COURSE DEVELOPED FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY TO LEARN ABOUT RESEARCH Inclusive research used by Scope Australia to support advocacy for change through lived experience
With
Dr Caroline Hart,
Senior Research Officer
Scope Australia
Nell Buchanan,
Research Assistant
Scope Australia
PEOPLE IN HEALTH CARE SEGMENT
Filmed in Melbourne | March 2026
Scope Australia is one of the largest not-for-profit disability service providers in Australia, supporting thousands of people with complex intellectual, physical, and multiple disabilities.
They operate across Victoria and New South Wales across more than 425 service locations.
Scope’s research team developed a course about what research is and how to do research. Eight people with intellectual disability did the course. Five people took part in interviews to help Scope learn about the course and how to make it better.
In November 2025, A/Professor Stella Koritsas, Scope’s Head of Research, Dr Caroline Hart, Senior Research Officer, and Mimari Hartono, Research Assistant, presented findings from their research into co-research as part of this week’s Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability 2025 conference — research carried out “with” or “by” people with disability rather than “to”, “about” or “for” them, which is important because it helps the sector uphold the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities principles of dignity, autonomy, and full participation.
The research found that the course had a positive impact on people that extended beyond their ability to do and lead research. People who participated said that they felt more confident after the course and learned new skills. They also said that they made friends. They told Scope’s researchers that the course could be better if more easy English was used. They also wanted to be able to get to know people before the course started.
Australian Health Journal spoke with Dr Caroline Hart and Research Assistant Nell Buchanan, who explained what the courses means for the sector, plus the knowledge and experiences gained.
Source: Supplied and adapted
-
GP lens on Aboriginal health and COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic rolled through 2020 and the first half of 2021 without major lockdowns in regional communities, however recently that changed. The concern is now on vaccination rates in communities across Australia.
First Nation Aboriginal communities are at greater risk of outbreaks and transmission with low vaccination rates because of supply issues and changing advice rather than hesitancy.
-
State of Private Hospitals sector in Australia
During Mr Roff’s working career at APHA he has represented the private hospitals sector to nine different Federal Health Ministers and eight Prime Ministers. He believes the government should take steps to regulate the health insurance industry to protect consumers and ensure that Australians have access to affordable and comprehensive healthcare services.
-
Australia’s Nursing Crisis Snapshot
“Nursing, already under pressure, is reaching breaking point due to the pressures of COVID-19 and a disjointed healthcare system, including the acute, primary and aged care sectors”, says Kylie Ward, Australian College of Nursing CEO adding, “We must act now to protect our nurses and healthcare; the time has come for a national reckoning on nursing in Australia.”
Australian nurses cannot continue to work under the extreme pressure they are currently operating under – the impacts are mounting.
The almost 400,000 Australian nurses are a constant presence in every one of our major life milestones, national emergencies and global crises. The nurse of today holds a science degree, possesses highly technical training, valuable medical opinions, front-row expertise, is an effective trainer, and is skilled in population and systemic thinking. But the pandemic is inflicting a major emotional and physical toll on nurses.
In this “Perspectives” special, Australian Health Journal spoke with 4 nurses on the challenges they or nurses in their circle have experienced, the key issues as well some of the opportunities. These nurses come from national leadership & policy, large scale workforce management, a final year student completing over a year on placement across 6 Melbourne Hospitals and a NSW based ICU nurse stranded in Mexico, unable to return to a critical role in nursing to an already strained team due to incoming quotas.
While the issues are challenging, there are strategies that can be put into place to ease the pressure, to support nurses, and nursing care in Australia. These are discussed by the the 4 nurses.
– Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN CEO, Australian College of Nursing
– Adjunct Professor Alanna Geary FACN ACN Chair of Workforce Sustainability Policy Chapter & Chief Nursing & Midwifery Officer, Metro North Health
– Natalie Reyes, NSW based ICU Nurse Currently stranded in Mexico
– Hayley Pollock, Final Year Bachelor of Nursing Student & ACN Emerging Nurse Leader
