At Northern Health, great care starts with curiosity. In 2026, that curiosity takes shape through the launch of the inaugural Clinical Audit for Research and Evidence (CARE) Fellowship, commencing this April.
Developed in response to growing interest across allied health in undertaking audits as part of quality improvement, the program supports clinicians to ask the right questions and use data to improve how we deliver care.
At its core, the CARE Fellowship strengthens the connection between evidence and everyday practice, empowering clinicians to turn insight into meaningful change for patients.
“The CARE Fellowship was created to address gaps in allied health research capability at Northern Health, particularly in analysing and interpreting routinely collected service data, and navigating the research ethics processes. Every day, clinicians generate valuable data through patient care, yet this information is often under used. CARE supports the next generation of clinician researchers to turn routine clinical data into meaningful questions about their model of care and actionable evidence, enabling rapid translation of evidence into practice and driving improvements in patient care,” said Adam Semciw on behalf of the Allied Health Research Team.
Structured as a 12-week targeted program and delivered in partnership with La Trobe University, participants will take part in five small group training workshops, receive one-on-one mentorship from experienced researchers, and present their work at the end of the program. Fellows will also be supported through a non-HREC ethics application and abstract submission to Northern Health Research Week 2026.
This year’s inaugural cohort reflects a diverse and passionate group of clinicians, each bringing a unique lens to improving patient care and outcomes across our services.
Meet our CARE Fellows:
Gemma Monaghan (Dietetics)
Gemma is a senior Gastroenterology and Musculoskeletal Dietitian. Her project will explore whether improvements in diet and weight are associated with reduced pain, enhanced quality of life, and improved physical function in patients with osteoarthritis awaiting joint replacement surgery.
“My project aims to identify whether improvements in diet quality and weight following dietetic input was also associated with improvements in pain, quality of life and physical function. It is hoped that these findings will support the case for continued collaboration between the Dietetics and Physiotherapy disciplines in the management of Osteoarthritis within the public health setting,” she said.
Andrew Morrison (Aboriginal Support Services)
Andrew is a proud Gunditjmara man and Aboriginal Cultural and Employment Advisor at Northern Health. With extensive experience in Aboriginal health and community engagement, his work continues to centre Aboriginal voices, strengthen cultural safety, and improve health outcomes for Aboriginal communities.
“When our mob are missing outpatient appointments, I don’t see disengagement, I see a system that is not working for our mob. Too often, our people end up in the ED when their health deteriorates, and that is not good enough,” Andrew said.
“This work is about changing that. It is about making care culturally safe, easier to access, and built around our Aboriginal patients so our people receive the right care early, not just in crisis. If we are serious about getting it right, Aboriginal research must be led by Aboriginal people. That is how we design care that truly works for our mob.”
Bernadette Sweeney (Support at Home Program / Social Work)
Bernadette is a social worker with extensive experience in inpatient and community-based aged care, currently working as a Clinical Care Partner. Her project will analyse data from the Support at Home program to better understand the clinical and psychosocial needs of clients and their service utilisation.
Emily Davison (Dietetics)
Emily is a Dietitian with a passion for supporting people living with feeding tubes. Inspired by her experience in the UK and attendance at ESPEN conferences, her project will examine prescribing trends of fibre-containing versus non-fibre enteral feeds in patients with motor neurone disease.
Eamonn McGrath-Lester (Speech Pathology)
Eamonn is a Grade 2 Speech Pathologist whose project will evaluate Northern Health’s management of post-stroke aphasia in the acute setting, aligned with the Stroke Foundation’s Clinical Guidelines. His work aims to identify opportunities to enhance service delivery and patient outcomes.
Claire Ackland (Podiatry / Allied Health Quality and Safety)
Claire is a senior podiatrist and Allied Health Quality and Safety Lead at Northern Health. Her project will focus on patients referred with diabetes-related foot ulcers, examining diagnosis and survival outcomes to inform future care pathways.
Through mentorship, collaboration, and a shared commitment to continuous improvement, the CARE Fellowship represents a significant step forward in strengthening research capability across allied health at Northern Health.
As the program unfolds, these projects have the potential to shape future models of care, enhance patient outcomes, and further embed a culture of inquiry and innovation across our organisation.
We congratulate our inaugural CARE Fellows and look forward to following their journey and celebrating their contributions at Northern Health Research Week 2026.