Westmead Innovation Centre - Entrance 10 Westmead Hospital, cnr Hawkesbury Rd/Darcy Rd, Westmead

Clinical trials in Australia often face considerable challenges.

Their conduct and performance can be limited by cost and complexity, as well as regulatory, ethical and governance requirements. In addition, clinical trials are sometimes constrained by recruiting enough patients in the time available, and by shortfalls in the supply, capacity, and capability of trials staff.

Sydney Health Partners is working at local, state and national levels to help support clinical trials capacity and capability.

Join us at the Westmead Innovation Centre on Friday, November 1, for Trials Without Tribulations 2024 - a one-day workshop for clinical trial staff across SHP.

This year’s Trials Without Tribulations will include sessions on:

  • the clinical trials workforce
  • professional development and career progression for trial staff
  • planning for inclusivity and diversity in clinical trials
  • ethics and governance
  • implementing patient reported experience surveys
  • developing a trial sponsor communications plan; and
  • reports back from the Budget Checklist and Friendly Project Review working groups.
  • This is a must-attend event for anyone working professionally in clinical trials.

    Certificates of Attendance, which can be used as evidence of professional training for 6 hours, will be issued to all participants.

    Places are limited and will be prioritised for trial managers and coordinators within SHP’s member organisations.


    Program

    Registration: 9:00 – 9:30 am

    Opening Remarks – 9:30 – 9:40 am | Associate Professor Angela Todd (link opens in a new window), Research Director, Sydney Health Partners

    Session 1: Clinical Trial Workforce Support - 9:40 – 10:45 am
    Chair: Dr Helen Goldsmith (link opens in a new window), Research Development Manager, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network

    What do we know about the clinical trial workforce? | Associate Professor Angela Todd, Research Director, Sydney Health Partners

    Career progression in clinical research – should I stay or should I go? |  Martijn Oostendorp (link opens in a new window), Associate Director, Trial Operations, NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre & Anson Vo (link opens in a new window), Senior Clinical Trials Coordinator and Start Up Specialist, Renal Clinical Trials Unit, Royal North Shore Hospital

    Discussion Panel - How do I progress? | Chair: Dr Helen Goldsmith (link opens in a new window)


    10:45 – 11:15pm: Morning Tea


    Session 2: Operational Support - 11:15 am – 12:45 pm
    Chair: Dr Pauline Hanrahan (link opens in a new window), Risk and Governance Manager Clinical Trials, Office of the Pro-Vice Chancellor, The University of Sydney

    National One Stop Shop – where are we now? | Dr Bernadette Aliprandi-Costa (link opens in a new window), Technical Director Clinical Trials Policy Section, Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

    Ethics and research governance – how it works | Dr Lucia Smith (link opens in a new window), Research Governance Manager, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network

    Planning for inclusivity and diversity in clinical trials - working with interpreters and CALD participants | Sharon Lee (link opens in a new window), Clinical Research Manager, Research and Education Network, Western Sydney Local Health District

    Supporting participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in clinical trials | Karen Beetson (link opens in a new window), Director of Aboriginal Health, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network

    Developing gender neutral resources | Izabella Pokorski (link opens in a new window), Clinical Trial Program Manager, NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre


    12:45 – 1:45pm: Lunch


    Session 3: Trials Without Tribulations Workshop 2023 - reports from this year’s working groups and future working group ideas – 1:45 – 2:35 pm
    Chair: Alison Rego (link opens in a new window), Clinical Trials Project Manager, Sydney Health Partners

    Budget Checklist | Shirley Liang (link opens in a new window), Senior Clinical Trials Coordinator and Study Start Up Specialist, Medical Oncology Clinical Trials, Northern Sydney Cancer Centre & Linda Mekhael (link opens in a new window), Clinical & Research Manager, Brain & Nerve Research Centre, Concord Repatriation General Hospital

    Friendly Project Reviews | Gemma Blunt (link opens in a new window), Manager, Trials Integrity and Quality, NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre & Anthea Ng (link opens in a new window), Research Quality Manager, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network

    Implementing patient reported experience surveys for clinical trials | Merela Ghazal (link opens in a new window), Executive Research Manager, Sydney Local Health District & Louise Ford (link opens in a new window), Research Business Manager, Sydney Local Health District

    Session 4: Managing sponsor expectations and developing a communications plan - 2:35 – 3:35 pm

    Breakout session and feedback from groups | Chair: Sharon Lee (link opens in a new window)

    Facilitators:

    Closing Remarks | Associate Professor Angela Todd (link opens in a new window), Research Director, Sydney Health Partners