We’re thrilled to welcome Natalie White as Program Manager for the Transform Project.
Natalie brings extensive experience across health, research and community settings and is known for her practical, collaborative approach to delivering work with real-world impact.
Welcome, Natalie!
Meet our 3 new GR students to our Department in 2026. Emily Thrower, Nida Anees & Tracy Murphy represent the strength of our GR community: research grounded in practice, driven by equity & committed to improving primary care for diverse communities. Welcome!
#GraduateResearch #PhD2026 #PrimaryCare
We’re thrilled to welcome Melissa Zanlunghi to our Graduate Nursing Programs team!
A Nurse Practitioner with 10+ years’ experience in primary care and paediatric haematology/oncology in the USA, Melissa now practises in Melbourne while completing her NP endorsement in Australia.
Welcome, Melissa!
A special moment from last week’s memorial for A/Prof Phyllis Lau.
We were honoured to welcome back Prof Doris Young, pictured with Dr Malcolm Clark in front of her portrait from her time leading the department.
A lovely reminder of the enduring friendships and shared history in our community.
Happy New Year to everyone welcoming in the Year of the Horse this week. Wishing you all great happiness, health and prosperity.
🐴 #YearoftheHorse #ChineseNewYear2026 🐴
Happy Primary Health Care Nurses Day!
Today we celebrate all the fabulous primary care nurses who deliver care, connection and support every day, right across Australia.
#PHCND2026 #PrimaryHealthCareNurses #PrimaryCare
Primary health care nurses are an anchoring thread in the rich tapestry of general practice.
Join us in recognising the important role they play in keeping Australia healthy on Wed 4 Feb.
#PHCND2026 #PrimaryHealthCareNurses
SPCR wrapped up another annual writing retreat last October — three days in Dandenong with eight grad researchers focused, writing and keeping a much-loved tradition going.
Big thanks to the GSA for supporting the retreat through their Special Grant. Can’t wait for the next one. ✍️🌿
Meet Dr Kelly Fitzpatrick, our new Research Fellow – Sexual and Reproductive Violence.
Her research explores how abuse patterns emerge and escalate, helping to identify early warning signs of coercive control.
📄 Read more: doi.org/10.1177/1745...
#IPV #ResearchForChange
It is with enormous sadness that we announce the passing of our dear colleague, Phyllis Lau on 9/11/25
Phyllis was a valued member of our Department with a strong reputation for the energy, passion and enthusiasm she put into all her work. She was a determined force building primary care research.
FREE SEMINAR
Creative Arts and Dignity in Mental Health
3/12/25
12:30pm - 2:00pm
ESJ King Lecture Theatre
L3 West, Medical Building, University of Melbourne
Mode: In-person and online (registration is essential)
Late lunch and networking after the event
BOOK NOW go.unimelb.edu.au/wcn2
#freeevent
Dr Suzie Harte is passionate about bringing primary care research to regional, rural and remote Australia. As National Program Manager, she helps ensure meaningful studies reach the communities that need them most.
Learn more 👉 go.unimelb.edu.au/svn2
#PrimaryCareResearch #RuralHealth
Reforms are underway to improve mental health + wellbeing for kids (0–12) and their carers across Australia.
This new paper shares a co-designed model of care developed with 235+ children, families, carers, service providers, First Nations + CALD communities.
👉 go.unimelb.edu.au/7xqp
#MentalHealth
🌿 Green it and they will come! From a few pots to 104 thriving plants, our greening project has transformed our office into a more welcoming, connected, healthy place to work. All achieved with shared effort, creativity and no big budgets — just propagation, donations and community spirit. #Plants
If you work in adolescent health and would like to gain valuable tools, techniques and evidence-based strategies to help you diagnose and manage youth mental illness in primary care then this micro cert is for you. Starts 6 Oct. Completely online.
go.unimelb.edu.au/337p #mentalhealth #youth
Lung cancer screening saves lives. Speak with a doctor or healthcare provider to see if you are
eligible.
Find out more: www.health.gov.au/lung-cancer-...
#lungcancer #lungcancerscreeningsaveslives
More than 979,000 applications for medicinal cannabis prescriptions were approved in Australia in 2024. The current prescribing landscape has been described as confusing, inequitable and difficult to regulate. Read Dr Christine Hallinan's new article in The Conversation. lnkd.in/gcn3gCWC
#cannabis
Wonderful to welcome Charla, Rifyal & Mirfa from Universitas Gadjah Mada 🇮🇩 to Melbourne! They're here on an elective with our Dept of General Practice & Primary Care, exploring teaching and research.
#MedicalEducation #InternationalCollaboration #PrimaryCare
Dr Rebecca Starkie brings a unique blend of academic leadership, clinical experience and research expertise to General Practice at the University of Melbourne. As Academic Coordinator, she plays a key role in guiding the next generation of doctors.
Learn more about Rebecca: go.unimelb.edu.au/vd9p
Syphilis rates in Australia have surged with 3,602 cases already this year. New research explores using multiplex PCR testing in GP clinics to boost early detection.
More here: lnkd.in/gN8ffFNE
#sexualhealth #primarycare #research
We're thrilled to welcome Jasmine Purches to the Dept of General Practice & Primary Care @ UniMelb as WEAVERS Project Officer. She’ll support the WEAVERS lived experience group as part of the SAFE program. Jasmine brings invaluable admin, community and lived experience to the role. Welcome, Jasmine!
Over 30,000 people in Victoria are homeless — 2 in 5 are under 25.
It’s not just rough sleeping — it’s couch surfing, cars, unsafe housing.
GPs see the health impacts daily: chronic disease, mental illness & preventable conditions.
Everyone deserves a home.
Learn more: go.unimelb.edu.au/5cgp
#HW2025
It’s Loneliness Awareness Week. This year’s theme: Moments Matter.
Even a smile or brief chat can make a big difference.
Have you had a moment of connection recently?
💬 Share your story or read others' here: lonelinessawarenessweek.com.au
#MomentsMatter #LonelinessAwarenessWeekAU
🖤💛❤️ Today we celebrate National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day.
This year’s theme — “Little footsteps, big future” — honours the strength of culture, community and Country in shaping young lives.
👣 Proud. Strong. Connected.
#LittleFootstepsBigFuture #SNAICC #FirstNations
A web-based sexual health application using AI to identify the risk of a lesion being an STI from a photo is currently in development, however, the usefulness, accessibility and acceptability of this technology to potential users are unknown. Read more👉 go.unimelb.edu.au/cc7p
#research #sexualhealth
👋 Meet Chloe Dawes, our new GP Liaison & Placement Coordinator at the Dept of General Practice and Primary Care! She’s helping coordinate placements for MD students and working with 350+ clinics across Vic through VicREN.
Welcome, Chloe! 🙌
🔗 Learn about VicREN: go.unimelb.edu.au/647p
Meet A/Prof Kylie Vuong in our new “Get to Know Us” series! She researches how GP–patient trust shapes shared care, especially in cancer treatment.
Learn more on this topic: go.unimelb.edu.au/je7p
#PrimaryCare #PatientCentredCare #CancerCare
What are the factors that need to be considered to genuinely progress mental health lived-experience research?
Find out in this latest research: go.unimelb.edu.au/sn5p
@profmbanfield.bsky.social
@victoriajpalmer.bsky.social
#mentalhealth #research #livedexperience #primarycare
Congrats to Dr Amita Tuteja on receiving the 2025 RANZCOG Award! This award recognised her PhD research on developing culturally sensitive consent processes and creating a best practice resource for healthcare practitioners working with interpreters in refugee contexts.
#success #research #impact
