University Centre for Rural Health

A great afternoon at UCRH yesterday, with local clinical educators coming together to talk about one of the trickiest parts of the job: giving feedback that actually helps students learn and grow 👏

A big thank you to everyone who joined us in Lismore to share ideas, experiences and practical tips for supporting the next generation of health professionals.

Today we're heading to Grafton to do it all again. We can't wait to continue the conversation and connect with more educators from across the region.

Everyone wants and deserves access to healthy, affordable food. But when we're talking about food insecurity, the words we choose can shape how people understand the issue and whether they support solutions.

Recent research involving UCRH tested different ways of talking about food security for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, exploring which messages help people better understand the challenges involved and the need for action.

The findings show that effective communication can help shift the conversation beyond individual choices and towards the broader factors that influence health and wellbeing.

Read more on our website: https://ucrh.edu.au/testing-message-frames-for-change/

Testing message frames for change - University Centre for Rural Health Can the way we talk about food security influence support for policy change? A new rural health research publication co-authored by UCRH researcher Caroline Deen set out to explore that question.

Healthy food, community connection and hands-on student learning all in one story.

We were chuffed to see our students recognised in this article about a local initiative led by Wardell Neighbourhood Centre helping Northern Rivers residents access affordable fresh produce. Experiences like these are a valuable part of rural health education, giving students the chance to work alongside community organisations and see first-hand how social issues such as food affordability can affect health and wellbeing. 🍎

Read the story: https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/lismoretimes/news/community-support-program-tackles-food-costs-with-affordable-fresh-produce/

Community support program tackles food costs with affordable fresh produce - Lismore Times Tackle rising food costs with affordable fresh produce boxes in Ballina. Pre-order budget-friendly fruit and veg to eat healthy today!

Building a strong rural health workforce starts long before graduation.

Recent research co-authored by Dr Jodie Bailie has identified the ingredients that help students get the most from their rural placements, from quality supervision and practical support to community connections and wellbeing.

Drawing on the experiences of 86 people from 10 University Departments of Rural Health across Australia, the study found that great placements are about much more than simply matching a student with a location.

When students feel supported, connected and challenged, they're more likely to develop the confidence and skills needed to work in rural communities.

Read the story on our website 👇

https://ucrh.edu.au/better-placements-stronger-rural-workforce/

Better placements, stronger rural workforce - University Centre for Rural Health What makes a rural health student placement genuinely valuable? A new study co-authored by UCRH researcher Dr Jodie Bailie has helped answer that question, identifying the key ingredients that support rural health student placements and strengthen the future health workforce.

What does it mean to be a true ally in healthcare?

Recent research (part of a series) co-authored by UCRH's Jane Linton, explores how health professionals can help create better care for Indigenous Peoples living with musculoskeletal pain.

The paper argues that allyship is more than good intentions. It means listening, learning, building respectful relationships and taking action to remove barriers to better health outcomes.

Bringing together Indigenous and non-Indigenous clinicians and researchers from Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand and Canada, the team shares practical ways health professionals can support more culturally safe care and stronger health systems.

Read more on our website 👇

https://ucrh.edu.au/moving-forward-together-for-better-care/

Moving forward together for better care - University Centre for Rural Health How can health professionals help create better health outcomes for Indigenous Peoples? A new paper co-authored by UCRH researcher Jane Linton explores the role of allyship and advocacy in improving care for Indigenous people living with musculoskeletal pain.

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On Monday we shared a reel that showed our Lecture Theatre full of high school students exploring future health careers.

This is the same lecture theatre... before it was a lecture theatre.

Turns out every great learning space starts with a pile of timber, a load of tradies and a healthy dose of imagination. 😄

As we celebrate 25 years of UCRH, we've been digging through the archives and uncovering the stories, spaces and people that helped shape who we are today. We've got a lot more planned for the next few months, including the launch of our 25 Years, 25 Stories project that will take you on a walk down memory lane.

Keep an eye out!

Last week we shared news that UCRH researcher Dr Cas Sedran-Price has been awarded more than $700,000 through a prestigious NHMRC Investigator Grant. This week, we're highlighting another fascinating project she's involved in. 👏

Who gets to decide how information about Indigenous people, communities, culture and Country is collected, stored and used?

That's the question behind Indigenous Data Foundations: A Learning Partnership, a new national project working with Indigenous experts and organisations from the National Earth and Environmental Sciences Facilities Forum to strengthen Indigenous leadership and decision-making around data.

The project is helping organisations learn practical ways to ensure Indigenous knowledge, rights and cultural protocols are recognised in how data is managed.

It's complex work, but the goal is simple: learning from Indigenous experts to build better systems and stronger approaches to Indigenous data governance.

Learn more about the project here: https://ucrh.edu.au/project/indigenous-data-foundations-a-learning-partnership/

And if you missed the news about Cas' new grant, this is where you can catch-up: https://ucrh.edu.au/nhmrc-grant-tackles-stolen-generations-health-gap/

Great news for our allied health team 🎉

We’re proud to see Sarah Crook, Occupational Therapy Clinical Educator, appointed to the Leadership Group of the new Allied Health Clinical Education Community of Practice, a national network helping shape the future of clinical education across Australia.

And there’s more. Sarah Miles, Team Leader of Clinical Education (Allied Health), has been appointed as a Leadership Fellow, supporting projects and initiatives that will strengthen allied health education nationwide.

These appointments mean rural voices and real-world experience from the Northern Rivers will help inform national conversations about rural health workforce development and the training of future health professionals.

Read more on our website: https://ucrh.edu.au/ucrh-educators-gain-national-roles/

When we talk about climate change, it's easy to focus on the big things: floods, fires and extreme weather.

But research is showing that people matter just as much.

A new Women's Agenda series is exploring the role of care, kindness and connection in preparing for, responding to and recovering from climate disasters. It includes research from UCRH's Dr Rebecca McNaught, which highlights the often unseen work women did during and after the 2022 floods, from coordinating volunteers to supporting recovery efforts across the community.

It's a timely reminder that strong communities don't happen by accident. They are built by people looking out for each other. ❤️

Follow the series here: https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/care-and-connection-are-critical-to-australias-climate-response-heres-why-were-exploring-it/

Care and connection are critical to Australia’s climate response. Here's why we're exploring it Women's Agenda will spend the next six weeks exploring the role of care, kindness and connection in Australia's response to climate change.