RACGP GP Research Project Noticeboard

This study aims to understand how Australian GPs choose particular mental health specialists to refer their patients to. General practitioner mental health referrals involve not only deciding whether a patient needs to see a specialist, but also deciding which specialist each patient should see. This choice is crucial to patient outcomes, given that each specialist offers differing qualities of care. Videocall interviews with GPs and registrars will explore their referral decision-making.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from: Australia-wide

Brief Description of participants/practices sought: Australian GPs and GP registrars who have made a mental health referral in the past 12 months are eligible to participate in this study.

Compensation offered: All participants will receive a gift card valued at $100 in appreciation of their time.

Time involvement: Interviews will last approximately 45-60 minutes.

Name and affiliation of investigators:
Professor Gerard Gill, Clinical Professor of General Practice, Deakin University
Professor Kyra Hamilton, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University
Professor Reece Hinchcliff, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University
Professor Paul Harris, School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University
Tyson John, School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University

Contact details:
Please contact the research team via email at gp.referrals@griffith.edu.au
or by phone at 0481 838 708.

GP Investigator: Dr Gerard Gill

Closing date for recruitment: 31 December 2023
 

AtheroSclerotic Cardiovascular disEase Risk assessmenT and treAtment In AustraliaN primary care (VICTORION-ASCERTAIN: Implementation Study) is a 2-arm multicentre, randomized, open-label study to evaluate the implementation and utility of a new model of care in participants with ASCVD or ASCVD-risk equivalents and elevated LDL-C using a primary care model. GPs are invited to participate if (a) they have an interest in participating in this clinical trial; and (b) if their medical records are being managed by MedicalDirector Software; (c) able to recruit 30 patients.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from: Australia-wide

Brief Description of participants/practices sought: The study will include male and female participants ≥18 years of age with a history of ASCVD or ASCVD-risk equivalents who have elevated LDL-C (≥1.8 mmol/L). A total of approximately 600 participants will be included in the study across approximately 20 sites.

Names of investigators:
Chief Investigator: Stephen Nicholls, MBBS, PhD
Contact person: Raeda Mustafa, Project Manager

Contact details:
Raeda Mustafa Primary email address: raeda.mustafa@monash.edu
Secondary email address: ascertain.study@monash.edu

GP Investigator: Dr Anita Munoz

Closing date for recruitment: 30 September 2024
 

Would you like to share your thoughts and experiences of physical activity in nature? We would love to hear your thoughts about nature prescriptions in an online focus group with other Health and Allied Health Practitioners. Do you work in the Blacktown, Wollongong or Shellharbour LGA? Contact our study team to register your interest and check your suitability to join this research study.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from: Blacktown, Wollongong, Shellharbour, NSW

Names of investigators:
Prof Thomas Astell Burt (Lead) and team A/Prof Rowena Ivers

Contact details: Tamara Raso panda@unsw.edu.au

Brief Description of participants/practices sought :
Health professionals in Blacktown, Wollongong and Shellharbour LGA, NSW

Availability of CPD hours: 1 hour CPD - self logged

Closing date for recruitment: 10 December 2023

Survey link: www.powerlab.site/research/panda-trial
T
ime involvement of participants: 1 hour

GP Investigator: A/Prof Rowena Ivers

You are invited to participate in a brief survey to understand the current barriers to delivering obesity care in the primary care setting and how obesity care can be more effectively supported and delivered. The information obtained from this survey will be used to develop training in obesity management that suits your needs and to inform applications to the government for enhanced funding for obesity care within primary care.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from: Australia-wide
Name, position, and contact details of investigators:
A/Prof Samantha Hocking - Chief Investigator President, NACOS samantha.hocking@sydney.edu.au  
Dr Terri-Lynne South - Chair, RACGP SIG Obesity terrilynnesouth@gmail.com
Andrea Jasper - Founder, Impact Obesity andrea@impactobesity.org
Brief Description of participants/practices sought :
This is relevant to all Australian General Practitioners.
Survey link: https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=M99DCNDKCJ4LHPNA
Commencement date of the project: 6 November 2023
Closing date for recruitment: 19 December 2023
Time involvement of participants: The survey will take approximately 12 minutes to complete.
GP Investigator: Dr Terri-Lynne South
Availability of CPD hours: Self-recorded - Reviewing Performance
 

Age-related hearing loss is associated with significant impacts on health and quality of life, but timely diagnosis and rehabilitation has the potential to mitigate many of these impacts. Discussing hearing health with patients can significantly increase the number of older adults receiving appropriate hearing rehabilitation, thereby maintaining hearing function and quality of life as patients age. We want to understand the barriers and enablers to referral to hearing care for practicing GPs.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from:Victoria

Name of contact person:Ella Davine, PhD Student/Audiologist 

Contact details:

Phone: 03 8344 4213 Email: e.davine@unimelb.edu.au 

Brief Description of participants/practices sought :

GPs in clinical practice in Victoria

Survey link:

• https://melbourneuni.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Ssb2IMKr0fGYsK 

Commencement date of the project: 1 November 2023

Closing date for recruitment: 30 November 2023

Time involvement of participants: 5-10 minutes.

GP Investigator: Professor Lena Sanci

Compensation offered:

As a token of appreciation for your time commitment to the study, we would like to offer you a $75 gift card.

Research Project Title: What factors would enable Victorian primary care practitioners to provide trauma-informed health assessments and ongoing healthcare for kids and young people in out-of-home care?

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from:
Victoria, Australia

Name of investigators/Contact person:
Principal Investigator: Dr Karen McLean
Associate Investigator: Dr Liz Street

Contact details:
Go to https://redcap.link/outofhomecare to complete it on-line.

Brief Description of participants/practices sought: Have you provided healthcare to kids or young people in out-of-home care (also known as kinship care, foster care, or residential care)? Researchers from CCCH and MCRI want to hear about what it has been like for you and your thoughts on how best to meet this group’s healthcare needs. We know that providing healthcare to this group can be complicated and we want to hear from both those who do a lot of this work as well as those who don’t do much of it.

Commencement date of the project: 8 October 2023

Closing date of project: 30 November 2023

Time involvement of participants: The survey takes up to 15 minutes to complete, and you can complete it anonymously.

Contact
This research study has been approved by Research Ethics and Governance, at Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. If you have any concerns or complaints about the conduct of the research, please contact Dr Karen McLean on karen.mclean@mcri.edu.au.
 

National survey-based study looking at GP perspectives on current diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening in primary care. Surveys will primarily be online, facilitated through the research platform RedCap provided through the University of Sydney. These will be distributed through various avenues, including emailing GP clinics, GP networks and GP social media groups. Snowball sampling through GPs sending the link to other GPs they may know in Australia. Hardcopy surveys will be available also if participants prefer this method, and can be mailed to participants, or distributed at GP conferences if prior approval has been given to by conference organisers.

Geographic location:

Australia-wide

Primary investigator:

A/Prof Andrew White BMedSci(Hons), MBBS, PhD, FRANZCO

Other investigators:

Dr Stephanie Hyams BMedSc(Hons), MBBS(Hons), FACAM, FRACGP
Dr Jessie Huang-Lung BOptom(Hons), GradCertOcTher, PhD
Dr Helen Zhang BMed/MD(Dist.), DipOphthSci(Dist.)

Contact Person:

Please liaise with Dr Helen Zhang who is conducting this study as part of her Master of Medicine (Ophthalmic Sciences) thesis.
Email: hzha3000@uni.sydney.edu.au

Website (survey)

Brief Description of participants/practices sought:

Our target demographic for this study is GPs or GP registrars currently working in an Australian GP clinic(s).

Time involvement of GPs and/or practice staff, and/or patients:

3-5 minutes to complete survey

Compensation offered:

Participation is voluntary and anonymous, and there will be no direct compensation for participation, however we hope that this research may contribute to increased awareness about ways in which DR screening can be improved or streamlined in primary care, and lead to increased funding and GP education on the topic.

Availability of CPD points:

Not currently

This project aims to explore the attitudes and experiences of Healthcare and service providers from across Australia who provide and recommend PrEP to young people through an anonymous online survey.

Survey:
https://uniofqueensland.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0Dl9LRl4ZIaaZ4W

Participants sought:
HCP eligible to prescribe PrEP and Non-prescribing HCP who provide PrEP information and support to young people, practicing in Australia

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from:
Across Australia

Compensation offered:
Eligible to win one of two $500 vouchers.

Time involved:
20-minute online survey

Investigators:
A/Prof Judith Dean (UQ; Registered Nurse),
Prof Amy Mullens (UniSQ; Registers Psychologist),
A Prof Lisa Fitzgerald (UQ),
Dr. Amalie Dyda (UQ),
Luke Coffey (QPP),
Ellen Sargent (QPP),
Robert Muscolino (QC),
Chris Pickard (ODYS),
Sally Morris (ODYS)

Contact details:
Sarah Warzywoda
Email: s.warzywoda@uq.edu.au

Commencement date of the project:
January 2022

Closing date for recruitment:
July 2024
 

We are seeking to understand the views, experiences, and opinions of providers about patients’ psychosocial experiences during lung cancer screening. Your input will help to generate valuable insights that will assist in designing lung cancer screening programs to reduce psychosocial burden for patients and support them through the process.

The study involves a 30-45-minute telephone or Zoom interview. In appreciation of your time, you will be offered a gift voucher for participating.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from:
Australia-wide. Interviews will be conducted via videoconference.

Name of investigators:

• Dr Rachael Dodd (Chief Investigator), The Daffodil Centre, The University of Sydney, A Joint Venture with Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, Australia
• Professor Nehmat Houssami, The Daffodil Centre, The University of Sydney, A Joint Venture with Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, Australia
• Dr Brooke Nickel, The Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney
• Associate Professor Nicole Rankin, Unit Head, Evaluation and Implementation Science Unit, Centre for Health Policy, The University of Melbourne
• Katie McFadden (Study Coordinator), The Daffodil Centre, The University of Sydney, A Joint Venture with Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, Australia

Contact details:
If you are interested in taking part, or would like further information, please contact Ms Katie McFadden (Study Coordinator) . Katie McFadden is conducting this study as the basis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine and Health) at The University of Sydney.

Brief Description of participants/practices sought:
Eligible participants are,

1. primary care health professionals with or without experience in providing lung cancer screening, OR

2. health professionals or researchers with experience or expertise in lung cancer screening.

Commencement date of the project:
9 September 2023

Closing date for recruitment:
30 November 2023

Time involvement of participants:
Participants will be asked to discuss their experiences, thoughts, and opinions. The interview will take approximately 30-45 minutes.

Compensation offered:
As a token of appreciation for your time commitment to the study, we would like to offer you a $50 gift voucher.

Benefit:
Findings from this study will help further national and international work on designing lung cancer screening programs that minimise psychosocial burden. Our experience in similar work has shown that many participants value the opportunity to have a positive effect on health care design. This said, we cannot guarantee that you will receive any direct or immediate benefits from being in the study.

The ‘ScreenEQUAL’ study wants to make it easier for people with intellectual disability to have a cervical screening test, and to have a positive experience with the test.

This video explains the ScreenEQUAL Project in an accessible way, please click on the video to watch.
ScreenEQUAL: Finding ways to improve cervical screening for people with intellectual disability - YouTube

We want to talk with:

• people with intellectual disability
• their families
• support people (paid and unpaid)
• managers and leaders in disability organisations
• health professionals (GPs, nurses)

We will talk with you:

• for about an hour
• online (e.g., Zoom), over the phone, or in-person – you choose!
• about ways to improve cervical screening for people with intellectual disability
• we will keep what you tell us private.

Commencement date of the project:

17 August 2023

Contact details:

Lauren Winkler, Study Coordinator

Deborah Bateson, Chief Investigator

The ScreenEQUAL study is based at the Daffodil Centre, a joint venture between the Cancer Council NSW and the University of Sydney, in partnership with the University of Western Sydney, UNSW Sydney, and Family Planning Australia.
 

As the obesity rate continues to increase, innovative approaches are needed to help control this problem. Despite growing evidence in the last decade, the acceptability of meal timing-based approaches for controlling weight remains unknown. This study aims to explore the acceptability of time-restricted eating, a type of meal timing-based approach, from the perspective of primary care practitioners. Our goal is to gain insights into primary healthcare practitioners' perspectives on weight management and meal timing approaches, including time-restricted eating, and their utilisation in clinical practice. The research method employs a mixed-method approach, which includes a survey consisting of 20 questions and inquiries about practice characteristics. Additionally, participants may have the opportunity to take part in focus groups or interviews lasting approximately 60 minutes.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from:

Australia (All states)

Name of investigators/Contact person:

• Hilmi Rathomi (PhD Student – SPGH UWA)
• A/Prof Nahal Mavaddat (UWA Medical School) – GP investigator
• A/Prof Judith Katzenellenbogen (SPGH UWA)
• Prof Sandra Thompson (WA Centre for Rural Health)

Contact details:

Hilmi Rathomi
Email: hilmi.rathomi@research.uwa.edu.au
Questionnaire Link: https://bit.ly/MealTiming-PCPSurvey

Brief Description of participants/practices sought:

This survey is targeted at General Practitioners, Dietitians, Practice Nurses, Exercise Physiologists, and other professionals in Australia who provide dietary advice. Inclusion criteria:

• Healthcare practitioners working in a primary care setting.
• Providing dietary advice to manage patients' weight.
• Practice located in Australia.

Additional information about participant criteria is available in the Participant Information Form (PIF) accessible via this link: https://bit.ly/mealtiming-PIF

Commencement date of the project:

Data collection commenced on August 28th, 2023

Closing date for recruitment:

The survey is planned to close on November 30th, 2023

Time involvement of GPs and/or practice staff, and/or patients:

General Practitioners will be required to complete a brief 10-minute questionnaire via the provided link. They also have the option to participate in a 60-minute focus group or individual interview at their convenience.

Compensation offered:

Participation in this study is completely voluntary, and there is no direct compensation for the involvement. However, given the significance of the research topic and approach we have discussed, any participation can contribute to shaping more effective weight control strategies and reducing the burden of obesity and related illnesses.

Availability of CPD points:

GPs can count the time spent completing the survey and engaging in ongoing reflection as part of their practice self-reflection (Phase 2)

The aim of this study is to undertake a formative evaluation to assess the need, feasibility and acceptability of a peer-facilitated, online, perinatal education and support program for first-time fathers referred through their primary health care providers. There is a growing need for new approaches to providing information and support to first-time fathers. According to recent research, first-time fathers report wanting programs that are informative but also allow them to interact with other men about their experiences with fatherhood. There are significant barriers that men face in accessing services during pregnancy and soon after the birth (e.g., men are often unable to attend programs during work hours) and access to an online platform may help address these barriers. In addition, the role that primary care providers such as GPs can play in referring first-time fathers to such programs is not adequately described in the literature.

This second phase of the project comprises a mixed methods approach to gain the views of fathers, mothers and birthing parents about the proposed online perinatal program. GPs are being asked to advertise the recruitment flyers to their patients, as appropriate to their practice. GPs will be able to download the flyers for printing and sharing or can be sent printed copies of the flyers by contacting the research team.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from:

National for anonymous online survey

Western Australia and Queensland for confidential interview

Name of investigators/Contact person:

Richard Pascal (contact), Dr Garth Kendall, Dr Lesley Kuliukas, A/Prof Alka Kothari, Dr Rikki Priest (GP investigator)

Contact details: 

Richard Pascal, richard.pascal@postgrad.curtin.edu.au

Flyer

Brief Description of participants/practices sought:

Fathers

Inclusion Criteria: expecting a child or had a child in the last 12 months

Mothers and birthing parents

Inclusion Criteria: expecting a child or had a child in the last 12 months AND their child's father/father figure is a first-time father

Download flyer

Commencement date of the project:

4 Sept 2023

Closing date for recruitment:

30 April 2024

Time involvement of GPs and/or practice staff, and/or patients:

GP/Practice staff – time to print or request printed copies of flyers from researcher and advertise to patients.

Patients nationally completing the online survey – 15-20 minutes.

Patients in WA and Qld completing the online interview – 40-50 minutes.

The preconception period has been identified as an opportunity to promote favourable maternal and infant outcomes, before, during and after pregnancy. Important preconception care include ensuring women are up to date on vaccinations, cessation of alcohol and smoking, folic acid supplementation and management of comorbidities (e.g., asthma, diabetes). Despite the well-established benefits of preconception care, the uptake remains low. The research involves completing a 15-minute survey on attitudes (as a GP) towards preconception women living with overweight or obesity. This includes providing preconception care or other healthcare for women who are planning a pregnancy.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from:

All states in Australia metro and rural.

Name of investigators:

Dr Briony Hill, Dr Stephanie Pirotta, Professor Helen Skouteris and Jessica van den Heuvel

Contact details:

Chloe Tran, email: chloe.tran@monash.edu
Web page: https://monash.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1MO6mCkPqvhznEy

Brief Description of participants/practices sought:

Any Australian GP who is either currently working or has worked as a GP within the past 5 years, cares for preconception women and has access to an electronic device. Preconception women for this study are defined as people being treated clinically as women, of reproductive age (18-45), who are sexually active, not currently pregnant and have made a conscious decision to conceive now or in future.

Commencement date:

1st August 2023

Closing date for recruitment:

30th July 2024

Time involvement:

15-minutes

Compensation offered:

Upon completion of the survey, participants get to enter the draw to win one of 4 $100 vouchers

A qualitative research project seeking to understand the prescribing and deprescribing practices of rural GPs of opioid use for pain management. We expect each interview to last roughly 30 minutes and can be held in person if in South Australia or via Skype.

Rural medicine is undertaken in unique contexts. Opioid dispensing rates were generally higher in regional areas than in major cities. However, limited research exists on the chronic opioid prescribing practices of general practitioners in rural areas. This research seeks to illuminate the barriers and uncover practitioner-driven solutions that are fit for purpose in rural and remote contexts.

If you are a rural GP, we want to understand your experience in the use of opioids for chronic pain management and your experiences in deprescribing. Benefits of the study - This research will support advocacy for systematic change to support rural GPs, and for relevant and meaningful professional development.

Participants/practices sought:

• Prescribed or deprescribed opioids for chronic pain management within the last year AND
• Practicing as a GP in a regional, rural or remote location

Geographic location:

GPs in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia

Investigators:

Associate Professor Jill Benson and Dr Philip Davidson (rural and remote GPs), Dr Jessica Thomas (medical student), Professor Paul Ward and Dr Paul Aylward (academics).

Contact details:

Registration link for pre-interview survey - https://tinyurl.com/mr2zkmjn

Commencement date of the project:

August 2023

Closing date for recruitment:

January 2024

Time involvement:

Semi-structured interviews of approximately 30 minutes conducted face to face, over the phone, or Zoom

Compensation offered:

$100

Contact person:

Jessica Thomas - jessica.thomas@flinders.edu.au

The study aims to understand what clinicians think about the healthcare services available for young adults who have had a stroke. The project is also recruiting young adults and their carers or family members to understand their experiences.

The project findings will be used to ensure that a new Young Stroke Service currently being established across Victoria and South Australia better meets the needs of young adults. Further information on the new service is available here: https://florey.edu.au/transforming-healthcare-for-young-adults-with-stroke/

Geographic location:

Australia-wide. Clinicians can participate online here: https://redcap.link/okitp55d

Principal investigator:

Professor Natasha Lannin

Co-investigators:

Dr Sandra Reeder (Monash University), Professor Maria Crotty (Flinders Medical Centre), Associate Professor Emma Power and Dr Tanya Rose (University of Technology Sydney), Associate Professor Dana Wong (La Trobe University), Dr Tamina Levy (Flinders University), Dr Karen Borschmann (The Florey)

GP investigators on MRFF project:

Professor Lena Sanci (University of Melbourne)

Contact details:

Prof Natasha Lannin, Dept of Neuroscience, Monash University, Natasha.Lannin@monash.edu

https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/natasha-lannin
Project manager:

Dr Melita Giummarra, Dept of Neuroscience, Monash University, melita.giummarra@monash.edu

Participants sought:

Clinicians and medical professionals who provide services to young adults with stroke, or support young adults to access those services, in Australia.

Commencement date:

31/03/2023

Closing date for recruitment:

30/11/2023

Time involvement of GPs:

The survey takes on 15-20 minutes for most respondents

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death in Australia and frequently occurs in the context of multiple long-term conditions or multimorbidity. The Activating Primary Care COPD Patients with Multimorbidity (APCOM) Trial is a randomized controlled clinical trial that aims to test a personalised self-management support program, to be delivered by Practice Nurses to patients with COPD and other long-term health conditions.

The trial will evaluate whether this program is effective in improving quality of life, increasing patient knowledge of COPD and can be effectively implemented in primary care.
The APCOM Trial is being conducted by Bond University, UNSW Sydney, University of Queensland, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Wollongong Australia and University of Sydney in collaboration with Lung Foundation Australia, Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

Geographic location:
Australia-wide

Contact Person:
Dr Sameera Ansari, email: sameera.ansari@unsw.edu.au

Lead Investigator:
Professor Nick Zwar, email: nzwar@bond.edu.au

Website:
https://www.goldnetresearch.com.au/apcom-trial

Brief Description of participants/practices sought:
Seeking general practice clinics that have at least one practice nurse, and eight patients with COPD and one other chronic condition.

Closing date for recruitment:
Recruitment closing date for practices: 31^st October 2023
Recruitment closing date for patients: 31^st December 2023

Compensation offered:

• All participating practices will be provided a token amount of $1000 each for staff time to undertake a medical record search and invite eligible patients.
• A $200 gift voucher will be provided to a practice champion, nominated by the practice team, who will be the main focal point for the study.
• Practices in the intervention group will receive $60/hour for the PN’s time towards training and delivering the self-management program.
• All participating patients will receive a $100 shopping voucher each towards completing the study questionnaires at 3 timepoints throughout the duration of the trial.

Availability of CPD points:
PNs and GPs from all participating practices can claim CPD hours for their involvement in the trial.

Time involvement:
GPs: GPs in the intervention arm will be required to participate in a joint webinar with PNs to discuss implementation of the self-management program in their practice, to ensure coordination and collaboration in the practice team.
Practice Staff: PNs in the intervention arm will be required to: i) Attend a training workshop about the study and the self-management program, iii) Tailor and deliver the program to patients in the intervention arm in five personalised health coaching sessions, and iii) Make monthly follow-up phone calls to the patients for three months following completion of the program. The Practice Invitation Letter and PN Information Sheet are attached.
Patients: Patients in the intervention arm will be required to participate in five one-to-one health coaching sessions with their PN. The sessions will be of about 45-minute duration each and spaced three weeks apart, and can be conducted virtually or at the practice.

This cluster trial will compare two ways of prescribing analgesia, including opioids, for patients with low back pain. The first offers patients pain relief options such as heat wrap in addition to opioids, and the second is usual care.

Patients with low back pain will be eligible when the study GP considers it appropriate to prescribe an opioid medicine for back pain at the study visit.

Our team hope to recruit 410 patient-participants (205 per arm) from at least 40 participating general practices in urban, and regional/remote/very remote locations across NSW.

The study team will be in regular contact with study GPs throughout the trial to provide support, discuss trial progress, conduct refresher training and any follow-up questionnaires.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from:
New South Wales. Noting if targets are not met within NSW, recruitment may be extended nationally.  

Principal investigator:
Dr Christina Abdel Shaheed  

Co- investigators:
Professor Chris Maher
A/Professor Rowena Ivers (GP)
Professor Andrew McLachlan
Professor Fiona Blyth
Professor Louisa Degenhardt
Dr Thomas Lung
Associate Professor Patrick Kelly
A/Professor Fiona Stanaway
Dr Rachel Thompson
 
Associate Investigators:
Dr Sharon Reid (GP)
Dr Michael Wright (GP)
Professor Bradley Martin
Rawa Osman
Carol Bennett
Jarrod McMaugh
Gabrielle Campbell
Professor Kirsten McCaffery
Dr Hazel Jenkins
Professor Simon French
Dr Stephanie Mathieson

Compensation offered:

• $100 per patient enrolled
• $30 for patient screening
• $100 for training visit
• $100 for interview (if assigned to intervention)

GP inclusion criteria:

• Consult with patients who have LBP.
• Has no prescribing restrictions, that is, eligible to prescribe an opioid analgesic (including schedule 8 opioid analgesics).
• Consent to researchers gaining access to their prescribing data.

GP exclusion criteria:

• Participating GPs at that practice has received an education visit by any organisation on judicious opioid prescribing in the previous 12 months.

*GP Clinics must have one practising GP registered with APHRA.

Patient inclusion criteria:

• Adults (≥18 years)
• Low back pain of any duration at the time of presentation
• Has been prescribed an opioid analgesic for LBP by the participating GP.
• Sufficient understanding of English to complete questionnaires, or translation available.
• Holds an Australian Medicare card number (for data linkage purposes).
• Willingness to give written informed consent to participate in the trial and grant researchers access to their Medicare/Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and other trial-related data.

Patient exclusion criteria:

• Children (<18 years)
• Engaged in an opioid tapering regimen at the time of enrolment into the study i.e., have already begun to reduce their opioid medicine within the past month
• Be actively treated for cancer or receiving palliative treatment.

Commencement date of the project:
April 2022

Closing date for recruitment:
March 2026

Time involvement:
GPs: Till recruitment target is met (12-15 patient-participants). If participating in an interview GPs will be followed up for up to 16 weeks after target is met.
Patient Participant: One year period.

Availability of CPD points:
Yet to be determined.

Contact details:
If you are interested in participating, please email the Project manager or Clinical Trials Assistant.

Lisa Vizza | Project Manager | lisa.vizza@sydney.edu.au
Sarah Diprose | Clinical Trials Assistant | sarah.diprose@sydney.edu.au
Rowena Ivers| Co-Investigator and General Practictioner| rivers@uow.edu.au

The project is an online survey that will take approximately five minutes to complete. To participate in this study, you must be a General Practitioner who is currently practising in Australia. The purpose of the survey is to understand the current practices and perceived value of physical activity assessment behaviours among General Practitioners in Australia and to gain insight into the physical activity counselling that is occurring in Australian general practice. The survey consists of two demographic questions and six questions about physical activity behaviour assessment in your primary care setting. Participation is voluntary and all information collected will be kept confidential.
 
Participants sought:
Participants for this study must be a General Practitioner currently practising in Australia. For more information, please access the online survey here: https://unisasurveys.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_74EcrlI78jhLZDE

Geographic location the project wished to recruit from:
Participants will be recruited Australia-wide aiming to have participants from all states and territories from metropolitan, rural, and regional areas.

Time involvement:
The online survey will only take 5 minutes to complete.

Investigators:
Bethany Gower (principal investigator and contact person),
Dr Danielle Girard,
Dr Terry Boyle,
Associate Professor Andrew Williams,
Professor Jan Radford  FRACGP
Associate Professor Kade Davison (primary supervisor).

Contact details:
Bethany Gower 
Email: Bethany.Gower@unisa.edu.au

Reviewing ethics committee:
University of South Australia Human Research Ethics Committee - Protocol no. 205380 
Email: humanethics@unisa.edu.au
Tel: 08 8302 6330

Commencement date of the project: 26 June 2023.

Closing date for recruitment: 27 October 2023.
 

Women with gestational diabetes have an approximately 10-fold higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those with normal blood sugar levels in pregnancy. Post-pregnancy blood sugar level screening and type 2 diabetes prevention programs are feasible in general practice settings, however further research is needed to improve reach and engagement.

In 2011, Australia started a National Gestational Diabetes Register (NGDR) to improve diabetes risk awareness, screening and prevention. Researchers at the University of Melbourne Department of General Practice and Primary care are investigating if recall and screening of women at risk of type 2 diabetes is improved by linking the NGDR and GP Electronic Medical Record (EMR, e.g. Best Practice Software). This project aims to guide the implementation of this linked NGDR-EMR system. We aim to understand the General Practice perspectives on this linked register system with regard to utility, feasibility and acceptability.

Participants sought:
General Practitioners, practice nurses, practice managers and diabetes educators with experience caring for patients with gestational diabetes are invited to share their perspectives on data-linkage for diabetes prevention.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from:
Australia

Compensation offered:
Participants will receive a $50 thank you voucher.

Time involvement:
30 minutes

Investigators:
Dr Rochelle Sleaby
Dr Rachel Canaway
A/Prof Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis
Prof Dougie Boyle

Contact person:
Dr Rochelle Sleaby
Email: sleabyr@unimelb.edu.au
Tel: 0439 368 603
Website: https://medicine.unimelb.edu.au/school-structure/general-practice-and-primary-care/news-and-events/seeking-general-practice-perspectives-on-data-linkage-for-diabetes-prevention

Commencement date of the project:
May 2023

Closing date for recruitment:
October 2023

The aim of this study is to undertake a formative evaluation to assess the need, feasibility and acceptability of a peer-facilitated, online, perinatal education and support program for first-time fathers referred through their primary health care providers. There is a growing need for new approaches to providing information and support to first-time fathers. According to recent research, first-time fathers report wanting programs that are informative but also allow them to interact with other men about their experiences with fatherhood. There are significant barriers that men face in accessing services during pregnancy and soon after the birth (e.g., men are often unable to attend programs during work hours) and access to an online platform may help address these barriers. In addition, the role that primary care providers such as GPs can play in referring first-time fathers to such programs is not adequately described in the literature. The first phase of the project comprises a mixed methods approach to assess the attitudes and current practice of health professionals with regard to father inclusive perinatal care and elicit their opinions about the proposed online perinatal program.

An introduction to the research team, the project and further links to participate can be found at: https://curtin.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d1iFwnLlKcXw9wO

State the project wishes to recruit from

• National for anonymous online survey
• Western Australia and Queensland for confidential interview

Name of investigators/Contact persons
Richard Pascal (contact), Dr Garth Kendall, Dr Lesley Kuliukas, A/Prof Alka Kothari, Dr Rikki Priest (GP investigator)

Contact details
Richard Pascal, richard.pascal@postgrad.curtin.edu.au

Brief Description of participants sought
All GPs working with fathers or their partners in the perinatal period (antenatal to 12 months postnatal).

Commencement date of the project
7 April 2023

Closing date for recruitment
30 November 2023

Time involvement of GPs and/or practice staff, and/or patients
GPs nationally completing the online survey – 15-20 minutes. GPs in WA and Qld completing the online interview – 30-40 minutes.

 

Researchers at UNSW are conducting a project about which factors were unique to patients requiring additional time away from work after a COVID-19 infection and what the average recovery time required to return to work after an infection is.

The research project is looking for people who want to take part in this research and who are adults (over 18 years old) working in NSW, inclusive of full-time, part-time, and casual workers who had been infected with COVID-19 after 1st of July 2021.

Participation in this research is optional, confidential (de-identified) and voluntary.

Survey - Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

Assessment of the effectiveness of the Defeat Diabetes Application (DDA) low carbohydrate diet and lifestyle intervention, in the self-management of type 2 diabetes.

Short description of the project and method

Our aim is to examine the effect of the Defeat Diabetes program on the clinical features of type 2 diabetes (fasting blood glucose and HbA1c), in a community-based participant cohort over a 12 month period.

The potential significance of this research project is that it may provide an adjunct modality to support the current management of T2D by the broader healthcare community.

The intervention requires participants to follow the recommendations outlined in the Defeat Diabetes program to make dietary and lifestyle changes over a 12-month period. The Defeat Diabetes program is a subscription based commercial app and web interface that provides guided education on how a low carbohydrate diet can help manage type 2 diabetes. This study relies heavily on the involvement of community-based GPs to refer patients, collect and review data in line with the RACGP clinical practice guidelines for management of type 2 diabetes at baseline, 3, 6 and 12-months. GPs will be provided with educational material on the use of low carbohydrate diets for managing type 2 diabetes, including information on how to safely deprescribe medications. They can also elect to attend GP led online education sessions, that will be conducted throughout the study period for further support.

The research team will provide supporting GPs with patient handouts for distribution to eligible patients, to assist with the recruitment process. The research team will coordinate patient appointments and data collection at the appropriate time points. Data management and collection will be via REDCap ensuring confidentiality of patient and GP information, informed consent to release health information will be obtained from participants. The research team have consulted with a small focus group of GPs to try to make data collection and reporting as simple as possible.

Supporting GPs and their nominated RN and/or practice manager will receive lifetime access to the Defeat Diabetes app.

For further information please see : https://redcap.link/defeatdiabetes_gp

 

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from (State/Area)

Australia Wide

 

Name of investigators/Contact person. Highlight GP investigators.

Principal Investigator: Prof. George Moschonis, School of Allied Health, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University

Co – Investigator: Prof. Peter Brukner, School of Allied Health, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University

Co – Investigator: A/Prof. Adrienne Forsyth, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University and School of Allied Health, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University

GP Principal Investigator: Dr Liz Fraser, Co-ordinator of GP group research activity, Hobart Place General Practice, Canberra 

GP External Advisory Committee: Dr Ronald Schweitzer – Senior Lecturer, Monash University and GP, East Bentleigh Medical Group, Bentleigh East, VIC; Dr Avi Charlton - GP, Wantirna Mall Clinic, Melbourne Low Carb Clinic, Wantirna, VIC; Dr Derrick Bui - GP, Town Medical Centre, Melbourne, VIC

PhD Candidate: Despina Kolivas, School of Allied Health, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University

 

Contact details (Name, email address, website link)

Despina Kolivas

Email: d.kolivas@latrobe.edu.au

Prof George Moschonis

Email: g.moschonis@latrobe.edu.au

 

Expression of Interest and support: https://redcap.link/defeatdiabetes_gp

 

Brief Description of participants/practices sought (inclusion and exclusion criteria, or a hyperlink to this)

Recruitment of 100 participants with type 2 diabetes, via referral from their GP, meeting the eligibility criteria below:

Inclusion criteria

• Adults (men and women) meeting the clinical diagnostic criteria for type 2 diabetes
• Willingness to participate (i.e. adopt a low carbohydrate diet and make necessary lifestyle changes as detailed in the app) and be available throughout the study period of 12 months
• Be willing to attend general practitioner appointments at 3, 6 and 12 months
• Not currently using the Defeat Diabetes app, nor using a low carbohydrate diet to manage their type 2 diabetes
• Have a smartphone and can use digital technology (download and install digital applications)

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to understand written and spoken English
• Liver disease (other than metabolic associated fatty liver disease) or secondary causes of MAFLD and cirrhosis
• Renal failure and patients undertaking dialysis
• Have a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes
• Are pregnant
• Are using insulin to manage their type 2 diabetes
• Excluded from participating for existing medical conditions at the discretion of their GP

 

Time involvement of GPs and/or practice staff, and/or patients

The time involved for supporting GPs to participate and is outlined in the attached excel template, and was designed to allocate hours for CPD.

The role of the GP practice staff is minimal.

Participants will need to see their GP for medical management for type 2 diabetes in line with RACGP Type 2 Diabetes management guidelines. Participants will need to complete health questionnaires (15 mins) and complete 3 day food records (30 mins) at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months.

The intervention requires participants to follow the recommendations outlined in the Defeat Diabetes program to make dietary and lifestyle changes over a 12-month period.

 

Availability of CPD points

Yes for 2023-2025 Triennium (as advised by RACGP Kathryn Randall, CPD Program Coordinator)

Australian women living in rural and regional areas have higher rates of unintended pregnancies and face difficulties accessing long acting reversible contraception (LARC), such as intrauterine devices and implants, and early medical abortion (EMA). The ORIENT study will test the effectiveness of a collaborative nurse-led model of care in general practice, involving optimal use of clinical upskilling, GP-nurse task sharing and telehealth services to increase access to LARC and EMA for women living in rural and regional Australia.  Participating general practices will be encouraged and supported to deliver the nurse-led model of LARC and EMA care with the assistance of an implementation bundle targeted to GPs and practice nurses.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from (State/Area) -  Practices must be located in rural or regional Australia. MMM2-MMM7 on the Monash Modified Model 

Name of investigators/Contact person. Professor Danielle Mazza

Contact details - Dr Jessica Botfield  orient.trial@monash.edu 

Survey - https://www.spherecre.org/the-orient-study

Brief Description of participants/practices sought (inclusion and exclusion criteria -  We are recruiting general practices located in regional and rural Australia. To be eligible to participate in the ORIENT study, your general practice must have at least two GPs and a practice nurse willing to participate in the study, and a practice manager who will serve as the study liaison.

Time involvement of GPs and/or practice staff, and/or patients:  The time commitment to complete the implementation activities to support the delivery of the nurse led model will be around 3 hours of online education, completion of contraceptive implant training on insertion and removal (if not previously undertaken) and 1-hour educational outreach with clinical experts. The practice manager will be involved in the educational outreach session.

Compensation offered -  GPs and staff nurses who enrol in the trial and complete all necessary components of the intervention bundle will be financially compensated for their time. Specifically, GPs will receive $500 and PNs will receive $200 upon confirmation that they have completed all training components and participated in the educational outreach session. Practice managers will receive a $100 gift card for their participation in educational outreach and for serving as the study liaison. Separately, at the end of the trial, each participating practice will receive a single reimbursement of $500 for administrative time needed to provide access to data for assessment of trial outcomes

Availability of CPD points - participants will receive CPD points/hours for participation in education components

Skin problems are a common presentation to Australian general practitioners. However, historically general practitioners have received minimal training on skin problems. The aim of this study is to explore general practitioner confidence in the identification and management of a range of skin problems that would present in practice.  The study will also explore the skin problems that general practitioners would like more education on and whether there are differences in education needs based on the type of skin problems.  The results of the study will help to design education programs for Australian General Practitioners to improve the diagnosis and management of skin problems.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from (State/Area) - Australia-wide

What does this research involve?

Participants will be asked to answer an anonymous on-line Qualtrics survey that will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. 

Contact details: Dr Anneliese Willems awillems@skinhealthinstitute.org.au, +61 3 9623 9400). 

Survey: https://scuau.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6ExxNlGtzfcVNky

Time involvement of GPs and/or practice staff, and/or patients - GP and GP registrar participants - 7-10 minutes to complete
 

The study will be conducted in general practice clinics in metropolitan Melbourne, in areas with rates of refugee resettlement and migrant communities. Sample size will range between 10-12 GPs. Interviews expected to last between 30-60 minutes and via zoom, at a time of participant's convenience. Participants will be offered a $100 honoraria in recognition of the time required to participate in the study. In-depth qualitative data will be collected using semi-structured interviews with GPs. All interviews were aided by interview guidelines aligned to components of the Access to Care Framework by Levesque and colleagues. Question sequencing is flexible, allowing participant responses to guide the course of the interview. Audio files of interviews with participants will be de-identified and transcribed verbatim. Interview transcripts, and facilitator diaries were exported to Nvivo for analysis.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from: Melbourne, Victoria

Name of investigators/Contact person. Contact person: Areni Altun, Dr Liz Sturgiss, Prof Grant Russell

Contact details:

• Areni Altun
• areni.altun@monash.edu
• Website Link: https://monash.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0jFYefSWtIBg1HE

Brief Description of participants/practices sought: GP Participants practicing clinically in Victoria who treat/manage migrant or refugee women. 

Time involvement of GPs and/or practice staff, and/or patients: 30-60minutes

Compensation offered: Yes: $100 Coles Voucher

Will you be starting your patient on an antidepressant? If so, this study may be of benefit to you and your patient. 

The ALIGNED study is an investigator-initiated, randomised-controlled trial of pharmacogenomics-guided therapy versus standard care for people with moderate to severe depression. Pharmacogenomics (PG) is the study of how genetic variations affect an individual’s likely response to therapeutic medications.
 
Study participants are randomised to either the pharmacogenomics-guided intervention arm or a standard care (control) arm. The prescribing doctors (GPs) of all participants are provided with a treatment guide to inform prescription of antidepressant therapy. Prescribers in the intervention arm will receive a treatment guide informed by their patient’s pharmacogenomic analysis, whereas prescribers in the control arm will receive a treatment guide in line with best practice (not informed by their patient’s pharmacogenomics). 

The ALIGNED study is double-blind, with both prescribing doctors and participants blinded to treatment allocation. At week 12 of the study, unblinding will take place, where both prescribing doctors and participants will be informed of treatment allocation. All prescribing doctors of participants will then receive a direct copy of the participant’s pharmacogenomic report issued by a NATA-accredited laboratory. The report contains pharmacogenomics information for psychotropic as well as other medications that can be used in the future. 
 

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from (State/Area): Participants will be recruited from the following states in Australia: NSW, VIC, WA, SA and QLD.

 

Name of investigators/Contact person. Highlight GP investigators:
Lead Investigator: Associate Professor Kathy Wu, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Principal Investigator: Professor Paul Fitzgerald, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Principal Investigator: Professor Anthony Rodgers, The George Institute for Global Health, Australia
Principal Investigator: Professor Sean Hood, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
Principal Investigator: Professor Anthony Harris, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
GP Principal Investigator: Professor Tim Usherwood, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
GP Principal Investigator: Dr Jacquie Garton-Smith, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia

 

Contact details: Dr Rachel McGrath, The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney Australia. Telephone: +61 2 8052 4597; Email: ALIGNED@georgeinstitute.org.au

 
Website link: www.alignedstudy.org.au  
 

Brief Description of participants/practices sought (inclusion and exclusion criteria, or a hyperlink to this):

 

ALIGNED Participant Eligibility Criteria: 

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged between 18 and 70 years (inclusive)
• Sufficiently fluent in English
• Diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, either first-episode or relapsed, on the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-5 criteria
• A moderate to severe level of depression as rated on the Montgomery and Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) with a score of > 19 at baseline
• Person in whom antidepressants are indicated based on the current ANZ guideline but are yet to be initiated during current episode
• Willing and able to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Already taking an antidepressant
• Significant suicidal risk (as determined during screening MADRS and DSM-5 MINI assessments)
• Substance use disorder not in remission (other than nicotine or caffeine) (as determined during screening DSM-5 MINI assessments)
• Concurrent psychiatric diagnosis of bipolar disorder, or psychotic disorder (psychotic MDD, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder), or cognitive disorders (intellectual impairment/dementia) (determined by participant medical history or during screening DSM-5 MINI assessment)
• Current history of hepatic or renal failure confounding drug metabolism
• Contraindication, including hypersensitivity (e.g. anaphylaxis), to SSRI, SNRI, mirtazapine and moclobemide.
• Pregnant or breast feeding 

Time involvement of GPs and/or practice staff, and/or patients: Study participants will attend 11 remote (telephone or videoconference) study sessions with the ALIGNED study coordinator, carried out over 52 weeks. Participants will be required to see their GP (treating clinician) for initiation of antidepressant therapy and to attend routine follow-up visits with their GP to monitor their treatment response.

The START trial is a NHMRC-funded community-based clinical trial that will evaluate the comparative effects of the Sodium Glucose Co-Transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor dapagliflozin compared to metformin, on annual decline in eGFR, when used as first-line therapy in people with type 2 diabetes.

The intervention will be evaluated by a pragmatic, multi-centre, double-blind, randomised trial involving at least 60 primary health care practices across NSW, VIC and QLD. The sample size of 994 participants (497 intervention and 497 control groups) will detect a difference in eGRF slope between dapagliflozin and metformin over a 24-month period. Changes in urine albumin creatinine ratio, serum creatinine, HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body weight, quality of life and anxiety and depression will be monitored.

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from (State/Area):

Sydney and surrounds, Melbourne and surrounds, Brisbane and surrounds, regional NSW, VIC, QLD

Name of investigators/Contact person.

Lead Investigator: Professor Bruce Neal, The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia
Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Clare Arnott, The George Institute for Global Health, Australia
Principal Investigator: Professor Sophia Zoungas, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
GP Principal Investigator: Professor Tim Usherwood, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

Contact details:

Dr Lauren Houston, The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia.
Telephone: +61 2 8052 4343
Email: START-trial@georgeinstitute.org.au

Brief Description of participants/practices sought (inclusion and exclusion criteria, or a hyperlink to this):

GP Practices based in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and their surrounds who can assist START trial staff to identify potentially eligible participants from their GP Practice who meet the following eligibility criteria:

Inclusion criteria:

• Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes;
• Aged ≥18 years;
• Body mass index > 18.5 kg/m²;
• Drug naïve, or managed with metformin monotherapy and willing to be randomised;
• eGFR ≥30 ml/min/1.73m²; and
• Signed informed consent.

Exclusion criteria:

• Immediate need for rapid intensification of glucose lowering therapy due to marked hyperglycaemia;
• There is a definite indication for, or contraindication to, either metformin or SGLT2 inhibitor;
• Established coronary artery disease or heart failure; or
• Pregnant or breast-feeding.

Commencement date of the project: 20 June 2022 Closing date for recruitment: 30 June 2025, depending on the rate of recruitment. Time involvement of GPs and/or practice staff, and/or patients:

The role of your GP practice in the START Trial is minimal. The GP practice/GPs main trial responsibilities include assisting START trial staff to identify potential participants and to confirm their patients are suitable to participate in the START trial. Trial participants will attend follow-up visits every 16-20 weeks: four face-to-face and five telephone or video conference visits over a period of approximately 2 years.

Compensation offered:

$150 per randomised participant to support administrative costs at GP Practice.

Availability of CPD points:

GPs can self-record their participation in START as a GP Co-Investigator under a Professional Leadership Activity and claim CPD hours.

The AusCAPPS network seeks to address long standing and well-defined barriers to primary care provision of long acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) and medical abortion in Australia. AusCAPPS has been developed in partnership with the RACGP, RANZCOG, APNA, the PSA, and other key stakeholders in women’s health services. The network will:

• Connect GPs, pharmacists and nurses around Australia who provide LARC and medical abortion
• Provide access to training and education opportunities relating to LARC insertion and medical abortion
• Enable clinicians to ask questions to colleagues and experts
• Give access to resources, guidelines, referral forms and patient handouts
• Keep you connected with the latest news and research related to LARC and medical abortion

Join the network

Geographic location the project wishes to recruit from (State/Area)

Australia-wide

Name of investigators

• Lead investigator- Professor Danielle Mazza
• GP investigators- Professor Danielle Mazza, A/Professor Wendy Norman, Professor Deborah Bateson and Dr Philip Goldstone
• Other investigators- Professor Kirsten Black, Professor Angela Taft,
• A/Professor Kevin McGeechan and Professor Jane Tomnay

Contact details

Sharon James, Sharon.james@monash.edu

Brief Description of participants/practices sought

GPs, practice nurses and community pharmacists working in primary care are invited to the join the AusCAPPS network.

Time involvement of GPs and/or practice staff, and/or patients

Time is self-directed over the course of the 2 years that the Network will be live

Availability of CPD points

Self-reported for time spent within network. RACGP CPD points awarded for the webinar series