Acknowledgements 2017 - 2020 

The CareSearch Advisory Group and content review group members are selected to represent a wide range of Australian population groups and organisations. Input from these groups is instrumental in guiding and ensuring that CareSearch provides evidence-based information that is relevant, practical, current, and inclusive. With representation from all states and territories of Australia the aim is to provide nationally relevant and accessible evidence-based support in palliative care.

The development of complex projects requires a wide range of expertise. The CareSearch Project uses skills and knowledge from various fields and disciplines such as medicine, sociology, education, marketing and informatics. A network of individuals and groups has also contributed to the project's development. There are two formal groups.

Strategic Management Group: Provides strategic guidance and direction. Reviews and endorses the project's structure and network.

CareSearch Advisory Group: Acts as a reservoir of knowledge, skills and networks for the CareSearch project. Provides a sounding body and an exchange point for promotion and linkage into constituencies.

In addition the Project Team comprises full time, part-time and casual staff with backgrounds in medicine, nursing, social work, librarianship, marketing, informatics and research.

Professor Jennifer Tieman is CareSearch Director and Chief Investigator for the project.

A large number of people throughout Australia volunteer their time and expertise in developing resources for the network.

Strategic Management Group 2017-2020 

  • Assoc Professor Libby Kalucy, Independant Chair CareSearch Advisory Group
  • Professor Deb Parker, Chair palliAGED Advisory Group
  • Professor Jennifer Tieman, CareSearch Director
  • Dr Katrina Erny-Albrecht, Senior Research Fellow CareSearch and palliAGED Project Manager
  • Kate Swetenham, Service Director Southern Adelaide Palliative Services
  • Mary Reid, Business Manager Carers Australia
  • Assoc Prof Virginia Lewis La Trobe University, External Evaluator

CareSearch Advisory Group 2017-2020

Libby Kalucy

Independent Chair, Adjunct Associate Professor Flinders University; Adjunct Associate Professor (Australian Institute of Primary Care and Ageing La Trobe University; Former Editor in Chief, Australian Journal of Primary Health)

Coming from a background in Zoology at Sydney University and secondary maths and science teaching in Adelaide, Libby Kalucy worked in community health research and evaluation from 1988 when she joined Fran Baum at the Southern Community Health Research Unit. This period included five years working at Southern Domiciliary Care and Rehabilitation Service which at that time worked with Southern Hospice at Daw House, where Libby first became interested in community palliative care. In 1997 she was appointed to the Department of General Practice, Flinders University, as Evaluation Manager of the SA HealthPlus Coordinated Care Trial. From 2000 Libby worked at the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service at Flinders University (formerly known as the National Information Service). Libby was Director of PHC RIS during a decade of great activity in primary health care research and development, and was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2012 in recognition of her services to community health and to the development of professional standards. She was Editor in Chief of the Australian Journal of Primary Health from 2010 until about 2014. Libby retired in 2010 and moved to Sydney in 2016.

Rapsodie Barbour

Palliative Care Improvement Coordinator, Adelaide Primary Health Network, (Primary Health Networks (PHN) Rep).

Rapsodie was the Capacity and Building and Development Coordinator at Adelaide Primary Health Network.

Julie Armitage

Palliative Care Improvement Coordinator, Adelaide Primary Health Network, (Primary Health Networks (PHN) Rep).

Julie Armitage is a Palliative Care Improvement Coordinator at Adelaide PHN based in Mile End, South Australia. 

Meg Brassil

Carer / Consumer Representative

Meg has lived experience of being a carer and has been a generous supporter of palliative care groups across South Australia.

Chris Christensen

Consumer Health Forum, (Consumer Rep.)

Chris is the Chair of Cancer Voices South Australia a 100% volunteer organisation whose purpose is to raise an independent voice to influence the achievement of better outcomes for people affected by cancer. Chris speaks regularly to medical, nursing and allied health students and health professionals about her experience of cancer. She has also established a Cancer Voices Walking Group which supports her focus on wellness, not just illness.

Joshua Cohen

Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner, Calvary Health Care Kogarah, (Palliative Care Nurses Australia (PCNA) Rep.)

Josh is employed as a palliative care nurse practitioner at Calvary Health Care Kogarah, working in the community with an emphasis and passion for residential aged care setting. Josh has been a specialist palliative care nurse for the last decade. Previously, Josh worked at Concord Hospital in Sydney with the hospital palliative care consult team in the role of palliative care clinical nurse consultant. During this time Josh was a part of the international faculty teaching palliative care in Sri Lanka intermittently over three years. Josh is a current committee member of Palliative Care Nurses Australia and current Chair of Palliative Aged Care Network, NSW. Josh is a current Honorary Associate at the Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney.

Professor Gregory Crawford

Professor of Palliative Medicine, The University of Adelaide Australia, (Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine (ANZSPM) Rep.)

Greg is a practicing palliative medicine physician and was awarded a Doctorate of Medicine by thesis from Flinders University in 2008. Prof Crawford has teaching and administrative responsibilities at the University of Adelaide. Prof Crawford's major research activities are into the psychological issues for people and their carers, as the end of life approaches, as well as clinicians. https://researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/gregory.crawford

Barbara Daveson

Palliative Care Outcomes Collaborative (PCOC) Manager, (PCOC Rep.)

Dr Barbara Daveson started working in palliative care as a therapist in 1998. Since then, she has held research and health service management posts in Australia and the UK. Her postdoctoral work, led to her appointment as the Cicely Saunders International Lecturer in Health Services Research in Palliative Care at King’s College London. In 2019 Dr Daveson became the national manager of the Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (Australia). She has published widely including on research from Australia, Europe and the USA. Her research includes: mixed methods, cohort studies, cross-national cross-sectional surveys, implementation science, outcome measurement, and often a focus on older adults and equity.

Dr Karen Detering

Medical Director, Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA), (ACPA Rep.)

Karen is the Medical Director of ACPA, a leader in advance care planning in Australia. Karen is a Respiratory Physician and Clinical Ethicist and has specialised in advance care planning for over 13 years. Karen works with a range of national, state and local stakeholders in the areas of education, implementation, evaluation and research to ensure all Australians are supported and enabled to undertake advance care planning and express their values and preferences for current and future health care.

Sue Elderton

National Programs Manager, Carers Australia, (Carer Rep.)

Sue is the National Policy Manager at Carers Australia.

Dr Katrina Erny-Albrecht

Senior Research Fellow, (CareSearch Rep.)

Katrina is the Senior Research Fellow for the CareSearch project, her responsibilities include management of CareSearch and palliAGED website content. With a background in evidence based research synthesis to inform health care policy and practice decision making, she has previously worked on projects for the government, education and commercial sectors.

John Haberecht

Director of Learning and Development, Queensland Health, (Centre for Palliative Care Research and Education (CPCRE) Rep.)

John is the Director of Learning and Development at the Centre for Palliative Care Research and Education. John has worked as a clinical nurse in palliative care with community services such as Karuna, Cittamani and St Vincent’s Home Care. He has also worked in consultation liaison services at Princess Alexandra and Mater Adult hospitals.

Chris Hall

CEO, Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement (ACGB), (ACGB Rep.)

Christopher is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement. He is a psychologist specialising in grief and bereavement. Christopher was elected President of the Association for Death Education and Counseling in 2015. The Association for Death Education and Counseling in 2018 awarded him the ADEC Service Award for his commitment to the field and advancing the study of dying, death and bereavement. A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. Christopher is also an Honorary Fellow of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne. He serves as the Editor of the journal Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement and is a former Associate Editor of Death Studies.

Dr Liz Hawkins

General Practitioner, Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), (ACRRM Rep.)

Liz is the Senior Medical Officer at Atherton in Queensland.

Helena Kyriazopoulos

CEO, Federation of Ethnic Communities' Council of Australia (FECCA), (FECCA Rep.)

Helena is currently the CEO of the Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia and was recently appointed to the Federal Government, Australian Multicultural Council. She sits on a diverse range of Boards including COTA, ARAS, SA Water, Health Consumers Alliance and Welcome to Australia. Helena has over 30 years' experience within the ageing, health and multicultural sectors.

Dr Helen Lindner

Senior Executive Australian Psychological Society, (Allied Health Professionals of Australia (AHPA) Rep.)

Helen is the Senior Executive at The Australian Psychological Society.

Professor Deb Parker

Professor Aged Care (Dementia) - University of Technology Sydney, (Aged Care and Dementia Rep.)

Deborah is the Professor of Aged Care (Dementia) in the Faculty of Health. She has received over $35 million in research funding. Her primary areas of research are palliative care for older people, dementia and health services evaluation in aged care. Deborah was a co-investigator on the development of the Abbey Pain Scale, the most widely used pain scale for people with dementia. She was the lead investigator on the Palliative Approach Toolkit - an evidence based knowledge translation product that has been provided to every residential aged care facility in Australia.

Ann Ritchie

Consultant Librarian, Australian Library and Information Association, (Health Libraries Australia (HLA) Rep.)

Ann is the National Manager at Health Libraries Australia (HLA) and part of the national professional group within ALIA.

Kate Swetenham

Nursing Director Palliative Care Project, Department of Health and Wellbeing, Southern Adelaide Palliative Services (SAPS), (SAPS Rep.)

Kate is the Service Director of Southern Adelaide Palliative Services (SAPS) and the Chair of the Palliative Care Clinical Network for South Australia. In her role as Network Chair Kate is responsible for guiding palliative care reform to ensure the strategies of the Statewide Services Plan 2009-2016 are implemented across South Australia. Kate holds academic status with Flinders University and contributes to teaching the communication skills component of the Post Graduate Palliative Care Program.

Professor Jennifer Tieman

Matthew Flinders Fellow, CareSearch and Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying Director, (CareSearch Rep.)

Jennifer is a Matthew Flinders Research Fellow in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Flinders University. As CareSearch Director and Chief Investigator for the project. She is responsible for the project directions and project team. Prior to her involvement with CareSearch, she had managed projects and teams within the government, community and education sectors.

Distinguished Professor Patsy Yates

Director Centre for Palliative Care Research & Education, Queensland University of Technology, (Palliative Care Curriculum for Undergraduates (PCC4U) Rep.)

Patsy is the Head of School of Nursing at QUT and Director at the Centre for Palliative Care Research and Education. She leads a range of research and service improvement programs focused on developing workforce capacity in cancer and palliative care, advancing the management of cancer related symptoms and treatment side effects, and strengthening the nexus between research, policy and practice in cancer care.

Kate Reed

Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner and National Clinical Advisor for Palliative Care Australia (PCA)

Kate Reed is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner and National Clinical Advisor for Palliative Care Australia. As such she provides expert current evidence-based clinical advice on the content and research development within CareSearch projects and manages PaCSA to enable palliative care service with a pathway for quality improvement.

Resesarch and Review Groups 2017-2020 

palliAGED Practice Tip sheets

As part of the consolidation of CareSearch RAC Hub and palliAGED a series of palliAGED Practice Tip Sheets were developed for aged care careworkers and nurses. Review of proposed content was undertaken by the following experts in 2018:

  • Marg Adams, Palliative Care Queensland
  • Carolyn Ashton, Palliative Care South East Melbourne
  • Julianne Brisbane, Uniting, NSW
  • Roma Dicker, Flinders University, Adelaide
  • Karen Gregory, Resthaven Incorporated, Adelaide
  • Nigel McGothigan, Leading Age Services Australia Ltd (LASA)
  • Robyn McLean, Benetas Eaglehawk, VIC
  • John McMahon, Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach (PEPA)
  • Prosper Sithole, BUPA Aged Care Australia, Bendigo
  • Sharyn Speakman, Bushland Health Group Residential Aged Care Services, NSW

Engagement Project 2017-2020

A core element of the CareSearch Engagement Project was to establish working groups for each of the sectors involved. The following representatives were members of the respective working groups in 2018-19

Aged Care:

  • Kate Barnett, Flinders University
  • Jo Boylan, Southern Cross, SA and NT
  • Emily Brasacchio, Eastern Metropolitan Region Palliative Care Consortium
  • Julianne Brisbane, Uniting, NSW
  • Lenore de la Perrelle, Flinders University
  • Marcia Hakendorf, CRANAplus
  • Ilsa Hampton, Meaningful Ageing Australia
  • Peter Jenkin, Resthaven, SA
  • Anne van Loon, Baptist Care,SA
  • Anne McGing, ACH Group, SA
  • Jan McGregor, Australian Commission for Safety and Quality
  • Lara McIntyre, Baptist Care NSW
  • John McMahon, PEPA
  • Allan Quire, Life Care, Aged Care Services
  • Nicola Stratton, Metro South Palliative Care Services, QLD
  • Gayle Wain, Aged and Community Services Australia
  • Kate Weger, Southern Cross Care, SA

Allied Health:

  • Dr Robyn Adams, Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences, Australian Allied Health Leadership Forum (ACDHS)
  • Cate Barrett, Community and Oral Health Directorate, QLD
  • Jane Burns, Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet
  • Nyree Dillon, W&L Mobile Healthcare Services
  • Philipp Hermann, Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA)
  • Sarah Lawton, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
  • Dr Liz Layard, Canberra Hospital, ACT Health
  • Mark Mastanduono, SA Ambulance Service
  • Haley McQuire, Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA)
  • Ronna Moore, Eastern Palliative Care Association Inc.
  • Andrew Noble, SA Ambulance Service
  • Jan Obery, Central Adelaide Palliative Care Service (CAPCS)
  • Fern Patterson, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, QLD
  • Katherine Pryde, Cabrini Health, Australian Allied Health in Palliative Care (AAHPC)
  • Dr Harriet Radermacher, Australian Psychological Society (APS)
  • Matt Ransom, International Centre for Allied Health Evidence (iCAHE), UniSA
  • Nadia Spargo, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
  • Sally Sobels, ECH Inc.
  • Margie Steffens OAM, University of Adelaide
  • Catherine Turnbull, SA Health

Patients, Carers and families:

  • Healther Allanson, Australian Medical Association (AMA)
  • David Bailey, Oncolocy Massage Ltd
  • Lou Bainger
  • Jenny Bennett, LEAP SA
  • Gordon Boyd, COTA volunteer
  • Pam Castle, Director, Positively gold
  • Merilyn Childs
  • Chris Christensen, Cancer Voices SA
  • Agnieszka Chudecka, Multicultural Aged Care, SA
  • Rosemary Dillon, Life circle
  • Alison Donhardt
  • Jules Ferguson, Consumer Advocate
  • Louise Heuzenroeder, Flinders University
  • Kasim Haroon, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital, NSW
  • Jane Marshall, HCA SA
  • Helen Maxwell
  • Shyla Mills, Palliative Care Queensland
  • Heath Reed, National LGBTI Health Alliance
  • Helen Sieker
  • Judy Smith, Consumer Advocate, RDNS


CareSearch team 2020 - 2023


Professor Jennifer Tieman

Matthew Flinders Fellow, CareSearch and Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying Director

Jennifer is the CareSearch Director and Chief Investigator for the project. As the Director, Jennifer's role is to manage the project and the project team. Prior to her involvement with CareSearch, she had managed projects and teams within the government, community and education sectors.

Dr Katrina Erny-Albrecht

Senior Research Fellow

Katrina Erny-Albrecht is the Senior Research Fellow for the CareSearch project, her responsibilities include management of CareSearch and palliAGED website content. With a background in evidence based research synthesis to inform health care policy and practice decision making, she has previously worked on projects for the government, education and commercial sectors.

Robyn Dutschke

Research Associate

Robyn Dutschke works part time as a Research Assistant with CareSearch. She has a background in nutrition, as well as experience working in health and education settings. Robyn is working on the patient, carers and families arm of the CareSearch Engagement project.

Susan Gravier

Research Associate (Clinical)

Susan Gravier, Research Associate (Clinical) for CareSearch, has a background in physiotherapy and 10+ years’ experience in research support particularly working on positive ageing / healthy ageing projects. Having overseen the palliAGED Project from August 2016 to early 2018, Susan is now working on further content development for palliAGED and leading the allied health arm of the CareSearch and palliAGED Engagement Project.

Ruth Murton

Web Content Administration

Ruth Murton is the Web Content Administrator for the project and is responsible for transferring material into the web environment. Ruth works with our IT partner, Morton Blacketer, on functional issues relating to the various systems in the website.

Samantha Parker

Marketing

Samantha Parker is the Marketing Assistant for the CareSearch project and is responsible for assisting with a range of marketing and communication activities for both CareSearch and palliAGED. Samantha has experience as both an assistant marketing coordinator and project administrator.

Cameron Shepherd

Project Officer

Cameron Shepherd works as a Project Officer assisting in the maintenance and administration of the CareSearch website. Cameron is also responsible for the distribution of newsletters and branded emails as well as assisting in various research and project activities including survey analysis, bibliographic analysis and qualitative analysis.

Mariane Umali

Marketing

Mariane Umali is the Marketing Coordinator for the CareSearch project and is responsible for developing and implementing marketing and communication strategies for both CareSearch and palliAGED. Mariane has experience working for health, education, and not-for-profit sectors.