Written by Dr Deidre Morgan, Senior Lecturer, Palliative and Supportive Services, Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University and Dr Lillian Krikheli, AAHPC Steering Committee Member.
Australian Allied Health in Palliative Care (AAHPC) is delighted to announce its partnership with the Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying at Flinders University (RePaDD).
AAHPC was founded by a small but passionate group of allied health professionals in 2011 at the Palliative Care Australia conference in Cairns. It was borne out of passion for improving patient care, but also out of frustration that the valuable role allied health play was largely overlooked. AAHPC’s vision is to promote and support allied health professionals to provide optimal care for people facing the end of life. AAHPC has now grown to represent over 300 occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists, social workers, dietitians, and psychologists working in palliative care.
RePaDD has shown a commitment to supporting allied health and, in particular, to support and promote allied health research in palliative care. In partnering with RePaDD, AAHPC endeavours to meet one of its core objectives which is to improve the care of patients and their family and carers at the end of life through the advancement of research and support of Allied Health professionals’ engagement in palliative care research. AAHPC’s connection with RePaDD will also foster strategic relationships with palliative care and end-of-life care academic communities and professional organisations.
RePaDD will provide an online platform to host AAHPC contact information, newsletters and seminars. AAHPC members will have the opportunity to access RePaDD research seminars, and in turn, there will also be opportunity for AAHPC members to present at the RePaDD seminars to profile new and emerging allied health research. AAHPC members are also welcome to apply to become affiliate members of RePaDD if they meet the criteria for membership.
A huge challenge for allied health working in palliative care is developing evidence to inform clinical practice and to demonstrate the ways in which allied health professionals make a difference to client and carers’ end-of-life care needs. We hope that this collaboration with RePaDD will support allied health professionals to contribute to the emerging allied health palliative care evidence base to better inform care.