at the South West
Health Campus in March 2004.
A Research Nurse advises potential patient volunteers, assists clinicians and
manages trial data. The nurse receives special training for each trial, with detailed
instructions and requirements generally running to hundreds of pages.
This takes time and the effort is costly.
Research Implications
The benefits of clinical cancer trials far outweigh the costs. Clinical trials in the
South West lead to:
· An increased participation in trials by Western Australia, which currently
lags behind other states
· Ensuring local medical staff are aware of recent advances and best practice
in relation to cancer treatments
· Top professional staff being attracted to medical facilities in the South
West, because only international standard hospitals may participate in trials.
· Empowering patients who wish to contribute to the fight against cancer
· Contributing to world progress in cancer treatment.
Funding
Fundraising commenced in 2002. In 2004 following a major donation by the
PIACENTINI FAMILY funds were sufficient to cover anticipated expenses for the
first years of the trials.
In June 2011 St John of God Health Care, having agreed that trials were now
considered fully established, took over full responsibility for trials management
into the future.
8. SW Breast Cancer Survivor Wellbeing.
in 2010 researchers from Edith Cowan University, the Rural Clinical School and
Curtin University, led by Dr Christopher Chalon (ECU), commenced research into
the primary factors that cause depression and anxiety among breast cancer
survivors residing in the South West.
The research is funded by community donation including major donations by
Bill and Pat Catalano
Peter and Mario Giacci.
Some 202 women participated in the survey stage of the research which was
conducted last year and a further 16 women have been interviewed to give an indepth
account of their experiences.
Analysis of data is complete. The research has revealed that factors such as
patients’ satisfaction with the health information they receive, the amount of
support they get from their friends and their concern about sexual image have all
emerged as major contributors to the psychological health and wellbeing of
survivors.
The project will provide informed recommendations to the WA department of
Health, medical providers, breast cancer nurses and community breast cancer
support organisations for enhancing survivors’ quality of life. By understanding
which factors may have the most adverse effect for a particular patient, it is hoped
that it may become possible act to prevent depression or anxiety before they
become established, for future survivors.
The research report soon be released on the www.vlfoundation.com.au website.
Collaboration with service providers is underway to develop practical interfaces
for applying the findings to routine follow-up care.
