CareSearch celebrated its 10th anniversary on 3 August 2018 with a birthday celebration that highlighted the importance of evidence-informed palliative care.

A national program funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and managed by Flinders University, CareSearch is based at the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and aims to improve the quality of end-of-life and palliative care through evidence, research and education.

In her opening remarks at the event, Professor Jennifer Tieman (CareSearch Director and Matthew Flinders Fellow) reiterated that evidence is crucial in providing optimal, person-centred palliative care.

“For 10 years now, CareSearch has been enabling Australians to make informed decisions by providing access to trustworthy information and best available evidence,” Professor Tieman stated.

Professor Alison Kitson, Vice President of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, attended the celebrations. In her presentation she commented that CareSearch demonstrates the quality and commitment of Flinders in innovating health research and education.

“Palliative care is complex and often sensitive, and a difficult topic,” Professor Kitson said.

“Having a resource like CareSearch enables us to help health professionals and patients and their carers to access quality evidence and trustworthy information.”

Other speakers at the event included Ms Carolanne Barkla, CEO of Aged Rights Advocacy Service Inc; Ms Meg Brassil, Member and Consumer/Carer representative of the CareSearch National Advisory Group; Ms Kate Swetenham, Service Director of the Southern Adelaide Palliative Services; and Dr Katrina Erny-Albrecht, CareSearch and palliAGED Senior Research Fellow.