Western Alliance Fellows to help expand clinical trials access across western Victoria

Two clinician researchers from Western Alliance member health services have been appointed as inaugural Victorian Future Leader Fellows for Clinical Trials, joining a statewide program supported by the Victorian Government designed to help more Victorians participate in clinical trials and access innovative treatments and care.

Supported by a $2 million Victorian Government investment, the Victorian Future Leader Fellows for Clinical Trials program aims to strengthen participation, recruitment and awareness of clinical trials across the state, while building the next generation of clinical trials leaders.

The Fellowships provide dedicated time and support for frontline health professionals to develop and validate practical approaches to increasing participation in clinical trials.

Delivered through the Victorian Research Translation Centre Collaborative, comprising Western Alliance Academic Health Science Centre, Melbourne Academic Centre for Health (MACH) and Monash Partners Health Translation Network, it will appoint 15 Fellows over the next four years.

Representing Western Alliance member organisations, Dr Anna Cunliffe, Barwon Health (pictured, left) and Dr Anna Watts, Grampians Health (pictured, right) have been appointed to the inaugural cohort following a competitive selection process.

Through the Fellowships, supported by the Victorian Government and administered by Western Alliance, they will lead distinct and complementary components of a region-wide project focused on improving participation and access to clinical trial opportunities.

The SPARC-CT Project: Supporting Participation and Access through Regional Collaboration- Clinical Trials

The SPARC-CT Project was developed to address the imbalance in access to clinical trials for rural and regional Victorians, which adds to the current health inequity between rural and metropolitan populations.

There are many factors contributing to this imbalance, including geographic challenges, clinician capacity and community awareness. As a result, SPARC-CT aims to support clinical trials participation and access in rural and regional western Victoria via a multi-faceted approach.

Connecting clinicians, health services and communities with clinical trial opportunities

Dr Anna Cunliffe, Endocrinologist at Barwon Health, will work on increasing clinician awareness of local clinical trial opportunities, a known barrier to trial participation, across western Victoria by engaging health services, general practice and primary health networks. This work will contribute to a scalable regional collaboration model that can be used to strengthen clinical trial activity across regional western Victoria.

Helping more rural and regional patients access clinical trials

Dr Anna Watts, Endocrinologist at Grampians Health, will work on improving access to clinical trials for rural, regional, remote and First Nations communities across western Victoria. Through community outreach activities, including the Grampians Health Mobile Clinical Trials Unit, the project will increase awareness of clinical trials and contribute to the development of a collaborative regional clinical trial model that can be adopted in other parts of regional western Victoria.

While taking different approaches, both projects aim to connect more Victorians with clinical trial opportunities.

Drew Aras, Executive Director, Western Alliance, is excited about the work ahead. “Where you live should not determine your ability to participate in a clinical trial. We’re proud to see Dr Anna Watts and Dr Anna Cunliffe selected for this program, helping strengthen clinical trial access, connections and capability across western Victoria.”

Minister for Medical Research Anthony Carbines said: “Our investment in these six clinicians will help deliver faster medical breakthroughs that could save lives and help expand Victoria’s role as the medical research capital of Australia. These fellowships make sure everyone can participate in and benefit from cutting-edge medical research.”

Victorian Research Translation Centres Collaborative Independent Chair Professor Richard Larkins AC said the program is a partnership between Victoria’s outstanding research organisations and health services and the Victorian Government. “It will enhance patient recruitment to clinical trials, allowing earlier introduction of life-saving new treatments as well as attracting more commercial investment into our state.”