Austin Health

Victoria’s first Virtual Hospital – led through a partnership between Austin Health and The Royal Melbourne Hospital – has begun to take patients from today, Monday 1 December 2025. The six-month pilot will see more than 250 patients receive specialist hospital care in their own home for a range of needs, including cardiac care. The Virtual Hospital pilot means patients can leave hospital sooner or avoid admission to a hospital ward altogether. Read the full article > bit.ly/48F2BsJ Image: Picture of the Biobeat wearable device used for the Virtual Hospital

Austin Health clinician researchers are making a name for themselves, with one quarter of the participants accepted into next year's prestigious Melbourne Academic Centre for Health (MACH) Track program hailing from Austin Health. The MACH-Track program is a career development pathway that supports clinician researchers to combine research training with clinical practice, fostering innovation and improving healthcare outcomes. Austin Health is thrilled to see Min Hu, Margaret Phillips and Thomas Wilson selected for the highly-sought after training which will support them on their PhD journey as they balance research with clinical work. Find out more about the 2026 cohort here > bit.ly/3M7etuR Images: Casamento Photography

This week, we celebrated 743 staff who reached years of service milestones, ranging from 10 to 45 years, with our annual Years of Service Awards. 🎉 Together, these staff have provided a staggering total of 13,315 years of service to Austin Health and our patients! We caught up with Peggy Finegan, After Hours Site Manager at the Royal Talbot, who marked an impressive 45 years, and asked her to share some memorable moments from her time at Austin Health. Read Peggy’s reflections and check out pictures from the celebration on our website > bit.ly/3M2VVMe

Last night, the Austin Health Cancer Clinical Trials Centre (CCTC) was recognised with the Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group (AGITG) & GI Cancer Institute (AGITG) Excellence in Site Performance Award (Metropolitan), celebrating its outstanding contribution to gastro-intestinal cancer research and patient care. The award, presented at the AGITG Annual Science Meeting in Adelaide, acknowledged the site that demonstrated exceptional commitment and performance in clinical trial conduct. It is the team’s second win in recent years, receiving a similar award in 2018, validating their continuous commitment and high-level of quality in clinical trial management and patient care. Anne-Marie Woods, Manager of CCTC, shared her delight in CCTC receiving this award, sharing, “This award is a testament to the dedication, expertise, and collaborative spirit of our entire team. Their commitment to research excellence ensures patients receive world-class care and access to innovative treatments." The Award was accepted by Meg Donovan-Hayes, Clinical Trials Nurse Coordinator and Professor Niall Tebbutt, Director of Medical Oncology at Austin Health and Gastro-Intestinal Principal Investigator (PI) lead. Well done to the whole team! 👏

In case you missed this - we’re excited to welcome The Hon Ged Kearney MP, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care and former Director of Nursing Clinical Education at Austin Health, to our next Nursing Alumni event.   We'd love you to join us as Ged reflects on her journey from Austin Health to Parliament. 📅 Thursday 4 December | 2 to 3pm | Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Collaboration Space   All nurses and ex-nurses are welcome. RSVP here: bit.ly/4oE2KC8

At Austin Health, we are committed to fostering a healthier future for our patients, staff, community, and the planet. As part of this effort, we are pleased to launch our inaugural Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Strategy 2025-27. ESG is a framework that helps us operate responsibly by focusing on environmental sustainability, social impact, and ethical governance practices. The ESG Strategy, developed through extensive consultation with staff, patients, and stakeholders, builds on our legacy of care and innovation, aligning with our Strategic Plan 2023–2027 and our commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2040. Through our inaugural ESG strategy, we aim to continue delivering exceptional care while respecting the environment, supporting our community, and building a sustainable future for generations to come. Read more about the strategy on our website > bit.ly/3LXb2qy

“We’re at a cusp of a major change in the way we think about the treatment of epilepsy.” – Professor Piero Perucca, Director, Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Department of Neurology, Austin Health. For more than a century, epilepsy treatments have remained largely unchanged. At Austin Health, Professor Perucca and his research team are helping to break that stalemate. As President of the Epilepsy Society of Australia and with a foot in both clinical and research camps, Professor Perucca can combine his dual passions: research and patient care. Through collaboration with some of Australia's best minds across Austin Health and the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, he is pioneering approaches that aim to personalise epilepsy care and improve outcomes for thousands of Australians living with epilepsy. Read more about his groundbreaking work at the Melbourne Brain Centre, based at the Austin Health campus, in the University of Melbourne’s feature article Breaking Epilepsy’s Century-Long Stalemate > bit.ly/4oMKJSi Image credit: Peter Casamento

Help give more time to our patients this festive season.    Our new Endoscopy Centre will transform care for thousands of patients each year. It will mean faster diagnosis, advanced procedures and more precious moments shared with the people we love.   🎥 Watch Associate Professor Rhys Vaughan, Director of Endoscopy Services explain how the new Centre will change lives. Donate here: bit.ly/4oU6zDL

Today we marked Remembrance Day at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital (Repat), a site with a long and proud history of caring for our veterans since opening in 1941. We were joined by veterans and their families, staff, local students as well as partner organisations and local and state political representatives. At the event we unveiled a plaque for a new Nurses Walk and portraits of Cameron Baird VC MG and Vivian Bullwinkel, adding to our existing artworks that highlight our ongoing commitment to honouring those who served. Lest we forget. 🌺

We are beyond thrilled to share that we've raised over $1.3 million for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre! 🎉 Our incredible community came together — united by a shared goal to support people living with cancer through free, evidence-based wellness therapies provided at the ONJ Centre. With limited government funding, your contributions directly fund these vital wellness programs that bring hope, comfort and strength to patients and their families. From Olivia’s Walk and Run for Wellness to community fundraising and countless acts of generosity — every step, every donation, and every moment of support made a difference. Thank you for helping us honour Olivia's vision of holistic care and for supporting ONJ Centre's transformative work. 💚