Registration Desk open
Conference Office open

Pre-Conference meetings

Music in the foyer — Alice Springs Strings Group

Posters on display

OPENING SESSION

Welcome
Patricia Miller, Deputy of the Administrator of the Northern Territory.

Welcome
Rachael Maza, Conference MC

KEYNOTE 1
Mr Neill Wright, Regional Representative, UNHCR
Population displacement health challenges in today’s world

KEYNOTE 2
Professor Alan Pettigrew, CEO, National Health and Medical Research Council
The NHMRC — investing in the health of all Australians

Images of Central Australia

Report
Ralph McLean
Key recommendations from previous conferences

KEYNOTE 3
Professor John S Humphreys, School of Rural Health, Monash University, Bendigo
Revisiting the well-being of remote communities twenty years on — a time for celebration and reflection

Delegates invited to walk down to the banks of the Todd Riverbed

SUNSET WELCOME CEREMONY

Welcome speeches by traditional owners

Welcome speeches
Mayor Fran Kilgariff
The Hon. Peter Toyne, NT Minister for Health
Professor John Horvath AO, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and Ageing
Ms Sue McAlpin, Chairperson, National Rural Health Alliance

Traditional dancers, music, ceremonial

Delegates invited to walk back to the Convention Centre

WELCOME RECEPTION

Registration Desk open
Conference Office open
Exhibition open
Posters on display

Gary Cannell - didgeridoo

Vision — Conference highlights and beyond The Gap

Opening comments by the National Rural Health Alliance Chairperson, Sue McAlpin, and the Conference Convenor, John Wakerman

SECTION 1: Indigenous health and remote areas
What lessons can we share about improving the health of Indigenous people and other populations in remote areas?

KEYNOTE 4 (not presented)

KEYNOTE 5
Peter Sutton, ARC Professorial Fellow at the University of Adelaide and the South Australian Museum
The politicisation of disease and the disease of doliticisation: causal theories and the Indigenous health differential

KEYNOTE 6
Pat Anderson, CEO, Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance of the Northern Territory and Chairperson of the Co-operative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health
Exclusion from access: this has stifled our development

Discussion

Professor Kerin O’Dea, AO
Launch: ‘Educating to improve population health outcomes in chronic disease’

Professor John Wakerman, Conference Convenor & Director, Centre for Remote Health
Official Opening of the Exhibition

KEYNOTE 7
Brennon Dowrick, Director, Performance Max Pty Ltd
Teamwork for health

MORNING TEA
Exhibition and networking

A1 Indigenous health — first-time presenters
Chair: Alex Brown

Exploring, employing every endeavour to enhance the health of Aboriginal people — Arlene Ackland, Lorraine Haseldine, Lee Lawrie, Colleen Prideaux 

The birth of a new service — Cheryl Boles, Deanna Stuart-Butler, Anne Foale

Targeting Aboriginal health in Aboriginal terms: lessons from the Top End — Joseph Turner, Julie Graham

A2 Mental health
Chair: Ralph McLean

Stone in a pond — the ripple effect of mental health first aid education, on fire- and drought-affected rural communities — Gilian Malone, Jennifer Ahrens, Gary Bourke

Multiple partners for mental health — Susan Patterson

Training linked to rural service delivery: intern-provided rural clinical neuropsychological service in Break O’Day, north-east Tasmania — Stuart Auckland, Clive Skilbeck, Judith Helen Walker

A3 Multi-disciplinary health education
Chair: Robyn Adams

The Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA) and Lifeline Australia’s calls — Robert John Watson, John McDonald, Dora Pearce

Supporting workers and communities nationally through recognised skill development and qualifications — Di Lawson, Natalie Elias

The challenge of evaluating rural undergraduate multi-professional education — Tony Smith, Trish Thornberry, Rod Cooper, Leanne Brown, Lauren Williams, Michael Lyons, Peter Jones

A4 Workforce — models of general practice
Chair: Jenny May

Developing solutions to the provision of primary care services in rural and remote Queensland — Kristine Battye, Colin White, Sheilagh Cronin, Nigel Bond, Chris Mitchell

Viable models of rural general practice — David Mildenhall

Division of General Practice: providing a creative solution to regional health care shortages — Graeme Kershaw, Jo Starky

A5 Indigenous health
Chair: Victoria Gilmore

Subverting the chronic disease paradigm — an innovative workforce initiative across northern Australia — Janie Dade Smith, Jenni Judd, Christine Connors, Robyn McDermott

The Gap Analysis Tool — addressing areas for development in mainstream health services in the south-east of South Australia in conjunction with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community — Timmy Duggan

A plague of presumption — Lorraine Holland, Louise Lawler 

A6 Arts-in-health
Chair: Bek Ledingham

The best fun … with half your clothes on: belly dancing — a fun and inclusive activity for every woman — Marisa Gilles, Elizabeth Unwin

Partnerships in child and adolescent mental health: healthy communities through arts and health — Vanessa Gaston

The Bridge — bringing communities together culture strong — Tricia Currie, Angela O’Donnell, Esther Kirby

A7 In the lounge
Chair: Leanne Chandler

Middle level clinicians – a role in rural Australia? — Ian Cameron

The volunteer workforce of small rural communities — Lesley Siegloff, Mary Weir

Still on the outer edges? Progress towards and prospects for the development of a rural and remote evidence base for clinical practice — John McDonald, Angela Murphy

LUNCH
Exhibition and networking

Ntaria Ladies Choir

Special Plenary Session on Depression
led by beyondblue, the national depression initiative

SECTION 2: Land and health
What do we know about the connections between land and health for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in rural and remote Australia?

KEYNOTE 8
Judge David Sheppard, New Zealand Environment Court
Maori land: Maori health

KEYNOTE 9
Tony Gleeson, Synapse Research and Consulting, Brisbane
Land, spirit and health: a non-Indigenous perspective

KEYNOTE 10
Dr Fay Johnston, Public Health Physician, Centre for Remote Health
Fire, landscapes and health
Professor David Bowman, Director, ARC Key Centre for Tropical Wildlife Management, Charles Darwin University

AFTERNOON TEA
Exhibition and networking

1. Aged care in rural and remote areas
Chair: Rob Dempsey
Facilitator: Les Stahl

Facilitated by Aged and Community Services Australia

Session 1

Health Integration Services Model: a new way of linking a community together in rural areas for health services — Coralanne Walker

Integrated aged and acute services in Margaret River — Nigel Jefford

Session 2

Questions and discussion

• drawing out positive aspects of models that have applicability for other services
• recommendations for conference communiqué.

2. The National Alcohol Strategy 2005–2009 ~ have your say
Chair: Rodger Brough
Facilitator: Trevor King

Facilitated by Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia and the Australian Rural Centre for Addictive Behaviours

An opportunity to be involved in development of the new Alcohol Strategy. Bring your ‘must include’ messages to this meeting.

3. NHMRC initiatives in rural health
Chair: Philip Callan

Facilitated by the National Health and Medical Research Council

Session 1

Cardiac rehabilitation in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities — Noel Hayman, Mark Wenitong

Session 2

Management of water quality in rural and remote communities — David Cunliffe

4. Foetal alcohol syndrome
Chair: John Wakerman

Facilitated by the NRHA

Session 1

Introduction — John Wakerman

Background and international evidence
— Dr Margaret Clarke, University of Calgary (on video)

Case study: and work of the national support group (National Organisation for Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and Related Disorders) — Sue Miers

The work of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research — Heather d’Antoine

A view from Central Australia — Frances Turner & Nettie Flaherty

A paediatrician’s view — Nigel Stewart

Session 2 — Discussion

• What is the current status of the syndrome — and of our national capacity to deal with it?
• Is there agreement on a national approach?

5. Building healthy communities in rural and remote Australia
Chair: Di Wyatt

Successful case studies in the management of chronic disease from the Rural Chronic Disease Initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

Session 1

The key findings — Di Wyatt

Diabetes management across the Mallee Track
— MTH&CS and Bernard Denner

Texas - The Healthy Town Project
— David Hayward

Galiwin’ku Project on Elcho Island
— Timmy and Djarti

Collie Aboriginal Rural Chronic Disease Initiative Ngalang Moort Moortditj - Our Happiness
— Beth Jackson and James Khan

Thursday Island Project
— Liz Cotton

The Many Rivers Diabetes Prevention Project Kempsey/Taree
— Janine Cochrane and Josephine Gwynn

Panel discussion — chaired by Marlene Drysdale

Building Healthy Communities in remote Australia projects 2004–2008 — Department of Health and Ageing

Session 3

• Small working group discussions
• Plenary discussion

6. The Rural Medical Infrastructure Fund — have your say
Chair: Des Harris

Facilitated by the Department of Transport and Regional Services

Presentations will outline the scope of this new initiative of the Australian government to assist rural councils to strengthen medical services within their communities.

Discussion will contribute to policy development and implementation of the initiative.

7. Focus on the Conference Posters
Conference delegates are encouraged to visit the Posters on display outside the MacDonnell Room and to speak with the Posters’ authors

8. Discussion with beyondblue (cont.)

Close

CONFERENCE DINNER
With the Warren Williams Band

Sunrise activities
Yoga at Novotel Outback (7.30am)
Ballooning with Outback Ballooning
Student Recovery at Anzac Hill, Alice Springs

Film showing, "Crossing the Line", at the Convention Centre (7.30am)

Registration Desk open
Conference Office open
Exhibition open
Posters on display

Vision — Conference highlights and beyond The Gap

Rachael Maza, Conference MC

NRHA Chairperson, Sue McAlpin, and Council of the Alliance

SECTION 3: Multi-disciplinary health workforce
What are the demonstrated means of successfully strengthening the multi-disciplinary remote and rural health workforce?

KEYNOTE 11
Robert Wells, Director, Policy and Planning (Health), Australian National University
The future health workforce: options we do and do not have

KEYNOTE 12
Professor Debra Humphris, Health Care Innovation Unit, University of Southampton, United Kingdom
Multi-professional practice, interprofessional education: lessons and evidence for rural and remote Australia

KEYNOTE 13
Dr Ruth McNair, University of Melbourne
Breaking down the silos: interprofessional education and interprofessionalism for an effective rural health care workforce

Discussion

AWARDS

Formal presentation of Des Murray Scholarship by Mary Murray and address by winners, Millie Pearse and Amanda Colyer

Announcement and presentation of Louis Ariotti Award by Ans van Erp

Address by Sharon Davis, winner of the Louis Ariotti Award for Excellence

Announcement of Registrar Research Prize by Emma Kennedy

Address by winner of Registrar Research Prize

B1 Indigenous health
Chair: Rob Curry

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health training opportunities in the bush — Warren Bartik, Angela Dixon

Aboriginal Mental Health Program "working both ways" — Donna Mulholland, Warren Timothy, Robert Broom

Multidiscipline approach to diabetes management for rural & remote areas — Bernard Denner

B2 Sharing the load
Chair: Lesley Siegloff

Carers — who’s going to care — Julie Austin

Men’s Sticky Beak Tour and intergenerational activities for the aged — Jillian Schultz

Sharing the load — rural health sharing staff resources — Pam Schubert

B3 Multi-disciplinary workforce
Chair: John Humphreys

Comfort zone: how medical and allied health students perceive their connection with place — Helen Tolhurst, Gaynor Heading

Pharmacist Preceptor Education and Support Program
— Anne Leversha, Jennifer Marriott, Susan Taylor, Maree Simpson, Kirstie Galbraith, Rosalind Bull, Lisa Dalton, Dawn Best, Miranda Rose [abstract only]

Strengthening the rural medical workforce: understanding gender — Jo Wainer, Roger Strasser, Lexia Bryant 

B4 Intersectoral
Chair: Michael Bishop

The end of ‘health terrorism’? Investigating innovative approaches to substance abuse prevention — Clarissa Cook

The economic, medical and social costs of road traffic crashes in rural north Queensland: a 5-year multi-phase study — Craig Veitch, Mary Sheehan, Richard Turner, Vic Siskind, Dennis Pashen

Home-grown solutions for healthier homes: the Healthy Housing Worker program in far-west NSW — Bill Balding, Bruce Graham

B5 Maternity services
Chair: Nigel Stewart

Improving perinatal care in Southern Area Health Service: the Families First Integrated Perinatal and Infant Care Program — Tricia Linehan, Gabrielle Mulcahy, Melissa Burton

B6 Mental health
Chair: Irene Mills

Mental health emergencies training for rural and remote nurses — Rod Menere

Mental health services in rural and remote South Australia: from "awful neglect" to gaining respect — Ken Fielke

A collaborative practice model for rural mental health — Ann Allenby, Barbara Gregory, Eugene Meegan

B7 In the lounge
Chair: Sabina Knight

Elements of successful chronic condition self-management programs for Indigenous Australians — Kate Warren, Fiona Coulthard, Peter Harvey

Using the Australian Rural Background Study to inform rural and remote multi-disciplinary health workforce planning research — Gillian Laven, Caroline Laurence, David Wilkinson, Justin Beilby

You’re not listening to me! Aboriginal mental health is different — don’t you understand? — Jenine Bailey

LUNCH
Exhibition and networking

Afternoon Concert
Desert Rose plus other performers

Move to split plenary

SECTION 4: Split plenary

Section 4a: Intersectoral
Room: Convention Centre,
MacDonnell A
In what ways do sectors such as education, transport, the environment, economic development and communications intersect with each other and the health of people in remote and rural Australia?

Chair: Rachael Maza

Section 4b: Alcohol and other drugs
Room: Convention Centre,
MacDonnell B
How are current issues in policy and practice impacting on the particular challenges of dealing with alcohol and other drug issues in remote and rural communities?

Chair: Rodger Brough

KEYNOTE 14
Mark Stafford Smith, Desert Knowledge CRC, Alice Springs, Steve Morton, Group Executive, CSIRO Environment and Natural Resources, Canberra
Linking sectors in a systematic approach to health

KEYNOTE 15
Mr Paul van Buynder, Principal Medical Consultant, Department of Health WA Health impact assessment and environmental public health indicators: case studies from rural WA

KEYNOTE 16
Megan McNicholl, Chair, Rural Education Forum Australia
REFA - better together

Discussion

Close of split plenary

SPECIAL AFTERNOON TEA *
Exhibition and networking

C1 COSA Workshop
Chair: Steve Ackland

Cancer service delivery in regional and rural Australia — problems and prospects

C2 Indigenous health
Chair: Colleen Prideaux

Nunga Kids Cafe, Port Lincoln — Michael Manders, Jeremy Coaby

Effective community control — the way forward for improving Indigenous health — Rollo Manning, Barry Puruntatameri

C3 Models of care
Chair: Jan Bennett

Getting it right in Queensland rural and remote areas — Sue Crocker

South Australian country health reform — a change worth the wait — Lyn Poole, Roxanne Ramsey, Helen Shepherd

Medical services model for Charleville — Robert Pulsford,

C4 Multi-disciplinary workforce
Chair: Alison Aylott

Mainstream response to Indigenous health care — Sandra Tesoriero, Jackie Hart

Sustainable farming families — the human resource in the triple bottom line — Susan Brumby, John Martin, Stuart Willder

Collaboration in achieving recognition of Indigenous family carers — Rosemary Warmington, Janine Haynes, Alwin Chong, Dianne Schneider

C5 Dealing with chronic disease
Chair: Karen Francis

Home haemodialysis model in rural communities — Robert Pulsford

Integration of health care services across the rural/metropolitan divide — Kim Webber

Too many of them and not enough of us — an innovative solution to management of diabetes in a rural area — Tricia Crompton, Jillian Rainbow

C6 Multi-disciplinary workforce — allied health
Chair: Pauline Wardle

Improving access to services for people with disabilities: development and trial of a community-based rehabilitation course for allied health professionals — a work in progress — Robyn Glynn

Economic evaluation of an outreach allied health service: how do you measure 'bangs for the buck'? — Peter Stanley-Davies, Kristine Battye, Elaine Ashworth

Allied health and the medical workforce — teamwork, integration and sustainability — Shelagh Lowe, Richard Lawrance

C7 In the lounge
Chair: Barbara Ryan

Reorientating health services in remote north Queensland to better address Indigenous health — Janet Struber

Session concludes

Walk to Exhibition

EXHIBITION HAPPY HOUR
with Genevieve O’Loughlin and friends on guitar, cello and percussion

Street performers in the Todd Street Mall

Sunrise activities
Yoga at Novotel Outback (7.30am)
Ballooning with Outback Ballooning

Film showing, "Crossing the Line", at the Convention Centre (7.15am)

Registration Desk open
Conference Office open
Exhibition open
Posters on display

Christopher Brocklebank, guitarist

Vision — Conference highlights and beyond The Gap

Rachael Maza, Conference MC

PowerPoint presentation of draft Conference Communiqué and a delegate’s ‘Commitment to Action’

KEYNOTE 20
Dr Helen Milroy, Director, Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health, University of Western Australia
A recipe for a long life [abstract only]

SECTION 5: Clinical practice
What are the key issues in clinical practice for remote and rural Australia?

Plenary Discussion Session
The Facilitator, Sally Matthews, will lead discussion and involve the Panel and the audience

PANEL:

Rosie Evans, OT, Thursday Island

Gillian Humbert, RFDS Flight Nurse, Meekatharra

Colin Locke, Aboriginal Health Worker, Lithgow

Majella Meehan, Burdekin Community Association

Lucie Walters, GP Obstetrician, Mt Gambier

Introduction and address by special guests from Timor Leste, Senora Madalena Hanjam and Senor Leonel Gutteres

KEYNOTE 21
His Honour Mr Ted Egan, AO, Administrator of the Northern Territory
A cry for help

MORNING TEA
Exhibition and networking; performer Chris Bird

D1 Indigenous and remote health
Chair: Joseph Turner

Workforce issues in Aboriginal community-controlled health services — Dea Delaney-Thiele

Nutrient/genetic determinants of birth defects in northern Canada: challenges to carrying out research with an aim to improve outcome — Laura Arbour [abstract only]

How may our findings be useful? Translating research knowledge on nursing practice in rural and remote Canada — Martha MacLeod, Judith C Kulig, Norma J Stewart, J Roger Pitblado, Cathy Ulrich, Donna Bentham [abstract only]

New ways, old ways — Jane Ulrik, Denise Foster, Lorraine Pepperill, Vanessa Davis, Doreen Abbott

D2 Women’s health
Chair: Barbara Ryan

Gender, generation and geography: findings from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health on the health and well-being of women at different lifestages — Penny Warner-Smith

From the smallness of the community comes the strength of the community: sole mothering in rural and remote Australia — Deborah Loxton

Landscapes of healthy ageing — Julie Byles, Gita Mishra, Julie Brookes

Nine years down the track: has access to health services changed for women in rural Australia? — Anne Young, Penny Warner-Smith, Julie Byles

D3 Alcohol and other drugs
Chair: Cheryl Wilson

Is sport drowning in grog? — John Rogerson

Alcohol — the real facts — Daryl Smeaton

Remote access to quality alcohol and other drugs information — Jane Shelling

Enough is enough: changing the community’s acceptance of drunkenness and related problems — Gary Kirby

D4 Palliative care
Chair: Myra Pincott

StateWide Trek: a journey for health workers going through grief loss — Karen White

Development of a model for palliative care in rural and remote communities: the "pop-up model" — Kate White, Lesley Wilkes, Will Cairns, Linda Kristjanson, Leanne Monterosso

The impact of partnership on capacity building in palliative care among rural communities: a South Australian experience — Mary Oliver, Joy Penman, Cynthia Ofner

The social impact of caring for terminally ill people: sustaining the well-being of carers in rural Australia — Samar Aoun, Linda Kristjanson

D5 Workforce and land
Chair: John Lawrence

The challenge of retaining overseas-trained doctors in rural practice in Victoria: a case study in the globalisation of the medical workforce — Sharon Kosmina, Lesleyann Hawthorne, Jane Greacen 

Teaching neonatal skills in South Africa — Jim Thurley, Kathy Bell, Jane Greacen

Healthy Country — Healthy People. Exploring the health benefits of Indigenous natural resource management — Paul Burgess, Fay Johnston, David Bowman, Peter Whitehead [abstract only]

What kind of mungaree? Improving access to nutrition services in northern Western Australia — Tracy Leon, Gail Cummins

D6 Women and health
Chair: Judi Walker

Women doctors in rural Australia — future workforce strategies — Julie Thompson, Ruth Stewart, Nola Maxfield, Felicity Jeffries, Marg Brown, Sonia Schutz

Breaking the cycle of family violence in the Riverina — Ann Parker, Tangerene Ingram, Bronwyn Lyons, Tania Malone

Yalmambiladhaany ("the ones who teach each other"): an Aboriginal women’s peer education program in the Mid-Western Area Health Service of New South Wales — Robyn Forrester, Deborah Kenna

SWAMS services to the Noongar people: phase 2 of the co-ordinated care trials — Kevin Blake, Darryl Kickett, Glenda Humes

D7 In the lounge
Chair: Shelagh Lowe

Defining remote health — John Wakerman [abstract only]

Maxi nurses not mini doctors: keeping pace with the changing face of remote practice — the CRANA curriculum experience — Sabina Knight [abstract only]

Preventing illness and disability in Aboriginal Australia: are we fair dinkum? — Rob Curry

Expanding the boundaries of health — a 'whole of government' case study — Helen Bulis, Daniela Stehlik

LUNCH
Exhibition and networking

SECTION 6: Synthesis and closing Keynote

Conference delegates to report, including

• Vicki Sheedy, Manager (Education and Training), ACRRM
• Lorraine Haseldine, Senior Finance Officer, Ceduna Koonibba Aboriginal Health Service
• Ruth Stewart, rural doctor, Camperdown
• Rod Wyber-Hughes, CEO, CRANA

Communiqué
Re-presentation of the Conference Communiqué and closure on it

KEYNOTE 22
Air Commodore Tony Austin AM, Director-General Defence Health Services, Australian Defence Force
Collaboration: a pathway to the future

Final comments from the floor

Closing performance by French Horn and Clarinet duo

Presentation on Albury–Wodonga (2007)

Formal close
Sue McAlpin, Chairperson NRHA

FAREWELL AFTERNOON TEA