We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your ongoing commitment to your patients and your community. We also appreciate the value you place on research and translating that research into the real world to make a difference. We hope you find useful opportunities and information in this newsletter to help you with this mission and welcome your feedback on content.

The next TROPHI translation forum will be held on Tuesday 16 August starting at 6.00 pm Manningham Civic Centre, Doncaster.

Join us for an evening of connection and inspiration as we explore how research can create real impact in primary care. We’ll explore how research turns evidence into action, improves care, influences policy and makes a tangible difference in our communities.

• discover local research happening across the TROPHI region
• share ideas and build meaningful connections
• discuss bringing research to life in your practice.

Access funding to support your education and development – apply now.

Do you want to develop your skills in research and translation?

Are you seeking funding to support professional development?

Funding is now available to support you.

$1000 education bursaries available.
Apply now for a bursary of $1000 to support education aligned with the TROPHI regional priorities including mental health or build skills in research, translation, education or quality improvement.

Open to GPs, registrars, medical students and primary care professionals working in a patient-facing role within the TROPHI region.

$5000 research development bursaries
Funding is available to support education or research costs, including professional development in research and/or translation or expenses related to a supervised research project.

Open to early career researchers who are GPs, GP registrars, or other primary care professionals working in patient-facing roles within the TROPHI region.

Contact trophi@racgp.org.au for more information.

TROPHI mentoring program now open

GPs, general practice staff and primary health workers in Knox, Maroondah, and Yarra Ranges are invited to apply for the TROPHI mentoring program. Connect with an experienced mentor and strengthen your skills in research translation.

Visit TROPHI website for the latest information on all opportunities.

TROPHI evaluation project – progress update

The TROPHI evaluation project has reached several key milestones including the ethics approval which was  granted by Monash University. We’re conducting semi-structured 45-minute Zoom interviews with a wide cross-section of participants including: TROPHI stakeholders, staff members, program award recipients, partners, consumer representatives and research network affiliates.
 
We would love to hear your reflections and experiences about the TROPHI project. 
 
If you are interested in participating email Research Fellow, Dr Nishadi, or alternatively, please register your interest here. 

TROPHI is excited to be a part of TRANSFORM (Transition and reform for seamless multidisciplinary care) project funded through the Medical Research Future Fund (2025-2030). The project will focus on addressing fragmentation within the healthcare system, aligning with regional needs and current policy reform efforts.

TRANSFORM will use experience-based co-design across regional integration collaboratives in three Melbourne regions (North West, South East, Outer East - TROPHI). Consumer input will be integrated at all phases. A collaborative measurement planning framework will focus on what matters most to people receiving care, whilst also considering the values of clinicians, health services and organisations. Health implementation and economics will be embedded from the outset.
 
Other methodologies being considered include patient journey mapping to identify those most in need of care; examining alternative healthcare funding structures; improving communication and specialist GP secondary consultation approaches and exploring the use of nurses and bi-cultural workers in primary care.
 
The TROPHI network has provided an important foundation to support this complex work. This project has potential to make a real difference to how healthcare is delivered and to the health and wellbeing of our community. The TROPHI community will have opportunities to find out more and become involved as this project progresses.

TROPHI is excited to host three outstanding vacation scholars at Monash University this winter.  

Suzy Dingle, a fourth-year medical student, has been contributing to the CREATE project (Collaborative Registrar Education and Training Enhancement), which aims to improve hospital-based training for future GPs.

Suzy helped to prepare a consultative forum and analyse interviews and other data. Her contribution alongside two forums helped the CREATE team identify two promising innovations, now being explored with Eastern Health.

1.  Early GP exposure (e.g. GP rotations or release days)
2.  Education and peer support strategies (e.g., mentorship, transition programs, and peer learning structures).

Pak Fung Ho, a third-year medical student vacation scholar is currently supporting the TROPHI evaluation.
 
Caroline Filiex, a fourth year Bachelor of Science/Arts student, is updating the TROPHI regional needs analysis. She’s reviewing recent documents from local state government agencies, health organisations, and incorporating feedback from TROPHI consumer advisors.

A big thank you to our vacation scholars and their supervisors. This program is a valuable opportunity for students to connect and engage with TROPHI and the wider primary health community, contributing to work that drives meaningful action and impact.  

Key Insights: evolving needs in the TROPHI region

Our updated analysis of the TROPHI region covering Maroondah, Knox, and Yarra Ranges highlights several critical health and wellbeing priorities, shaped by strong community input and lived experience.
 
Top needs identified include:

• earlier access to mental health support
• expanded home-based care options
• more inclusive and culturally safe community engagement.

• limited access to affordable neurodevelopmental assessments for young people
• poor transport options for isolated or rural residents
• a lack of trauma-informed referral pathways.

• The NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health in Primary Care (Monash University)
• Melbourne University Department of General Practice and Primary Care

This project will provide exceptional opportunities for building local research capacity and informing national advocacy and policy with relevant general practice research.
Congratulations to all involved and we look forward to hearing about the important work happening, and we will share further updates as this project progress.

Dr Simone McCallum, a GP with a special interest in mental health care, has led the establishment of an Embedded GP Service within Eastern Health’s Adult Mental Health Services.

There is strong evidence that people living with mental illness experience significantly worse physical health outcomes.

They face higher rates of chronic disease, substance use, smoking and alcohol use, greater socioeconomic disadvantage, and tragically they die 14–23 years earlier than those without mental illness.
 
The Embedded GP Service aims to reduce barriers to care for case managed mental health consumers by providing more accessible, integrated primary care. This mode is rare in Australia, where GPs are seldom embedded within public mental health services. In fact, no other known Australian service delivers care through this model.  
 
With support from a TROPHI seed funding grant the GP team is conducting qualitative research to evaluate the service from the perspective of Mental Health Clinicians. Over half of the interviews are complete and thematic analysis is now underway. Plans are in place to extend the research to include consumer experience in the near future.

Acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) remain one of the leading cause of preventable hospital admissions in Australia. A recent study has revealed important gaps in general practice.

Supported by a 2020 Australian General Practice Research Foundation Family Medical Care Education and Research (FMCER) Grant, Dr Bianca Perera partnered with Dr Chris Barton and Dr Christian Osadnik from Monash University to investigate GP knowledge and practice around COPD care.

The team found that only 47% of GPs were familiar with the COPD-X guidelines, the national standard for managing the disease.

The team found that only 47% of GPs were familiar with the COPD-X guidelines, the national standard for managing the disease.

“The knowledge that I gained from this project enabled me to apply research evidence in clinical practice in the most effective manner to ensure best possible care is provided to patients.”

See her detailed findings - General practice management of COPD patients following acute exacerbations: a qualitative study – PubMed.
 
Read about research funded by the Australian General Practice Research Foundation.

Both Chris and Christian are mentors in the TROPHI mentoring program.

Is your general practice ready to deliver evidence-based and personalised mental health care? We are inviting general practices in the TROPHI region (Knox, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges) to participate in the pilot rollout of the Link-me+, a new model of care designed to support both GPs and patients in navigating the mental health system.

Launched in June 2025, Link-me+ is already being implemented in five practices. It takes an integrated, tailored approach to mental health care and is supported by the Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (EMPHN) and the University of Melbourne.

Questions? Contact us at link-me@unimelb.edu.au.

Helpful resources for your practice

Tania Worrell, practice manager of three family medical clinics in the Yarra Ranges and recipient of the TROPHI Seed Funding for Practice Based Pilot studies, is leading an exciting new initiative.

The funding is supporting the development and delivery of a series of evidence-based webinars aimed at both emerging and experienced practice managers and practice owners. These sessions are designed to provide practical  tools, insights and strategies to support your professional growth and help your practice thrive in today’s evolving primary care environment.  

Upcoming webinars:

• 27 August: HR management
• 24 September: Risk and quality improvement
• 15 October: Customer service and leadership

The Australasian Association for Academic Primary Care Conference (AAAPC) will be  held on 11–12 August at Deakin University’s Waterfront Campus in Geelong.

This is a key event for researchers, clinicians, educators and policy makers working in primary care across Australia.

For more information and registration please visit here.

Partnering with TROPHI

TROPHI welcomes partnerships with researchers, universities, hospital health services and other academic organisations who share our vision of improving primary health care and patient outcomes.

We’re particularly interested in supporting research and translation projects that are undertaken within the TROPHI region and are aligned with the needs of general practice and local communities.

Contact us

If you have any questions, please contact trophi@racgp.org.au