Senator Andrew McLachlan recently visited the Flinders Sleep Health team for a tour of the world-class clinical sleep research facilities and to learn more about the need to improve sleep health in the community, with particular interest in helping paramedics and first responders.

The multidisciplinary Sleep Health team – comprising staff and students from the four Flinders University Colleges of Medicine and Public Health, Nursing and Health Sciences, Education, and Education, Psychology and Social Work, and Science and Engineering – showcased current and future cross-disciplinary research plans.

Senator McLachlan learned how the Sleep Health team’s particular focus around innovations to treat shift workers with sleep disorders could have a major impact in improving their health, wellbeing, safety and productivity.

FHRMI Sleep Health director Professor Danny Eckert says the visit was an opportunity to discuss current and future cross-disciplinary research plans, particularly around innovation for treatment in shift workers with sleep disorders. Flinders alumna paramedic Anastasia Bougesis joined the session.