One of the main aims of the School of Nursing and Midwifery is to strengthen Australia's ability to improve quality of life by establishing research centres and health programs. Recent examples include two national Dementia Centres, several Palliative Care Programs, and the new Wound Healing Community Outreach Service. These facilities make sure the School remains engaged with the community. The School and its staff are active in numerous funded projects; examples are further detailed in the 'Projects' section of this website.
Leg Clubs
Leg Clubs are informal community drop-in centres where clients with leg problems such as ulcers, eczema, skin grafts, and varicose veins can receive wound care and advice from registered nurses in a social and friendly environment. Research undertaken in the QUT School of Nursing and Midwifery and the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), in partnership with Spiritus Care Services, has led to the development of several Leg Clubs throughout Brisbane. First devised in 1995 by Ellie Lindsay, a District Nurse in the UK, Leg Clubs have been shown to provide significant health benefits: QUT researchers have shown that treatment at Leg Clubs improves wound healing and client well-being when compared with traditional home treatment.
For new referrals, contact the Spritus referral service team on 1300 785 853. To find out more about Leg Clubs contact Spiritus Care Services: Brisbane South (Ekibin) (07) 3421 2983; Brisbane South East (Coorparoo) (07) 3421 2876; Bayside (Cleveland) (07) 3286 2755.
Wound Healing Community Outreach Service
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has established a Wound Healing Community Outreach Service for the general public located at the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI). This is an ongoing service aimed at providing advanced treatment, education, and preventive strategies to improve the quality of life of people living with chronic wounds in Brisbane and across Queensland. The Service is led by a nurse practitioner and is supported by a community cevelopment worker and a team of researchers. QUT expects that the Wound Healing Service will become a collaborative hub that links existing wound care services, health care professionals, best-practice and proven research findings, and members of the community. For comprehensive information about services and contacts, please visit the website www.ihbi.qut.edu.au/woundhealing/.
Dementia Centres
The Dementia Collaborative Research Centre for Carers, Consumers and Social Research is a $2.2million federally funded centre located at the Kelvin Grove QUT campus. It aims to help strengthen Australia’s ability to improve the quality of life for people with dementia – a group now numbering more than 200 000. QUT Professor Elizabeth Beattie is current Director of the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre. QUT is also the Queensland node and a collaborating organisation in the Eastern Australia Dementia Training and Study Centre (EADTSC), which is a national initiative providing education and training for those who care for people with dementia. Professor Helen Edwards is the Director of the Queensland node of the EADTSC.
Palliative Care Programs
The Centre for Palliative Care Research and Education (CPCRE) is a Queensland Health initiative. The centre’s primary role is to enhance palliative care services in Queensland through research and education endeavours. To achieve these aims, the CPCRE operates as a ‘centre without walls’, committed to building and fostering partnerships with the palliative care community in its endeavours. The centre’s work focuses on:
- Developing the capacity of the palliative care workforce to provide quality palliative care
- Improving the links between research and practice in palliative care
- Undertaking research to enhance the quality of palliative care
- Providing information which supports the delivery of palliative care services.
The CPCRE is administered by a consortium of five organisations: Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Health Service District (lead agency); The Prince Charles Hospital Health Service District; Queensland University of Technology; Karuna Hospice Service; and General Practice Queensland. CPCRE’s Director is Professor Patsy Yates.