To ensure that patients, health professionals and policymakers have access to reliable, up-to-date evidence to inform health care decisions.
A national system that delivers reliable, evidence-based summaries of the latest research to point-of-care in near real-time, driving better care and health outcomes.
The Consortium will bring together a group of leading experts in evidence synthesis, automation technologies, guideline development, consumer engagement and knowledge translation who are committed to establishing frontier projects in Living Evidence. We will leverage early investment to further develop the platforms, processes and partnerships required to revolutionise Australia’s evidence synthesis and dissemination capability.
Driven by a series of Frontier Projects, over the next 3-5 years the Consortium will have a central coordination and facilitation role in:
Developing a critical mass of expertise in Living Evidence
Promoting shared learning
Fostering communication and collaboration
Generating investment for Living Evidence platforms and systems development
Supporting the development, delivery and dissemination of Living Evidence frontier projects
Facilitating access to Living Evidence platforms and systems
Supporting national policy development
Providing international leadership
Coordinating joint advocacy
Developing brand and track record
Evaluating return on investment
Our program will support the objectives of Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments and other relevant healthcare stakeholders to improve the health of Australians through evidence-based healthcare
Our work will be shaped by the needs of the patient and their families
Our work will be aligned with and guided by peak professional and consumer bodies
Our work will promote gold-standard evidence-based methods for evidence synthesis and guideline development
We will actively collaborate to reduce duplication
We will learn from and leverage international efforts to advance Living Evidence
We will contribute to the development of education and training in Living Evidence
Early-phase development of the Australian Living Evidence Consortium is being led by an Interim Executive Committee of senior representatives from each of our health topic areas, together with Cochrane Australia.
Associate Professor Julian Elliott (Chair) MBBS, FRACP, PhD
Julian is Head of Clinical Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Hospital and Monash University. He Leads Evidence Systems at Cochrane, is a Senior Research Fellow at Cochrane Australia and CEO of Covidence, a non-profit platform for evidence synthesis. Julian was awarded the prestigious Commonwealth Health Minister’s Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research in 2017 for his ground-breaking work in developing the novel systems that underpin Living Evidence.
Professor Rachelle Buchbinder MBBS (Hons), MSc, PhD, FRACP, FAHMS
Rachelle is an NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow and rheumatologist. She is the Director of the Monash Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Cabrini Institute and Professor in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University. She is the Coordinating Editor of Cochrane Musculoskeletal and founding member and current Chair of the Australia and New Zealand Musculoskeletal (ANZMUSC) Clinical Trial Network.
Alison Camroux
Alison is the Director, Policy and Evidence and the Heart Foundation. She has extensive experience in health policy and strategic development across the not-for-profit, public and private sectors and as an advisor to Federal and State Governments.
Professor Jonathan Craig MBChB, DCH, MMed(Clin Epi), FRACP, PhD
Jonathan is Vice President and Executive Dean of the College of Medicine & Public Health, Flinders University. He has been instrumental to the development and implementation of best-practice methods and guidelines relating to chronic kidney disease in Australia and globally. Jonathan is President of the Australia-NZ Society of Nephrology, a member of the NHMRC Advisory Group on the Synthesis and Translation of Research Evidence, and sits on both PBAC and MSAC.
Professor Sally Green PhD, B App Sci (Physiotherapy)
Sally is Co-Director of Cochrane Australia. She is an internationally recognised expert in the field of knowledge translation and has successfully led several nationwide capacity building projects to improve evidence use throughout Australasia. Sally is a member of the NHMRC Synthesis and Translation of Research (STORE) committee and chairs Cochrane’s International Advisory Group for Knowledge Translation.
Sharon McGowan MBA, GAICD
Sharon joined the Stroke Foundation as Chief Executive Officer in 2016. She is an experienced communicator, with a background in management, community engagement, culture transformation, health promotion, fundraising and the volunteer service. Originally trained as a registered nurse, Sharon has worked in Australia and the UK with a range of government statutory authorities and not-for-profit organisations.
Dr Tari Turner PhD, MBus (eBus&Com), BBiomedSci, PGradCert (Biostats)
Tari is Senior Research Fellow at Cochrane Australia, Monash University, Australia and Co-Editor-in-Chief, BMC Health Research and Policy Systems, with globally and nationally recognised expertise in evidence synthesis, living systematic review and evidence-based guideline development methods.
Professor Sophia Zoungas MBBS, FRACP, PhD
Sophia is an academic endocrinologist with a national and international reputation as a clinical researcher in the fields of diabetes and cardiovascular health. She holds the Chair of Diabetes, Vascular Health and Ageing, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, is current President of the Australian Diabetes Society and Clinical Director of the National Association of Diabetes Centres.
Rhiannon Tate (Ex-officio)
Rhiannon is Program Lead for Evidence Innovation at Cochrane Australia and Development Coordinator for the Australian Living Evidence Consortium initiative. She has over 12 years of experience in strategic development and leadership of major national and international research collaborations, most recently as founding Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance.
