Title

Notre Dame collaborates to establish new Palliative Care Centre

Document Type

Media Release

Publication Date

Winter 14-8-2008

Publisher Name

The University of Notre Dame, Sydney Campus

Publication Place

Sydney

Abstract

The University of Notre Dame Australia’s Sydney Campus has joined with The University of New South Wales (UNSW) to help establish a multidisciplinary academic centre in palliative care.

This recently launched facility, the Cunningham Centre, will also be supported by St Vincents and Mater Health Sydney (SV&MHS) and the NSW Cancer Institute.

It will be based at the Sacred Heart Hospice, Darlinghurst Sydney. The aim of the centre is to foster research, education, academic leadership and quality service in palliative care.

It is a multi-area health service initiative that includes Nurses, Doctors, Allied Health professionals and academics.

The congregational leader of the Sisters of Charity (founders of St Vincent’s Hospital), Sr Elizabeth Dodds RSC commented, “The Cunningham Centre will continue our long standing tradition of care. It is built on partnership and tradition among several institutions and will combine the best possible health care with the best possible research from our academic companions at Notre Dame and UNSW.”

The University’s School of Nursing plans to appoint a chair in palliative nursing and continue to be a major player in the establishment of the new facility, whilst UNSW will be appointing an academic chair for medicine.

School of Medicine Senior Lecturer and Head of Palliative Care at Notre Dame, Dr Katherine Clark, will also be involved in the development of education programs for medical students at the Cunningham Centre.

Dr Clark said this area of health care is very important as it allows people diagnosed with terminal illnesses to live life as well as possible.

“The active involvement of Notre Dame in the evolution of this Centre is a tangible display of the commitment the University has made to the provision of high quality education, including education in palliative care. This can ultimately result in quality medical care to all those who need it,” said Dr Clark.

Media contact:

Moira Saunders 02 8204 4407

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