

Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research
Embedded within Deakin University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, the Institute for Health Transformation’s Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research has pioneered academic-industry partnerships.
The centre embeds researchers within six major Victorian health services – Alfred Health, Barwon Health, Eastern Health, Epworth HealthCare, Monash Health and Western Health.
The Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research (QPS) focuses on quality of care and patient safety.
Established in 2009 as a leading strategic research centre, QPS integrates public and private health services with one of Australia’s largest Schools of Nursing and Midwifery. Our partners govern 30 acute and subacute care hospitals and 12 residential aged care facilities, employ approximately 30,000 nurses and midwives, and provide care for in excess of 3 million Victorians annually. Our research pillars of patient safety, patient experience, and health workforce span the whole patient journey, and encompass residential, community, subacute and acute care settings.
Annual reports
A founding member of the Institute for Health Transformation and based in Deakin University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery in the Faculty of Health, QPS is a pioneering academic-industry partnership, embedding Chairs in Nursing and Midwifery within six major Victorian health services.
The first partnership collaboration between Deakin’s School of Nursing and Epworth Hospital, Richmond was established in 1996 with the appointment of a Clinical Chair in Nursing. Since then 5 other health services have joined the partnership collaboration, forming an innovative academic-industry partnership network.
Directors
Co-Director and Chair in Nursing, Barwon Health
Alfred Deakin Professor Alison Hutchinson
Co-Director and Chair in Nursing, Alfred Health
Alfred Deakin Professor Tracey Bucknall
Members
Chairs in Nursing and Midwifery
Chair in Nursing, Eastern Health
Professor Julie Considine AO
Chair in Nursing, Epworth HealthCare
Professor Ana Hutchinson
Chair in Nursing, Western Health
Professor Bodil Rasmussen
Chair in Midwifery, Western Health
Professor Linda Sweet
Chair in Nursing, Monash Health
Vacant
Professors
Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery
Professor Nikki Phillips
Professor Andrea Driscoll
Professor Judy Currey
Professor Trish Livingston
Professor Lauren McTier
Associate Professors
Associate Professor Stephane Bouchoucha
Associate Professor Debra Kerr
Associate Professor Jo McDonall
Associate Professor Pat Nicholson
Associate Professor Anna Ugalde
Senior Lecturers
Dr Gabrielle Burdeu
Dr Virginia Hagger
Dr Emily Tomlinson
Lecturers
Dr Kaara Ray Calma
Dr Lucy Kerr
Dr Adam Searby
Postdoctoral Research Fellows
Dr Anna Chapman
Senior Research Fellows
Dr Sara Holton
Honorary Research Fellow
Dr Maryann Street
Research Fellows
Dr Ayele Bali
Ms Penny Casey
Dr Robin Digby
Dr Renee Fiolet
Dr Damien Khaw
Dr Olumuyiwa (Muyiwa) Omonaiye
Dr Guncag Ozavci (Associate)
Dr Monica Peddle
Dr Nantanit (Rainie) van Gulik
Dr Vidanka Vasilevski
Dr Natalie Winter
Dr Eva Yuen
Associate members
Associate Professor Louise Alexander
Dr Karen Best
Dr Mohammadreza Mohebbi
Associate Professor Lemai Nguyen
Dr Amie O’Shea
Professor Pubudu Pathirana
Dr Kinga Pemo
Dr Susan Perlen
Associate Professor Sandeep Reddy
Associate Professor Bernice Redley
Dr Monica Schoch
Dr Rebecca Thornton
Dr Heather Wallace
Dr Elyse Warner
Dr Vanessa Watkins
Associate members (HDR students)
Beyene Adhena
Rami Aldwikat
Afizu Alhassan
Mohammed Amin
Jennifer Barr
Fatemeh Barzegarkalmeri
Pataporn Bawornthip
Melissa Blake
Laura Brooks
Kathryn Brundell
Deana Copley
Tendayi Dziruni
Abdul-Ganiyu Fuseini
Luis Meave Gutierrez Mendoza
Madeline Hawke
Monina Hernandez
Hannah Jongebloed
Mataya Kilpatrick
Sabine Kleissl-Muir
Natalie Kondos
Apinya Koontalay
Elyse Ladbrook
Michael Le Grande
Lysha Zhi Yan Lee
Jessica Lees
Michele McGrath
Karen McKenna
Rachel McKittrick
Paula Medway
Atefeh Mehrabifar
Birye Mekonnen
Sharyn Milnes
Israel Molla
Britt O’Keefe
Amanda Pereira-Salgado
Margaret Pollock
Kerry Rigby
Andrea Russell
Annie Tan
Olivia Tierney
Catherine Williams
Vicky Yuan
The QPS partnership network is the first fully coordinated collaboration of its kind in Australia. The goal of this innovative network is to facilitate applied multidisciplinary and multi-site research.
Improving patient care
Our research is based on improving patient care and meeting the needs of healthcare organisations. We do this through our rigorous programs of research and clinical education relationships.
Our partnerships are committed to developing a strong interface between research, education and practice. They have a direct impact on the quality of patient care, as well as building capacity in the health workforce.
Partnering with six major health services
The partnership network is a unique and fully integrated model. It connects QPS and Deakin’s School of Nursing and Midwifery to six major health services in the public and private sector in metropolitan and regional areas of Victoria.
Each partner organisation has joint appointments with the School of Nursing and Midwifery, all with a Professor in Nursing and other joint appointments, including associate professors, senior research fellows, research fellows, and research assistants. Our Western Health partnership also has a jointly appointed Chair in Midwifery and researchers. These joint positions ensure curricula are evidence-based and the research is specific to the health care needs of the community.
-
About
The Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research (QPS) focuses on quality of care and patient safety.
Established in 2009 as a leading strategic research centre, QPS integrates public and private health services with one of Australia’s largest Schools of Nursing and Midwifery. Our partners govern 30 acute and subacute care hospitals and 12 residential aged care facilities, employ approximately 30,000 nurses and midwives, and provide care for in excess of 3 million Victorians annually. Our research pillars of patient safety, patient experience, and health workforce span the whole patient journey, and encompass residential, community, subacute and acute care settings.
Annual reports
-
Our story
A founding member of the Institute for Health Transformation and based in Deakin University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery in the Faculty of Health, QPS is a pioneering academic-industry partnership, embedding Chairs in Nursing and Midwifery within six major Victorian health services.
The first partnership collaboration between Deakin’s School of Nursing and Epworth Hospital, Richmond was established in 1996 with the appointment of a Clinical Chair in Nursing. Since then 5 other health services have joined the partnership collaboration, forming an innovative academic-industry partnership network.
-
Our team
Directors
Co-Director and Chair in Nursing, Barwon Health
Alfred Deakin Professor Alison HutchinsonCo-Director and Chair in Nursing, Alfred Health
Alfred Deakin Professor Tracey BucknallMembers
Chairs in Nursing and Midwifery
Chair in Nursing, Eastern Health
Professor Julie Considine AOChair in Nursing, Epworth HealthCare
Professor Ana HutchinsonChair in Nursing, Western Health
Professor Bodil RasmussenChair in Midwifery, Western Health
Professor Linda SweetChair in Nursing, Monash Health
VacantProfessors
Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery
Professor Nikki PhillipsProfessor Andrea Driscoll
Professor Judy Currey
Professor Trish Livingston
Professor Lauren McTierAssociate Professors
Associate Professor Stephane Bouchoucha
Associate Professor Debra Kerr
Associate Professor Jo McDonall
Associate Professor Pat Nicholson
Associate Professor Anna UgaldeSenior Lecturers
Dr Gabrielle Burdeu
Dr Virginia Hagger
Dr Emily TomlinsonLecturers
Dr Kaara Ray Calma
Dr Lucy Kerr
Dr Adam SearbyPostdoctoral Research Fellows
Dr Anna ChapmanSenior Research Fellows
Dr Sara HoltonHonorary Research Fellow
Dr Maryann StreetResearch Fellows
Dr Ayele Bali
Ms Penny Casey
Dr Robin Digby
Dr Renee Fiolet
Dr Damien Khaw
Dr Olumuyiwa (Muyiwa) Omonaiye
Dr Guncag Ozavci (Associate)
Dr Monica Peddle
Dr Nantanit (Rainie) van Gulik
Dr Vidanka Vasilevski
Dr Natalie Winter
Dr Eva YuenAssociate members
Associate Professor Louise Alexander
Dr Karen Best
Dr Mohammadreza Mohebbi
Associate Professor Lemai Nguyen
Dr Amie O’Shea
Professor Pubudu Pathirana
Dr Kinga Pemo
Dr Susan Perlen
Associate Professor Sandeep Reddy
Associate Professor Bernice Redley
Dr Monica Schoch
Dr Rebecca Thornton
Dr Heather Wallace
Dr Elyse Warner
Dr Vanessa WatkinsAssociate members (HDR students)
Beyene Adhena
Rami Aldwikat
Afizu Alhassan
Mohammed Amin
Jennifer Barr
Fatemeh Barzegarkalmeri
Pataporn Bawornthip
Melissa Blake
Laura Brooks
Kathryn Brundell
Deana Copley
Tendayi Dziruni
Abdul-Ganiyu Fuseini
Luis Meave Gutierrez Mendoza
Madeline Hawke
Monina Hernandez
Hannah Jongebloed
Mataya Kilpatrick
Sabine Kleissl-Muir
Natalie Kondos
Apinya Koontalay
Elyse Ladbrook
Michael Le Grande
Lysha Zhi Yan Lee
Jessica Lees
Michele McGrath
Karen McKenna
Rachel McKittrick
Paula Medway
Atefeh Mehrabifar
Birye Mekonnen
Sharyn Milnes
Israel Molla
Britt O’Keefe
Amanda Pereira-Salgado
Margaret Pollock
Kerry Rigby
Andrea Russell
Annie Tan
Olivia Tierney
Catherine Williams
Vicky Yuan -
Our partnerships
The QPS partnership network is the first fully coordinated collaboration of its kind in Australia. The goal of this innovative network is to facilitate applied multidisciplinary and multi-site research.
Improving patient care
Our research is based on improving patient care and meeting the needs of healthcare organisations. We do this through our rigorous programs of research and clinical education relationships.
Our partnerships are committed to developing a strong interface between research, education and practice. They have a direct impact on the quality of patient care, as well as building capacity in the health workforce.
Partnering with six major health services
The partnership network is a unique and fully integrated model. It connects QPS and Deakin’s School of Nursing and Midwifery to six major health services in the public and private sector in metropolitan and regional areas of Victoria.
Each partner organisation has joint appointments with the School of Nursing and Midwifery, all with a Professor in Nursing and other joint appointments, including associate professors, senior research fellows, research fellows, and research assistants. Our Western Health partnership also has a jointly appointed Chair in Midwifery and researchers. These joint positions ensure curricula are evidence-based and the research is specific to the health care needs of the community.
Research Pillars
Featured projects

Communication and coordination processes supporting integrated transitional care: Australian healthcare practitioners’ perspectives

Engaging patients and families in communication across transitions of care: an integrative review
