Driving health care innovation for the whole community

Murdoch University pursues a wide range of health partnerships, co-authorship and joint research collaborations with industry and academic partners to develop projects with broader scope and impact within Australia and internationally.

Our researchers work closely with industry partners to develop health research projects that engage directly with the needs of our community.

Key partnerships

  • Neurological Council of WA
  • Solaris Cancer Care
  • Health Consumers Council
  • Rockingham Mental Health Services (Department of Health)
  • Armadale Mental Health Services (Department of Health)
  • Australian College of Mental Health Nurses
  • Beyond Blue
  • Mental Health Carers Australia
  • Richmond Wellbeing
  • Carers Australia
  • Top End Mental Health Service
  • Mental Health Council of Tasmania
  • Mind Australia
  • Queensland Alliance for Mental Health
  • Mental Health Coalition of South Australia
  • Health Consumers Alliance of SA Inc.
  • Psychiatric Disability Services of Victoria
  • NT Mental Health Coalition
  • Consumers of Mental Health WA (Inc.)
  • Headspace
  • Mental Health Community Coalition ACT
  • Mental Health Matters 2
  • Helping Minds

Partnerships spotlight

Health engagement with Aboriginal community organisations

The Deadly Koolinga Chef Program (DKCP) is an Aboriginal children’s cooking and nutrition program that engages Bindjareb school children between 6 and 16 years old in a nutrition and cooking adventure.

The children learn how to plan, shop for and prepare a healthy meal for four to six people. Each week they take home their prepared meals, together with their new skills and knowledge, to share with their family.

Developed in 2011, the program is a collaboration between Murdoch University Associate Professor Caroline Nilson and the Murray Districts Aboriginal Association in Pinjarra, and more recently with the Winjan Aboriginal Corporation in Mandurah.

The DKCP is the topic of a translational research initiative to develop a “how to” health promotion package to implement the program in other Western Australian Aboriginal communities in a four-way partnership between Murdoch University, Aboriginal community organisations, local government and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.

Associate Professor Nilson is also a member of the Bindjareb Aboriginal Interagency Network (BAIN). BAIN aims to connect organisations and services to work together through the network to support Aboriginal communities primarily in the Peel region, and better understand the challenges they experience.

Providing cancer patient and carer support and resources

Solaris Cancer Care is a community-based healthcare organisation with five cancer support centres operating in metro and regional centres across Western Australia. These centres offer support, information, education, and complementary therapies to cancer patients and their primary carers.

The Solaris Cancer Care/Murdoch University collaboration began in 2017 and includes the Solaris Collaborative Research Team (CRT) which is co-chaired by Professor Anne Williams. The CRT is a multidisciplinary group of health clinicians and researchers with a variety of interests and expertise, who meet regularly to drive the Solaris research agenda in the area of Supportive Cancer Care.

Clinical placements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing students

Moorditj Kaartdijin, Moorditj Warlang (Good/strong knowledge, good/strong health) is an Indigenous Clinical Placement Partnership between Murdoch University and Fiona Stanley Hospital founded in 2020.

Murdoch University and Fiona Stanley Hospital recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples working in health play a vital role in addressing the health and wellbeing of Australia’s First Peoples.

The first of its kind in Western Australia, the partnership enables all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing students enrolled in a Bachelor of Nursing at Murdoch to complete all clinical placements at either Fiona Stanley Hospital or another South Metropolitan Health Service facility. The students benefit from experience in a variety of clinical settings and a supportive environment while undertaking their degree.

Facilitating evidence-based health practice

Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospital Group Nursing & Midwifery Research & Practice Network (RPN) was established in 2020 as a collaborative partnership with the Discipline of Nursing at Murdoch University. The goal of the RPN is to facilitate and promote health research utilisation and evidence-based practice.

Professor Anne Williams and Associate Professor Susan Slatyer were appointed as Honorary Nursing Research Consultants in the RPN to support the establishment of the RPN.