Our research: Translation and innovation

Our Researchers

Emeritus Professor Mieke Van Driel

RELEASE: Redressing long-term antidepressant use

Research Leads: Professor Katharine Wallis (Clinician Lead), A/Professor Maria Donald (Implementation Lead)

Aim: The RELEASE study will evaluate effectiveness of the RELEASE intervention which has been designed to prompt medication review, support shared decision-making, and guide safe discontinuation of long-term antidepressants where there is no clinical indication for ongoing use.

Contact: release.study@uq.edu.au

Screening toolkit for older driver medical assessment

Research Team: Professor Katharine Wallis, Associate Professor Geoff Spurling and Louise Bassingthwaighte.

Aim: The 3-Domains screening toolkit has been developed for use in general practice during annual driver licence medical assessment in older drivers (>75 years). The toolkit assesses across the three functional domains essential for driving (sensory, motor, and cognitive) and generates a combined predictive score of likelihood the older driver would pass on-road driving assessment (%). This score can be used by GPs in practice to inform clinical judgement and to support conversations with older drivers about health and fitness to drive, the need for further testing, and/or planning for eventual driving cessation.

Centre for Health System Reform and Integration

PARTNER Network

QLD Clinical Lead: Professor Katharine Wallis

QLD State Coordinator: Natalii Paczkowski

The PARTNER Network is a national network of rural and remote research-ready GP practices developed to support rural participation in research, including teletrials in primary care. The PARTNER Network builds capacity in rural, regional and remote general practice and primary care in clinical trial development and participation creating opportunities for rural Australians, primary health care professionals, researchers and industry.

The PARTNER Network is part of the Australian Teletrial Program led by Queensland Health and funded by the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) National Critical Infrastructure Initiative.

UQGP Research network

Director: Professor Katharine Wallis

UQGP Research is a practice-based research network (PBRN) supporting collaboration between general practitioners, GP practices and University of Queensland researchers.

The network aims to conduct research in general practice to develop the evidence-base to improve primary health care and outcomes for patients. We work together, combining complementary skills and resources.

Higher Degrees by Research (HDR)

UQ General Practice is very supportive of postgraduate students and higher degrees by research are offered on a full or part-time basis to accomodate clinical practice.

Here is what Associate Professor Geoff Spurling, one of our current PhD students has to say about his experience in UQ General Practice:

"UQ General Practice has been very generous in providing me with the resources to get my thesis off the ground. After a year in, I felt like a blind man flailing about in a room trying to find the boundaries. My UQ General Practice supervisors have helped me find the edges.

Primary care research may not have the charisma of laboratory-based research but I think this thesis has the potential to benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the community where I work as a clinician and it wouldn't have been possible without UQ General Practice."

For more information regarding research conducted within our research streams, please click on the links below.

View HDR program information:

Find out more about our research areas.

Visit the Graduate School site for further details on the application process and more information on studying a higher degree by research at the University of Queensland.

If you are interested in pursuing a HDR in UQ General Practice, please email UQ General Practice who can help direct you to a potential supervisor within your area of interest.

Potential advisors and their areas of research may also be found on UQ RESEARCHERS or UQ Experts.