Dr Rachel Wenke is the Director of Allied Health Research for Gold Coast Health. She has mentored over 40 clinicians undertake research projects using a range of designs including randomised controlled trials, mixed methods and qualitative approaches. Rachel has over 19 years experience as a speech pathologist and her research interests include research capacity building, knowledge translation, rehabilitation models of care and digital solutions to enhance patient and service outcomes. Read more: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rachel-Wenke

Please note Rachel is on maternity leave until late January 2025.

Dr Laetitia Hattingh is Acting Director of Allied Health Research. She has expertise in research methodology and the clinical and social aspects related to health care delivery. Laetitia is a pharmacist with specific research interests in medication management and safety in hospital and primary care, mental health and substance misuse, evaluation of new models of care and ethics/law. Read more: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Laetitia-Hattingh

Dr Shelley Roberts is a conjoint Allied Health Research Fellow with GCH and Griffith University. Her background is in nutrition and dietetics, and she is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian. Dr Roberts' research focuses on improving nutrition among hospitalised patients, with particular interests in patient participation in care and patient centred care; healthcare technologies; pressure injury prevention; and integrated knowledge translation. Read more: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shelley-Roberts

Dr Caitlin Brandenburg is the conjoint Principal Research Fellow Allied Health with GCH and Bond University. She has experience in a range of research designs, but specialises in qualitative and knowledge translation methodology. Caitlin has a background in Speech Pathology, but has mentored clinicians in diverse fields to achieve success in research. Her own research interests are in health services research and clinician research capacity building. Read more: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Caitlin-Brandenburg-2

Ms Lenore Smith is a valued member of the Allied Health Research team, providing administrative support across operational activities to the team. 

We have various temporarily funded Service Improvement and Research Officer roles that are attached to specific research projects. These projects may be internally funded through Allied Health Research or via externally obtained grant funding and provide a means for clinicians to further develop research skills. Roles are allocated with regard to identified Allied Health Research priority areas and are advertised by internal EOI. 

The core function of the GCHHS Allied Health Research and Innovation Leadership Committee (AHRILC) is to provide strategic advice and recommendations regarding research culture and practice, funding opportunities and allocations, research capacity building, research priorities, knowledge translation evidence-based practice, and innovations that may lead to research opportunities. A secondary function of the AHRILC is to foster communication across AH research groups/committees internally and externally.

The committee is chaired by the Director of Allied Health Research Members include research leaders from each of the Allied Health Professions’ own research collaboratives including Audiology, Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy, Psychology, Speech Pathology, and Social Work as well as external partners. 
 

• Exploring allied health professionals’ attitudes and perceptions towards artificial intelligence in the clinical setting: a mixed-methods study
• Co designing a consumer engagement in research framework for Gold Coast Health
• Assessment of Discipline Research Officer Intervention in Allied Health (ADROIT): A realist evaluation
• Spread of structured journal clubs into clinical services using WE-TREAT: A knowledge translation approach   
• Implementing Good Clinical Practice Standards within Allied Health Research: A mixed-methods exploratory study 
• Evaluation of the Allied Health Demand and Capacity Tool

Giving clinicians the time to participate in research.

• The Allied Health Clinical Backfill for Research initiative supports  clinicians to go offline for up to 20 days to focus on activities associated with research projects being undertaken within the HHS that align with Allied Health’s vision and mission.
• Evaluation of the early rounds of the initiative have shown meaningful improvements in individual clinician research capacity as well as positive research outputs:
  • Not enough time for research? Use of supported funding to promote allied health research activity - PMC (nih.gov)
  • Outcomes of a funding initiative to promote allied health research activity: a qualitative realist evaluation - PubMed (nih.gov) 
     

• These monthly lunchtime forums (mostly held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month 12-1pm) showcase clinically meaningful research projects being undertaken by Allied Health Professionals. 
• All HHS staff are invited to attend the forums in person over a catered lunch or online and participate in stimulating discussion following the research presentations.
• For more details email AlliedHealthResearchGCH@health.qld.gov.au
   

The “TREAT” journal club format stands for “Tailoring Research Evidence And Theory” – and was developed by GCH allied health professionals and researchers in 2015. Further information and resources about implementing a TREAT journal club can be found at www.treatjournalclubs.com. Some unique features of TREAT journal clubs compared to standard journal clubs include:

• Journal club topics chosen as a group
• Article is appraised as a group during the session as opposed to only an individual presenting
• Defined roles which rotate between members.
• Each component of the format is based on research evidence

The TREAT journal club format has been investigated in a randomised controlled trial with 125 health professionals and an implementation study with 134 health professionals. We have also learnt key information about what helps sustain TREAT journal clubs, as detailed in Factors that influence the sustainability of structured allied health journal clubs: a qualitative study (nih.gov).
 

This toolkit consolidates evidence-informed strategies to support research capacity building in allied health. It has been developed as part of the PRO-Allied Health project and is based on the results of a systematic review of existing frameworks for research capacity building.

• PRO-Allied Health Research Capacity Building Toolkit

Wenke R, Stehlik P, Gerrard J, Mickan S, Henry D. Using a journal club to navigate a maze of COVID-19 papers in a front-line hospital service. BMJ Evid Based Med. 2023 Jun;28(3):210-211. doi: 10.1136/bmjebm-2022-112130.

Wenke R, Roberts S, Angus R, Owusu MA, Weir K.(2023) How do I keep this live in my mind?” Allied Health Professionals’ perspectives of barriers and enablers to implementing Good Clinical Practice in research: A qualitative exploration guided by behaviour change theory. BMC Health Services Researc.

Angus, R.L., Hattingh, H.L. & Weir, K.A. (2022) Experiences of hospital allied health professionals in collaborative student research projects: a qualitative study. BMC Health Serv Res 22, 729

Wenke, R., Wiseman, J., Brandenburg, C, Stehlik, P, Hughes, I., Richards, K., Mickan, S (2022) Long term tailored implementation of structured "TREAT" journal clubs in allied health: a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study. BMC Medical Education, 2022. April 22(1): p. 307.

Mickan, S., Wenke, R., Weir, K., Bialocerkowski, A., Noble, C. (2022) Using knowledge brokering activities to promote allied health clinicians’ engagement in research: a qualitative exploration, BMJ Open, 12 (4) e058453
Hilder, J., Mickan, S., Noble, C., Weir, K. & Wenke, R. (2020). Outcomes of a funding initiative to promote allied health research activity: A qualitative realist. Health Research Policy and Systems. Health Research Policy and Systems 18(1)

Wenke, R., Noble, C., Weir, K., Mickan, S. (2020). What influences allied health clinician participation in research in the public hospital setting: A qualitative theory-informed approach. BMJ Open. 10:e036183. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036183  
Matus J, Wenke R, Hughes I, Mickan S, (2019) Evaluation of the research capacity and culture of allied health professionals in a large regional public health service. J Multidiscip Healthcare 14;12:83-96.

Matus, J., Wenke., R., Mickan, S (2019). A practical toolkit of strategies for building research capacity in allied health. Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management 14 (2), 5

Mickan, S., Hilder, J., Wenke, R., & Thomas, R. (2019). The impact of a small-group educational intervention for allied health professionals to enhance evidence-based practice: mixed methods evaluation. 19(1), 131. doi:10.1186/s12909-019-1567-1

Wenke, R., O’Shea, K., Hilder, J.,  Thomas, R., Mickan, S (2019) Factors that influence the sustainability of structured allied health journal clubs: A qualitative study. BMC Medical Education, Jan 3;19(1):6.