Diabetes-related foot disease is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality and healthcare cost burdens in Australia. Studies show these burdens can be considerably reduced when implementing guideline-based DFD care.
We have developed and released new Australian DFD Guidelines for the first time in a decade, giving health professionals multidisciplinary best practice standards of care for the provision of DFD care within Australia with the PDF paper versions of the guidelines available to download below.
The Australian DFD Guidelines are available on a digital and interactive platform. A free one-stop-shop for accessing the full six guidelines that also provides ten digital decision-making pathways to assist busy health professionals to easily access online and interactive evidence-based guideline information at a touch or click of a button!
You can also access the paper guidelines and companion toolkit "Diabetes & Feet" using the below links.
The Diabetes and Feet companion toolkit has been designed to help busy multidisciplinary health professionals use guideline recommended diabetes-related foot care at any time and place and with the person with a diabetes-related foot ulcer right there in front of them. This resource was funded by the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS), an initiative of the Australian Government and administered by Diabetes Australia, in partnership with Diabetes Feet Australia and the Australian Diabetes Society.
The Diabetes and Feet toolkit includes:
• an overview of each guideline from the 2021 Australian guidelines for diabetes-related foot disease
• recommendations for each guideline
• implementation and monitoring considerations
• considerations for the Australian context
• practical pathways for each guideline to help optimise the implementation of the recommendations.
This valuable resource provides health professionals with both quick and easy to access to evidence-based best practice and when further information is required, the digital platform or PDF paper guidelines can be utilised.
The Diabetes and Feet companion toolkit has been designed to help busy multidisciplinary health professionals use guideline recommended diabetes-related foot care at any time and place and with the person with a diabetes-related foot ulcer right there in front of them. This resource was funded by the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS), an initiative of the Australian Government and administered by Diabetes Australia, in partnership with Diabetes Feet Australia and the Australian Diabetes Society.
The toolkit includes:
• an overview of each guideline from the 2021 Australian guidelines for diabetes-related foot disease
• recommendations for each guideline
• implementation and monitoring considerations
• considerations for the Australian context
• practical pathways for each guideline to help optimise the implementation of the recommendations.
This valuable resource provides health professionals with both quick and easy to access to evidence-based best practice and when further information is required, the digital platform or PDF paper guidelines can be utilised.
The full guideline and each individual guideline can also be downloaded by clicking on the images below. All supplementary material can also be accessed here or on the digital platform.
MEET THE PREVENTION GUIDELINE GROUP
PREVENTION GUIDELINE CHAIR
Dr Raspovic is a registered podiatrist and provisionally registered psychologist (with AHPRA). She graduated with podiatry honours from La Trobe University (1992), and went on to complete a Doctor of Philosophy by research (2006), a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Curriculum, Teaching and Learning (2011), a Graduate Diploma in Psychology (2015) and Honours in Psychology (2018). She is currently undertaking a Master of Clinical Psychology at La Trobe University.
Across her career, Dr Raspovic has undertaken a variety of roles in clinical practice, education, research and project work. She is currently a Senior Lecturer and the Course Co-ordinator at La Trobe University, Podiatry. Dr Raspovic’s PhD research focused on lower limb biomechanical alterations in diabetes-related neuropathic foot ulceration. Since undertaking more recent studies in psychology, her research interests have expanded to include; psychosocial aspects of the foot in diabetes, the measurement and impacts of foot ulcer-related psychological distress, and health behaviour influences and change. Dr Raspovic utilises a range of methodologies in her research, more recently focusing on mixed methods approaches, specifically latent profile (cluster) analyses combined with semi-structured interviewing / thematic analysis, and pure qualitative approaches.
She has published widely, focusing in the majority on plantar pressure trials, offloading the foot in diabetes, mechanical alterations in diabetes gait and prevention of diabetes-related foot ulceration. Dr Raspovic was a member of the Prevention Group on the 2019 International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) guideline review. She currently acts as Chair for the Prevention Chapter of the 2021 Diabetic Foot Australia evidence-based guidelines. Dr Raspovic has a keen interest in the inclusion of people with ‘lived experience’ in the co-design and translation of research into policy and practice. Her primary areas of research currently include; plantar pressure offloading trials, factors influencing the selection of offloading in clinical practice, the psycho-social impacts of diabetes-related foot ulceration and psychological aspects of health behaviour choice.
PREVENTION GUIDELINE SECRETARY
Dr Michelle Kaminski is a Lecturer (Teaching and Research) in the Discipline of Podiatry at La Trobe University and has more than 10 years of clinical and research experience. Michelle completed her Bachelor of Podiatry (Honours) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees at La Trobe University in 2009 and 2017, respectively. Michelle's PhD investigated the risk factors for foot ulceration in adults with end-stage renal disease on dialysis. Michelle's teaching and research is focused on the prevention and treatment of foot ulcers in high-risk populations. In 2020, Michelle was an invited member of the Asia Pacific Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU) Academics Club, where she is involved in conducting international research studies with leading experts in the area of DFU research.
Jonathan is Professor of Vascular Surgery at The Townsville University Hospital and James Cook University. He works as a vascular surgeon at the hospital and senior academic at the university. In his clinical position, he has noted the substantial increase in the burden of foot disease during his tenure at a regional vascular center. He directs a collaborative research group, named the Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, that focuses on improving understanding and management of vascular diseases, including diabetes-associated foot disease. The research has contributed to over 400 publications including laboratory and clinical research. He currently holds an NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship.
Dr Joel Lasschuit (BMedSc, MBBS (Hons), FRACP) is a Staff Specialist in the Department of Endocrinology at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, PhD candidate at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Conjoint Lecturer at the University of New South Wales and the High-Risk Foot Service Database Manager for the National Association of Diabetes Centres (NADC).
His career aspiration is to improve outcomes of people with diabetes-related foot complications through translational research, integration of evidence-based technologies, and collaboration with other services and governing bodies. He has a particular research interest in acute Charcot neuropathic osteoarthropathy and is currently coordinating a novel randomised controlled trial of denosumab for this condition across nine public hospitals. Other projects and publications span High-Risk Foot Service (HRFS) outcomes, implementing technology in diabetes-related foot complication management, assessment of cardiovascular health in this cohort, and predictors and assessment of bone health in diabetes more generally. He has presented his work at national and international meetings.
Dr Lasschuit co-leads the HRFS at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, which was awarded Centre of Excellence accreditation in 2020 by the National Association of Diabetes Centres. He co-founded and coordinates the Sydney Diabetic Foot Interest Group, which holds quarterly meetings now attended by over 100 HRFS clinicians representing 15 disciplines and 45 institutions nationally.
In his role as the NADC High-Risk Foot Service Database Manager, Dr Lasschuit is establishing the Australian Diabetes HRFS Database. This project has attracted interest from over 25 services across Australia with the goal to create a standardised data repository and enable national audits. He also serves under the NADC as a HRFS Accreditation Assessor and Consultation Committee Member.
Karl-Heinz Schott is one of the best known and proactive members of the orthopaedic/pedorthic footwear community. He is instrumental in the initiation of the national pedorthic register and the bachelor degree program at Southern Cross University in Australia. Karl originally graduated in Germany, worked in Japan before coming to Australia. He gathered knowledge and in-depth experience with over three decades in private practice. Karl has a strong commitment to education.
Karl is working with in shoe plantar pressure recoding technology for over 30 years. He is using this to improve plantar pressure offloading orthoses and footwear in the Diabetic Foot ulcer prevention clinical work. He is applying this in daily clinical practice and it flows into the Bachelor of Pedorthics course.
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
Professor James Charles is a very proud Kaurna man for the Adelaide Plains, South Australia and is currently the Director of First Peoples Health Unit at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Charles has lived at many different places around Australia, including Geelong while Coordinator of Master of Public Health, and Associate Director of Research at the NIKERI institute, and academic with the School of Medicine, Deakin University, at Newcastle NSW while working at the University of Newcastle, and Albury while working at Charles Sturt University. Prof Charles was one of the first Aboriginal Podiatrist in Australia, the first Aboriginal person to receive a Master of Podiatry, and the first Aboriginal Podiatrist to receive a PhD (Aboriginal foot health). Prof Charles has volunteered his time at many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, boards and committees around Australia. James has provided clinical podiatry services to Aboriginal communities all over Australia, in urban, rural and remote places.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
Jane is a Consumer Engagement Officer at Diabetes Victoria. Her role involves working closely with consumer groups and through this engagement Jane has learned a lot about the positives which can be achieved through involving consumers in the healthcare system.
With lived DFD experience, Jane is also extremely passionate about slowing the rate of amputation in people living with diabetes.
PREVENTION GUIDELINE CHAPTER CHAIR
Dr Raspovic is a registered podiatrist and provisionally registered psychologist (with AHPRA). She graduated with podiatry honours from La Trobe University (1992), and went on to complete a Doctor of Philosophy by research (2006), a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Curriculum, Teaching and Learning (2011), a Graduate Diploma in Psychology (2015) and Honours in Psychology (2018). She is currently undertaking a Master of Clinical Psychology at La Trobe University.
Across her career, Dr Raspovic has undertaken a variety of roles in clinical practice, education, research and project work. She is currently a Senior Lecturer and the Course Co-ordinator at La Trobe University, Podiatry. Dr Raspovic’s PhD research focused on lower limb biomechanical alterations in diabetes-related neuropathic foot ulceration. Since undertaking more recent studies in psychology, her research interests have expanded to include; psychosocial aspects of the foot in diabetes, the measurement and impacts of foot ulcer-related psychological distress, and health behaviour influences and change. Dr Raspovic utilises a range of methodologies in her research, more recently focusing on mixed methods approaches, specifically latent profile (cluster) analyses combined with semi-structured interviewing / thematic analysis, and pure qualitative approaches.
She has published widely, focusing in the majority on plantar pressure trials, offloading the foot in diabetes, mechanical alterations in diabetes gait and prevention of diabetes-related foot ulceration. Dr Raspovic was a member of the Prevention Group on the 2019 International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) guideline review. She currently acts as Chair for the Prevention Chapter of the 2021 Diabetic Foot Australia evidence-based guidelines. Dr Raspovic has a keen interest in the inclusion of people with ‘lived experience’ in the co-design and translation of research into policy and practice. Her primary areas of research currently include; plantar pressure offloading trials, factors influencing the selection of offloading in clinical practice, the psycho-social impacts of diabetes-related foot ulceration and psychological aspects of health behaviour choice.
PREVENTION GUIDELINE CHAPTER SECRETARY
Dr Michelle Kaminski is a Lecturer (Teaching and Research) in the Discipline of Podiatry at La Trobe University and has more than 10 years of clinical and research experience. Michelle completed her Bachelor of Podiatry (Honours) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees at La Trobe University in 2009 and 2017, respectively. Michelle's PhD investigated the risk factors for foot ulceration in adults with end-stage renal disease on dialysis. Michelle's teaching and research is focused on the prevention and treatment of foot ulcers in high-risk populations. In 2020, Michelle was an invited member of the Asia Pacific Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU) Academics Club, where she is involved in conducting international research studies with leading experts in the area of DFU research.
Dr Joel Lasschuit (BMedSc, MBBS (Hons), FRACP) is a Staff Specialist in the Department of Endocrinology at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, PhD candidate at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Conjoint Lecturer at the University of New South Wales and the High-Risk Foot Service Database Manager for the National Association of Diabetes Centres (NADC).
His career aspiration is to improve outcomes of people with diabetes-related foot complications through translational research, integration of evidence-based technologies, and collaboration with other services and governing bodies. He has a particular research interest in acute Charcot neuropathic osteoarthropathy and is currently coordinating a novel randomised controlled trial of denosumab for this condition across nine public hospitals. Other projects and publications span High-Risk Foot Service (HRFS) outcomes, implementing technology in diabetes-related foot complication management, assessment of cardiovascular health in this cohort, and predictors and assessment of bone health in diabetes more generally. He has presented his work at national and international meetings.
Dr Lasschuit co-leads the HRFS at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, which was awarded Centre of Excellence accreditation in 2020 by the National Association of Diabetes Centres. He co-founded and coordinates the Sydney Diabetic Foot Interest Group, which holds quarterly meetings now attended by over 100 HRFS clinicians representing 15 disciplines and 45 institutions nationally.
In his role as the NADC High-Risk Foot Service Database Manager, Dr Lasschuit is establishing the Australian Diabetes HRFS Database. This project has attracted interest from over 25 services across Australia with the goal to create a standardised data repository and enable national audits. He also serves under the NADC as a HRFS Accreditation Assessor and Consultation Committee Member.
Jonathan is Professor of Vascular Surgery at The Townsville University Hospital and James Cook University. He works as a vascular surgeon at the hospital and senior academic at the university. In his clinical position, he has noted the substantial increase in the burden of foot disease during his tenure at a regional vascular center. He directs a collaborative research group, named the Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, that focuses on improving understanding and management of vascular diseases, including diabetes-associated foot disease. The research has contributed to over 400 publications including laboratory and clinical research. He currently holds an NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship.
Karl-Heinz Schott is one of the best known and proactive members of the orthopaedic/pedorthic footwear community. He is instrumental in the initiation of the national pedorthic register and the bachelor degree program at Southern Cross University in Australia. Karl originally graduated in Germany, worked in Japan before coming to Australia. He gathered knowledge and in-depth experience with over three decades in private practice. Karl has a strong commitment to education.
Karl is working with in shoe plantar pressure recoding technology for over 30 years. He is using this to improve plantar pressure offloading orthoses and footwear in the Diabetic Foot ulcer prevention clinical work. He is applying this in daily clinical practice and it flows into the Bachelor of Pedorthics course.
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
Professor James Charles is a very proud Kaurna man for the Adelaide Plains, South Australia and is currently the Director of First Peoples Health Unit at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Charles has lived at many different places around Australia, including Geelong while Coordinator of Master of Public Health, and Associate Director of Research at the NIKERI institute, and academic with the School of Medicine, Deakin University, at Newcastle NSW while working at the University of Newcastle, and Albury while working at Charles Sturt University. Prof Charles was one of the first Aboriginal Podiatrist in Australia, the first Aboriginal person to receive a Master of Podiatry, and the first Aboriginal Podiatrist to receive a PhD (Aboriginal foot health). Prof Charles has volunteered his time at many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, boards and committees around Australia. James has provided clinical podiatry services to Aboriginal communities all over Australia, in urban, rural and remote places.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
Jane is a Consumer Engagement Officer at Diabetes Victoria. Her role involves working closely with consumer groups and through this engagement Jane has learned a lot about the positives which can be achieved through involving consumers in the healthcare system.
With lived DFD experience, Jane is also extremely passionate about slowing the rate of amputation in people living with diabetes.
MEET THE WOUND CLASSIFICATION GUIDELINE GROUP
WOUND CLASSIFICATION GUIDELINE CHAIR
Professor Stephen M. Twigg, MBBS(Hons-I), PhD, FRACP, is a physician-scientist translational researcher, Kellion Professor of Endocrinology and Stan Clark Chair in Diabetes, in the Sydney Medical School, and Charles Perkins Centre, the University of Sydney; plus Head of Dept of Endocrinology and Medical Head of the Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Laboratories, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney.
Stephen also continues as medical Chair of the NSW DoH Agency for Clinical Innovation in Diabetes/Endocrinology (2011+), and as inaugural Editor-in-Chief of the educational journal, Endocrinology Today, plus an editorial Board member on the scientific Journal of Cell Communication and Signaling, and the Journal of Diabetes and its Complications. He is member of 4 national Pharma advisory boards in diabetes. Internationally, he has served on JDRFI Diabetes Research Complications Grant Panel in NY 2003-2010, and is 1 of 6 Australian Delegates to the International Diabetes Federation General Assembly (2011-present).
WOUND CLASSIFICATION GUIDELINE SECRETARY
Dr Emma Hamilton is an Endocrinologist at Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals, Clinical Senior Lecturer at UWA and Clinical Lead of the Multidisciplinary Diabetes Foot Unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital, an NADC accredited Centre of Excellence High Risk Foot Service. Emma completed her Endocrinology training at Fremantle and Royal Perth Hospitals before moving to Melbourne to complete a PhD “Control of Musculoskeletal Function and Body Composition by Androgens in Males” under the supervision of Professor Jeffrey Zajac and Dr Mathis Grossmann at the University of Melbourne, Austin Health. Since returning to WA, Emma continues to pursue her clinical and research interests in androgens, diabetes, osteoporosis and diabetes-related foot complications as well as a long term research collaboration with Professor Tim Davis and the Fremantle Diabetes Study team. Aligning her research priorities with her clinical work, Emma was awarded a Raine Clinician Research Fellowship to further her research in diabetes-related foot disease, with the aim of improving outcomes for people living with diabetes and foot complications. Emma serves on a number of national diabetes-related foot disease projects and committees including the NADC Diabetic Foot Network working party, NADC interdisciplinary High Risk Foot Service accreditation committee, the Foot Forward Executive Advisory team, the DFA Australian Research Priorities project and the DFA Australian guidelines Wound Classification group.
Hayley has almost 20 years experience in nursing and has worked in wound care over this time. Hayley has a passion for healing wounds as a Clinical Nurse Consultant across Australia and New Zealand in private practice with her own company WoundRescue.
Hayley has a wide range of postgraduate experience in wound management, while also completing a Master of Business Admin (MBA). Hayley is currently completing her PhD.
Hayley has presented at national and international conferences and has a proven track record of providing advanced wound care and aged care education. Hayley also lectures at Universities and has been appointed as an adjunct fellow at the University of technology Sydney.
Hayley is also chair of the board for Wounds Australia.
Jo Scheepers is the manager of Podiatry and coordinator of the interdisciplinary complex foot service at SJOG Midland Hospital in Perth. Originally from the UK Jo permanently moved to Perth in 2006 and has worked in a variety of clinical and non clinical roles across the WA public sector, all relating to the management of the subacute and acute high risk foot. Jo is a member of the NADC foot network and assisted in the development of the Interdisciplinary Diabetes HRFS accreditation program.
Byron is a podiatrist, Senior Lecturer and Head of the department of Community and Allied Health, La Trobe Rural Health School, Bendigo. The department oversees the delivery of the regional Exercise Science and Physiology, Occupational Therapy, Paramedicine, Physiotherapy, Public Health, Social Work and Speech Pathology disciplines.
Byron's research focus is diabetes-related lower limb amputation prevention and is involved in research projects that include the epidemiology of diabetic foot disease in Australia, psychobehavioural aspects of diabetes-related foot morbidity and models of care for Charcot neuro-osteoarthropathy. He is also involved in the supervision of Master, Phd and Professional Doctorate students.
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
Professor James Charles is a very proud Kaurna man for the Adelaide Plains, South Australia and is currently the Director of First Peoples Health Unit at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Charles has lived at many different places around Australia, including Geelong while Coordinator of Master of Public Health, and Associate Director of Research at the NIKERI institute, and academic with the School of Medicine, Deakin University, at Newcastle NSW while working at the University of Newcastle, and Albury while working at Charles Sturt University. Prof Charles was one of the first Aboriginal Podiatrist in Australia, the first Aboriginal person to receive a Master of Podiatry, and the first Aboriginal Podiatrist to receive a PhD (Aboriginal foot health). Prof Charles has volunteered his time at many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, boards and committees around Australia. James has provided clinical podiatry services to Aboriginal communities all over Australia, in urban, rural and remote places.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
Jane is a Consumer Engagement Officer at Diabetes Victoria. Her role involves working closely with consumer groups and through this engagement Jane has learned a lot about the positives which can be achieved through involving consumers in the healthcare system.
With lived DFD experience, Jane is also extremely passionate about slowing the rate of amputation in people living with diabetes.
WOUND CLASSIFICATION GUIDELINE CHAPTER CHAIR
Professor Stephen M. Twigg, MBBS(Hons-I), PhD, FRACP, is a physician-scientist translational researcher, Kellion Professor of Endocrinology and Stan Clark Chair in Diabetes, in the Sydney Medical School, and Charles Perkins Centre, the University of Sydney; plus Head of Dept of Endocrinology and Medical Head of the Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Laboratories, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney.
Stephen also continues as medical Chair of the NSW DoH Agency for Clinical Innovation in Diabetes/Endocrinology (2011+), and as inaugural Editor-in-Chief of the educational journal, Endocrinology Today, plus an editorial Board member on the scientific Journal of Cell Communication and Signaling, and the Journal of Diabetes and its Complications. He is member of 4 national Pharma advisory boards in diabetes. Internationally, he has served on JDRFI Diabetes Research Complications Grant Panel in NY 2003-2010, and is 1 of 6 Australian Delegates to the International Diabetes Federation General Assembly (2011-present).
WOUND CLASSIFICATION INTERVENTIONS GUIDELINE CHAPTER SECRETARY
Dr Emma Hamilton is an Endocrinologist at Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals, Clinical Senior Lecturer at UWA and Clinical Lead of the Multidisciplinary Diabetes Foot Unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital, an NADC accredited Centre of Excellence High Risk Foot Service. Emma completed her Endocrinology training at Fremantle and Royal Perth Hospitals before moving to Melbourne to complete a PhD “Control of Musculoskeletal Function and Body Composition by Androgens in Males” under the supervision of Professor Jeffrey Zajac and Dr Mathis Grossmann at the University of Melbourne, Austin Health. Since returning to WA, Emma continues to pursue her clinical and research interests in androgens, diabetes, osteoporosis and diabetes-related foot complications as well as a long term research collaboration with Professor Tim Davis and the Fremantle Diabetes Study team. Aligning her research priorities with her clinical work, Emma was awarded a Raine Clinician Research Fellowship to further her research in diabetes-related foot disease, with the aim of improving outcomes for people living with diabetes and foot complications. Emma serves on a number of national diabetes-related foot disease projects and committees including the NADC Diabetic Foot Network working party, NADC interdisciplinary High Risk Foot Service accreditation committee, the Foot Forward Executive Advisory team, the DFA Australian Research Priorities project and the DFA Australian guidelines Wound Classification group.
Hayley has almost 20 years experience in nursing and has worked in wound care over this time. Hayley has a passion for healing wounds as a Clinical Nurse Consultant across Australia and New Zealand in private practice with her own company WoundRescue.
Hayley has a wide range of postgraduate experience in wound management, while also completing a Master of Business Admin (MBA). Hayley is currently completing her PhD.
Hayley has presented at national and international conferences and has a proven track record of providing advanced wound care and aged care education. Hayley also lectures at Universities and has been appointed as an adjunct fellow at the University of technology Sydney.
Hayley is also chair of the board for Wounds Australia.
Jo Scheepers is the manager of Podiatry and coordinator of the interdisciplinary complex foot service at SJOG Midland Hospital in Perth. Originally from the UK Jo permanently moved to Perth in 2006 and has worked in a variety of clinical and non clinical roles across the WA public sector, all relating to the management of the subacute and acute high risk foot. Jo is a member of the NADC foot network and assisted in the development of the Interdisciplinary Diabetes HRFS accreditation program.
Byron is a podiatrist, Senior Lecturer and Head of the department of Community and Allied Health, La Trobe Rural Health School, Bendigo. The department oversees the delivery of the regional Exercise Science and Physiology, Occupational Therapy, Paramedicine, Physiotherapy, Public Health, Social Work and Speech Pathology disciplines.
Byron's research focus is diabetes-related lower limb amputation prevention and is involved in research projects that include the epidemiology of diabetic foot disease in Australia, psychobehavioural aspects of diabetes-related foot morbidity and models of care for Charcot neuro-osteoarthropathy. He is also involved in the supervision of Master, Phd and Professional Doctorate students.
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
Professor James Charles is a very proud Kaurna man for the Adelaide Plains, South Australia and is currently the Director of First Peoples Health Unit at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Charles has lived at many different places around Australia, including Geelong while Coordinator of Master of Public Health, and Associate Director of Research at the NIKERI institute, and academic with the School of Medicine, Deakin University, at Newcastle NSW while working at the University of Newcastle, and Albury while working at Charles Sturt University. Prof Charles was one of the first Aboriginal Podiatrist in Australia, the first Aboriginal person to receive a Master of Podiatry, and the first Aboriginal Podiatrist to receive a PhD (Aboriginal foot health). Prof Charles has volunteered his time at many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, boards and committees around Australia. James has provided clinical podiatry services to Aboriginal communities all over Australia, in urban, rural and remote places.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
Jane is a Consumer Engagement Officer at Diabetes Victoria. Her role involves working closely with consumer groups and through this engagement Jane has learned a lot about the positives which can be achieved through involving consumers in the healthcare system.
With lived DFD experience, Jane is also extremely passionate about slowing the rate of amputation in people living with diabetes.
MEET THE PAD GUIDELINE GROUP
PAD GUIDELINE CHAIR
Professor Rob Fitridge (MBBS, MS, FRACS) is Professor of Vascular Surgery at University of Adelaide (2010- current) and Head of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Central Adelaide Local Health Network (Royal Adelaide Hospital and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital) and Lyell McEwin Health Service in Adelaide. He is also Head of the Multi-Disciplinary Diabetic Foot Service at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Lyell McEwin Health Service, which he co-founded in the mid-1990s.
He is most recognized for his work on predictive modelling of outcomes after endovascular aneurysm surgery (NHMRC-funded with 14 related publications). He also has extensive clinical and research experience in the management of chronic complex wounds particularly in diabetic patients. He was a member of the Baker IDI/ NHMRC working group, which developed national guidelines (“Prevention, Identification and Management of foot complications in diabetes”) for the management of the diabetic foot. He is also a member of the International Working Group for the Diabetic Foot.
PAD GUIDELINE SECRETARY
Dr Vivienne Chuter is a Professor of Podiatry and the University of Newcastle She leads a clinically based research program focusing on prevention and management of diabetes related foot disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and in non-Indigenous Australians. Developed as a living lab model encompassing clinical, research and education elements, Vivienne’s research focuses on macro and microvascular complications of diabetes, including improving diagnosis of peripheral artery disease through more targeted clinical testing, as well as reducing risk of foot complications through conservative therapy and physical activity interventions.
Committed to improving health and well-being for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people Vivienne provides academic leadership to co-designed, community-led diabetes-related foot complications prevention and management research embedded in the Podiatry program at the University of Newcastle. This includes research relating to development and implementation of culturally safe care provision and strategies to develop cultural capability in new graduate practitioners.
J Carsten Ritter is a vascular and endovascular surgeon in based in Perth. He is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, the European Board of Vascular and the German Board of General as well as Vascular Surgery.
Carsten serves as an elected member on the Board of Vascular Surgery, the College body responsible for vascular training and standards in Australasia.
In addition to his role as vascular surgeon he is also the surgical lead of the Fiona Stanley Multi-Disciplinary Foot Unit, one of the four centres of excellence for high risk foot disease. One of his special interests is the management of complex infra- inguinal vascular pathology. He is also medical expert for Diabetes Australia and a clinical associate professor at Curtin University with a continued research interest especially in the field of vascular diabetic complications and aortic dissections.
Carsten is also active for Australian Doctors for Africa and has built up the only vascular trauma course on the African continent in Ethiopia to train local surgeons in managing vascular injuries.
Patrik Tosenovsky MD, PhD, FRACS, FEBVS is a Czech/Australian Vascular Specialist practising in Royal Perth Hospital, WA. He is a member of ESVS and ANZSVS and teaches students at Curtin School of Medicine as an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Vascular Surgery. The topic of his PhD work was “Surgical Revascularisation of Diabetic Foot”. He is an author of two textbooks.
Dr Frank Quigley has unrestricted registration with the National Medical Board of Australia as a Specialist Vascular Surgeon. His current scope of practice includes the management of a full range of vascular disease, both arterial and venous. After completing medical training in Adelaide Dr Quigley completed his Fellowship in general surgery with training in both Adelaide and the United Kingdom.
Following that he undertook the College of Surgeons post graduate training in vascular surgery at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital before taking up a position at the Royal Adelaide Hospital as Consultant Vascular Surgeon. At the Royal Adelaide Hospital he continued his main interest in the non-invasive investigation of vascular disease, particularly Ultrasound investigation of venous disease and after becoming head of the unit at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in vascular surgery, relocated to Townsville Hospital as visiting Vascular Surgeon at the Townsville Hospital and Mater Hospital.
He currently holds an appointment as Associate Professor at James Cook University Medical School and remains an examiner with the Royal Australian College of Surgeons in vascular surgery.
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
Professor James Charles is a very proud Kaurna man for the Adelaide Plains, South Australia and is currently the Director of First Peoples Health Unit at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Charles has lived at many different places around Australia, including Geelong while Coordinator of Master of Public Health, and Associate Director of Research at the NIKERI institute, and academic with the School of Medicine, Deakin University, at Newcastle NSW while working at the University of Newcastle, and Albury while working at Charles Sturt University. Prof Charles was one of the first Aboriginal Podiatrist in Australia, the first Aboriginal person to receive a Master of Podiatry, and the first Aboriginal Podiatrist to receive a PhD (Aboriginal foot health). Prof Charles has volunteered his time at many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, boards and committees around Australia. James has provided clinical podiatry services to Aboriginal communities all over Australia, in urban, rural and remote places.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
Jane is a Consumer Engagement Officer at Diabetes Victoria. Her role involves working closely with consumer groups and through this engagement Jane has learned a lot about the positives which can be achieved through involving consumers in the healthcare system.
With lived DFD experience, Jane is also extremely passionate about slowing the rate of amputation in people living with diabetes.
PAD GUIDELINE CHAPTER CHAIR
Professor Rob Fitridge (MBBS, MS, FRACS) is Professor of Vascular Surgery at University of Adelaide (2010- current) and Head of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Central Adelaide Local Health Network (Royal Adelaide Hospital and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital) and Lyell McEwin Health Service in Adelaide. He is also Head of the Multi-Disciplinary Diabetic Foot Service at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Lyell McEwin Health Service, which he co-founded in the mid-1990s.
He is most recognized for his work on predictive modelling of outcomes after endovascular aneurysm surgery (NHMRC-funded with 14 related publications). He also has extensive clinical and research experience in the management of chronic complex wounds particularly in diabetic patients. He was a member of the Baker IDI/ NHMRC working group, which developed national guidelines (“Prevention, Identification and Management of foot complications in diabetes”) for the management of the diabetic foot. He is also a member of the International Working Group for the Diabetic Foot.
PAD GUIDELINE CHAPTER SECRETARY
Dr Vivienne Chuter is a Professor of Podiatry and the University of Newcastle She leads a clinically based research program focusing on prevention and management of diabetes related foot disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and in non-Indigenous Australians. Developed as a living lab model encompassing clinical, research and education elements, Vivienne’s research focuses on macro and microvascular complications of diabetes, including improving diagnosis of peripheral artery disease through more targeted clinical testing, as well as reducing risk of foot complications through conservative therapy and physical activity interventions.
Committed to improving health and well-being for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people Vivienne provides academic leadership to co-designed, community-led diabetes-related foot complications prevention and management research embedded in the Podiatry program at the University of Newcastle. This includes research relating to development and implementation of culturally safe care provision and strategies to develop cultural capability in new graduate practitioners.
J Carsten Ritter is a vascular and endovascular surgeon in based in Perth. He is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, the European Board of Vascular and the German Board of General as well as Vascular Surgery.
Carsten serves as an elected member on the Board of Vascular Surgery, the College body responsible for vascular training and standards in Australasia.
In addition to his role as vascular surgeon he is also the surgical lead of the Fiona Stanley Multi-Disciplinary Foot Unit, one of the four centres of excellence for high risk foot disease. One of his special interests is the management of complex infra- inguinal vascular pathology. He is also medical expert for Diabetes Australia and a clinical associate professor at Curtin University with a continued research interest especially in the field of vascular diabetic complications and aortic dissections.
Carsten is also active for Australian Doctors for Africa and has built up the only vascular trauma course on the African continent in Ethiopia to train local surgeons in managing vascular injuries.
Patrik Tosenovsky MD, PhD, FRACS, FEBVS is a Czech/Australian Vascular Specialist practising in Royal Perth Hospital, WA. He is a member of ESVS and ANZSVS and teaches students at Curtin School of Medicine as an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Vascular Surgery. The topic of his PhD work was “Surgical Revascularisation of Diabetic Foot”. He is an author of two textbooks.
Dr Frank Quigley has unrestricted registration with the National Medical Board of Australia as a Specialist Vascular Surgeon. His current scope of practice includes the management of a full range of vascular disease, both arterial and venous. After completing medical training in Adelaide Dr Quigley completed his Fellowship in general surgery with training in both Adelaide and the United Kingdom.
Following that he undertook the College of Surgeons post graduate training in vascular surgery at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital before taking up a position at the Royal Adelaide Hospital as Consultant Vascular Surgeon. At the Royal Adelaide Hospital he continued his main interest in the non-invasive investigation of vascular disease, particularly Ultrasound investigation of venous disease and after becoming head of the unit at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in vascular surgery, relocated to Townsville Hospital as visiting Vascular Surgeon at the Townsville Hospital and Mater Hospital.
He currently holds an appointment as Associate Professor at James Cook University Medical School and remains an examiner with the Royal Australian College of Surgeons in vascular surgery.
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
Professor James Charles is a very proud Kaurna man for the Adelaide Plains, South Australia and is currently the Director of First Peoples Health Unit at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Charles has lived at many different places around Australia, including Geelong while Coordinator of Master of Public Health, and Associate Director of Research at the NIKERI institute, and academic with the School of Medicine, Deakin University, at Newcastle NSW while working at the University of Newcastle, and Albury while working at Charles Sturt University. Prof Charles was one of the first Aboriginal Podiatrist in Australia, the first Aboriginal person to receive a Master of Podiatry, and the first Aboriginal Podiatrist to receive a PhD (Aboriginal foot health). Prof Charles has volunteered his time at many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, boards and committees around Australia. James has provided clinical podiatry services to Aboriginal communities all over Australia, in urban, rural and remote places.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
Jane is a Consumer Engagement Officer at Diabetes Victoria. Her role involves working closely with consumer groups and through this engagement Jane has learned a lot about the positives which can be achieved through involving consumers in the healthcare system.
With lived DFD experience, Jane is also extremely passionate about slowing the rate of amputation in people living with diabetes.
MEET THE INFECTION GUIDELINE GROUP
INFECTION GUIDELINE CHAIR
Dr Rob Commons is an Infectious Diseases Physician at Ballarat Base Hospital and a Senior Research Fellow with Menzies School of Health Research. He is the chair of DEFIANZ (Diabetic Foot Infections Australia New Zealand), a multidisciplinary interest group formed under the leadership of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Network to tackle deficits in clinical research into diabetic foot infections. As part of DEFIANZ he is currently a Co-ordinating Primary Investigator for the DINGO study, a large cohort study involving over 20 sites in Australia and New Zealand, that is building baseline data and a collaborative network on diabetic foot infections in the region. In addition to his interest in diabetic foot infections, Rob has considerable research interests in malaria and is supported by an Australian National Health and Medical Research Emerging Leader Fellowship.
INFECTION GUIDELINE SECRETARY
Dr Sarah Lynar is an Infectious Diseases Staff Specialist at Royal Darwin Hospital, with clinical lead roles in Infection Prevention and Control and Hospital in the Home services. She also holds a Research Fellow position with the Global and Tropical Health division of Menzies School of Health Research, undertaking projects in Timor Leste with a focus on healthcare and laboratory capacity building, and antimicrobial resistance and stewardship.
Matthew Malone is the current Head of Department for the High-Risk Foot Service at Liverpool Hospital in Sydney and a Senior Research Fellow with the Liverpool Diabetes Collaborative Research Unit at the Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research Sydney. He has completed his PhD in microbiology from the School of Medicine, Western Sydney University and his research interest is in the use of molecular and microscopy techniques to better understand Diabetes Foot Infections. In June 2014, Matthew was awarded with fellowship to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow, Faculty of Podiatric Medicine.
Dr Raby is a clinical microbiologist and infectious diseases consultant working at Royal Perth and Fiona Stanley Hospitals where his main clinical interest is skin and soft tissue infection in the setting of burns and diabetes-related foot disease.
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
Professor James Charles is a very proud Kaurna man for the Adelaide Plains, South Australia and is currently the Director of First Peoples Health Unit at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Charles has lived at many different places around Australia, including Geelong while Coordinator of Master of Public Health, and Associate Director of Research at the NIKERI institute, and academic with the School of Medicine, Deakin University, at Newcastle NSW while working at the University of Newcastle, and Albury while working at Charles Sturt University. Prof Charles was one of the first Aboriginal Podiatrist in Australia, the first Aboriginal person to receive a Master of Podiatry, and the first Aboriginal Podiatrist to receive a PhD (Aboriginal foot health). Prof Charles has volunteered his time at many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, boards and committees around Australia. James has provided clinical podiatry services to Aboriginal communities all over Australia, in urban, rural and remote places.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
Jane is a Consumer Engagement Officer at Diabetes Victoria. Her role involves working closely with consumer groups and through this engagement Jane has learned a lot about the positives which can be achieved through involving consumers in the healthcare system.
With lived DFD experience, Jane is also extremely passionate about slowing the rate of amputation in people living with diabetes.
INFECTION GUIDELINE CHAIR
Dr Rob Commons is an Infectious Diseases Physician at Ballarat Base Hospital and a Senior Research Fellow with Menzies School of Health Research. He is the chair of DEFIANZ (Diabetic Foot Infections Australia New Zealand), a multidisciplinary interest group formed under the leadership of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Network to tackle deficits in clinical research into diabetic foot infections. As part of DEFIANZ he is currently a Co-ordinating Primary Investigator for the DINGO study, a large cohort study involving over 20 sites in Australia and New Zealand, that is building baseline data and a collaborative network on diabetic foot infections in the region. In addition to his interest in diabetic foot infections, Rob has considerable research interests in malaria and is supported by an Australian National Health and Medical Research Emerging Leader Fellowship.
INFECTION GUIDELINE SECRETARY
Dr Sarah Lynar is an Infectious Diseases Staff Specialist at Royal Darwin Hospital, with clinical lead roles in Infection Prevention and Control and Hospital in the Home services. She also holds a Research Fellow position with the Global and Tropical Health division of Menzies School of Health Research, undertaking projects in Timor Leste with a focus on healthcare and laboratory capacity building, and antimicrobial resistance and stewardship.
Matthew Malone is the current Head of Department for the High-Risk Foot Service at Liverpool Hospital in Sydney and a Senior Research Fellow with the Liverpool Diabetes Collaborative Research Unit at the Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research Sydney. He has completed his PhD in microbiology from the School of Medicine, Western Sydney University and his research interest is in the use of molecular and microscopy techniques to better understand Diabetes Foot Infections. In June 2014, Matthew was awarded with fellowship to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow, Faculty of Podiatric Medicine.
Dr Raby is a clinical microbiologist and infectious diseases consultant working at Royal Perth and Fiona Stanley Hospitals where his main clinical interest is skin and soft tissue infection in the setting of burns and diabetes-related foot disease.
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
Professor James Charles is a very proud Kaurna man for the Adelaide Plains, South Australia and is currently the Director of First Peoples Health Unit at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Charles has lived at many different places around Australia, including Geelong while Coordinator of Master of Public Health, and Associate Director of Research at the NIKERI institute, and academic with the School of Medicine, Deakin University, at Newcastle NSW while working at the University of Newcastle, and Albury while working at Charles Sturt University. Prof Charles was one of the first Aboriginal Podiatrist in Australia, the first Aboriginal person to receive a Master of Podiatry, and the first Aboriginal Podiatrist to receive a PhD (Aboriginal foot health). Prof Charles has volunteered his time at many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, boards and committees around Australia. James has provided clinical podiatry services to Aboriginal communities all over Australia, in urban, rural and remote places.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
Jane is a Consumer Engagement Officer at Diabetes Victoria. Her role involves working closely with consumer groups and through this engagement Jane has learned a lot about the positives which can be achieved through involving consumers in the healthcare system.
With lived DFD experience, Jane is also extremely passionate about slowing the rate of amputation in people living with diabetes.
MEET THE OFFLOADING GUIDELINE GROUP
OFFLOADING GUIDELINE CHAIR
A/Professor Pete Lazzarini (PhD, BAppSci) is a conjoint Research Fellow with Queensland University of Technology and Queensland Health in Brisbane, Australia. He leads Australia’s first Foot Disease research program and is a podiatrist by clinical background.
Pete has an emerging international track record in the field of diabetic foot disease research. He has delivered >120 publications (manuscripts, abstracts, reports or book chapters), >110 (inter)national conference presentations and attracted >$3.5 million in grant funding.
He serves on multiple diabetic foot disease committees, including Chair of Diabetes Feet Australia and Secretary of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot Offloading Guideline. And he currently holds a National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship.
Pete is particularly motivated by nurturing the next generation of researchers to develop policy, practices and pathways to ending avoidable amputations within a generation in Australia.
OFFLOADING GUIDELINE SECRETARY
Dr Malindu (Mal) Fernando is a junior doctor, podiatrist and adjunct post-doctoral research fellow at the Queensland Research Center for Peripheral Vascular Disease, James Cook University. He is currently based in the Hunter New England District undertaking his junior doctor training and affiliated with the Hunter Medical Research Institute. Mal obtained his PhD on the topic of biomechanical evaluation of the diabetic foot in 2017. His post-doctoral research focus has been on the management and prevention of diabetes related lower limb complications. He has worked across the private, public, and non-profit sectors and held junior leadership positions in several organisations. Mal was awarded a prestigious 2020 Fulbright Futures Scholarship for international collaborative work related to foot disease. Mal has authored >30 peer reviewed scientific publications related to diabetic foot disease including two book chapters for which he was awarded national and international prizes. Mal is a chief/associate investigator on several ongoing research studies in this research area. He is a peer reviewer for several medical and biomechanical journals and is an advisor for several higher degree research students undertaking post graduate research degrees. Mal frequently provides mentoring and teaching to undergraduate and post-graduate medical and allied health students.
Vanessa Nube is a Podiatrist and currently the Director of Podiatry for the Sydney Local Health District. She maintains a role as clinical podiatrist working within the Podiatry and High Risk Foot Services (HRFS) within the District.
Prior to this, she was Senior podiatrist at the RPAH Diabetes Centre HRFS within SLHD and has undertaken lead roles in various projects and convened education events with a focus on developing the knowledge and skills of clinicians caring for people with diabetes-related foot complications. She has contributed as a clinician researcher to the field with original research published as part of her Master degree. She is currently enrolled in a PhD and recently completed the Diabetes Debridement Study, a multisite RCT funded by the NSW Ministry of Health.
Vanessa has advocated strongly for improvement in standards and models of care, working with the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation and on the NSW Diabetes Taskforce, documenting and implementing the NSW Health Standards for HRFS. More recently, as a member of the National Association of Diabetes Centre (NADC) Foot Network she has contributed to the development of the NADC Collaborative Interdisciplinary Diabetes HFRS Accreditation program and participates as an Assessor.
Dr Brian Martin is an orthopaedic surgeon with susbspeciality foot and ankle training and an interest in the orthopaedic management of the diabetic foot. As part of the High Risk Foot Service at Nepean Hospital in western Sydney Dr Martin provides orthopaedic surgery for the management of osteomyelitis, foot deformity and Charcot foot reconstruction. He is a member of the Australian Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), Australasian Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society (ALLARS) and The Association of Diabetic Foot Surgeons (A-DFS).
Sara Jones is the Associate Professor, Rural Clinical Education and Training in the Department of Rural Health, which is part of the Division of Health Sciences. She is primarily based at the Whyalla Campus of UniSA and at City East, but also spends considerable time at the other major training sites of the DRH as required.
In this role Sara works with a team of academics and clinicians involved with rurally based student placement activity, focussing on supporting students from UniSA health programs to have positive rural placement experiences. This includes a range of activities, including interprofessional learning and practice sessions, as well as a strong focus on supporting student-led community linkages through projects, clinical activities and health promotion events.
Sara's main clinical interests are within the Primary Health Care area, particularly preventive care and education and diabetes management. She still has involvement teaching within the Podiatry undergraduate program, including outreach teaching in rural and remote communities.
Sara's research interests fall into two distinct areas. The first of these involves development and evaluation of foot care training for health workers in rural and remote settings. The second is in the area of forensic analysis of gait, footwear and footprints.
Mark has been an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney for 26 years.
Having been head of the Orthopaedic department for 13 years, Mark now holds the role of Deputy Director of the Bone and Joint clinical stream for the Local Health District.
Mark has been a part of the High Risk Diabetic Foot clinic at RPA Hospital for 20 years. Through the clinic, he has managed local and tertiary referrals of foot conditions in people with Diabetes from around NSW. Mark has also been very involved in teaching medical and para medical staff on the surgical management of the diabetic foot.
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
Professor James Charles is a very proud Kaurna man for the Adelaide Plains, South Australia and is currently the Director of First Peoples Health Unit at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Charles has lived at many different places around Australia, including Geelong while Coordinator of Master of Public Health, and Associate Director of Research at the NIKERI institute, and academic with the School of Medicine, Deakin University, at Newcastle NSW while working at the University of Newcastle, and Albury while working at Charles Sturt University. Prof Charles was one of the first Aboriginal Podiatrist in Australia, the first Aboriginal person to receive a Master of Podiatry, and the first Aboriginal Podiatrist to receive a PhD (Aboriginal foot health). Prof Charles has volunteered his time at many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, boards and committees around Australia. James has provided clinical podiatry services to Aboriginal communities all over Australia, in urban, rural and remote places.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
Jane is a Consumer Engagement Officer at Diabetes Victoria. Her role involves working closely with consumer groups and through this engagement Jane has learned a lot about the positives which can be achieved through involving consumers in the healthcare system.
With lived DFD experience, Jane is also extremely passionate about slowing the rate of amputation in people living with diabetes.
OFFLOADING GUIDELINE CHAIR
A/Professor Pete Lazzarini (PhD, BAppSci) is a conjoint Research Fellow with Queensland University of Technology and Queensland Health in Brisbane, Australia. He leads Australia’s first Foot Disease research program and is a podiatrist by clinical background.
Pete has an emerging international track record in the field of diabetic foot disease research. He has delivered >120 publications (manuscripts, abstracts, reports or book chapters), >110 (inter)national conference presentations and attracted >$3.5 million in grant funding.
He serves on multiple diabetic foot disease committees, including Chair of Diabetes Feet Australia and Secretary of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot Offloading Guideline. And he currently holds a National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship.
Pete is particularly motivated by nurturing the next generation of researchers to develop policy, practices and pathways to ending avoidable amputations within a generation in Australia.
OFFLOADING GUIDELINE SECRETARY
Dr Malindu (Mal) Fernando is a junior doctor, podiatrist and adjunct post-doctoral research fellow at the Queensland Research Center for Peripheral Vascular Disease, James Cook University. He is currently based in the Hunter New England District undertaking his junior doctor training and affiliated with the Hunter Medical Research Institute. Mal obtained his PhD on the topic of biomechanical evaluation of the diabetic foot in 2017. His post-doctoral research focus has been on the management and prevention of diabetes related lower limb complications. He has worked across the private, public, and non-profit sectors and held junior leadership positions in several organisations. Mal was awarded a prestigious 2020 Fulbright Futures Scholarship for international collaborative work related to foot disease. Mal has authored >30 peer reviewed scientific publications related to diabetic foot disease including two book chapters for which he was awarded national and international prizes. Mal is a chief/associate investigator on several ongoing research studies in this research area. He is a peer reviewer for several medical and biomechanical journals and is an advisor for several higher degree research students undertaking post graduate research degrees. Mal frequently provides mentoring and teaching to undergraduate and post-graduate medical and allied health students.
Vanessa Nube is a Podiatrist and currently the Director of Podiatry for the Sydney Local Health District. She maintains a role as clinical podiatrist working within the Podiatry and High Risk Foot Services (HRFS) within the District.
Prior to this, she was Senior podiatrist at the RPAH Diabetes Centre HRFS within SLHD and has undertaken lead roles in various projects and convened education events with a focus on developing the knowledge and skills of clinicians caring for people with diabetes-related foot complications. She has contributed as a clinician researcher to the field with original research published as part of her Master degree. She is currently enrolled in a PhD and recently completed the Diabetes Debridement Study, a multisite RCT funded by the NSW Ministry of Health.
Vanessa has advocated strongly for improvement in standards and models of care, working with the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation and on the NSW Diabetes Taskforce, documenting and implementing the NSW Health Standards for HRFS. More recently, as a member of the National Association of Diabetes Centre (NADC) Foot Network she has contributed to the development of the NADC Collaborative Interdisciplinary Diabetes HFRS Accreditation program and participates as an Assessor.
Sara Jones is the Associate Professor, Rural Clinical Education and Training in the Department of Rural Health, which is part of the Division of Health Sciences. She is primarily based at the Whyalla Campus of UniSA and at City East, but also spends considerable time at the other major training sites of the DRH as required.
In this role Sara works with a team of academics and clinicians involved with rurally based student placement activity, focussing on supporting students from UniSA health programs to have positive rural placement experiences. This includes a range of activities, including interprofessional learning and practice sessions, as well as a strong focus on supporting student-led community linkages through projects, clinical activities and health promotion events.
Sara's main clinical interests are within the Primary Health Care area, particularly preventive care and education and diabetes management. She still has involvement teaching within the Podiatry undergraduate program, including outreach teaching in rural and remote communities.
Sara's research interests fall into two distinct areas. The first of these involves development and evaluation of foot care training for health workers in rural and remote settings. The second is in the area of forensic analysis of gait, footwear and footprints.
Mark has been an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney for 26 years.
Having been head of the Orthopaedic department for 13 years, Mark now holds the role of Deputy Director of the Bone and Joint clinical stream for the Local Health District.
Mark has been a part of the High Risk Diabetic Foot clinic at RPA Hospital for 20 years. Through the clinic, he has managed local and tertiary referrals of foot conditions in people with Diabetes from around NSW. Mark has also been very involved in teaching medical and para medical staff on the surgical management of the diabetic foot.
Dr Brian Martin is an orthopaedic surgeon with susbspeciality foot and ankle training and an interest in the orthopaedic management of the diabetic foot. As part of the High Risk Foot Service at Nepean Hospital in western Sydney Dr Martin provides orthopaedic surgery for the management of osteomyelitis, foot deformity and Charcot foot reconstruction. He is a member of the Australian Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), Australasian Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society (ALLARS) and The Association of Diabetic Foot Surgeons (A-DFS).
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
Professor James Charles is a very proud Kaurna man for the Adelaide Plains, South Australia and is currently the Director of First Peoples Health Unit at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Charles has lived at many different places around Australia, including Geelong while Coordinator of Master of Public Health, and Associate Director of Research at the NIKERI institute, and academic with the School of Medicine, Deakin University, at Newcastle NSW while working at the University of Newcastle, and Albury while working at Charles Sturt University. Prof Charles was one of the first Aboriginal Podiatrist in Australia, the first Aboriginal person to receive a Master of Podiatry, and the first Aboriginal Podiatrist to receive a PhD (Aboriginal foot health). Prof Charles has volunteered his time at many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, boards and committees around Australia. James has provided clinical podiatry services to Aboriginal communities all over Australia, in urban, rural and remote places.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
Jane is a Consumer Engagement Officer at Diabetes Victoria. Her role involves working closely with consumer groups and through this engagement Jane has learned a lot about the positives which can be achieved through involving consumers in the healthcare system.
With lived DFD experience, Jane is also extremely passionate about slowing the rate of amputation in people living with diabetes.
MEET THE WOUND HEALING INTERVENTIONS GUIDELINE GROUP
WOUND HEALING INTERVENTIONS GUIDELINE CHAIR
Jenny’s clinical background encompasses over 35 years’ experience in wound management, palliative care, acute gastro-intestinal surgery, nursing administration, project management and nursing consultancy nationally and internationally within acute, domiciliary/community and residential aged care settings. Jenny contributed to the establishment of WoundsWest, a tripartite entity between Western Australian Department of Health, Silver Chain and Curtin University in 2006 assuming the role of Director in December 2008. WoundsWest, provided a sustainable framework for improving wound management in Western Australian through clinical audits, online wound education and an e-health wound consultation service. Jenny is now Chief Executive Officer of Wound Healing Institute Australia (WHIA), a new company formed as a realisation of the vision and investment of the WoundsWest Program. Jenny has extensive experience in wound research and has peer reviewed NH&MRC and other wound related grant applications. Jenny has participated in several WMIC CRC research projects and committees, including Diabetes Feet Australia and the Australian Wound Registry. She enjoys supervising higher degree student’s research in wound management and delivering wound education programs particularly within Indigenous communities.
WOUND HEALING INTERVENTIONS GUIDELINE SECRETARY
Pam Chen is a Podiatrist and a credentialed wound clinician with the Tasmanian Health Service. She is also a part-time PhD candidate with the School of Medicine at the University of Tasmania. Pam is passionate about preventing and managing lower limb complications and works across acute tertiary, community health and private practice settings. Her research is focused on health literacy and its potential in improving diabetic foot ulcer prevention, and in her short research career has been awarded over $44,000 in competitive grant funding.
Pam is the current President of the Advanced Practicing Podiatrists – High Risk Foot Group and co-chair of the Lower Amputation Extremity Prevention (LEAP) conferences in both 2018 and 2020.
Keryln Carville is the Professor of Primary Health Care and Community Nursing at Silver Chain Group and Curtin University. Keryln has extensive clinical experience in wound and ostomy care and is committed to research and education within the domains.
Kerlyn co-ordinates the Curtin University Postgraduate Program of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Practice. in Perth and Singapore. Keryln Chaired the Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance, in the development of the International Guideline 2014 and 2019.
Keryln was appointed a Life Membership of the Australian Wound Management Association (now Wounds Australia) in 2006 and the Australian Association of Stomal Therapy Nurses in 2015. She was awarded the WA Health Life-Time Achievement in Nursing Award in WA in 2010. Keryln has over 100 peer reviewed journal publications and texts and has delivered many national and international keynote presentations. She sits on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Wound Practice and Research.
Terry Swanson completed her undergraduate work in the USA before immigrating to Australia. She was endorsed in 2004 as one of the first Nurse Practitioners in her state and specialty of wound management. Terry was admitted as a Fellow of the Australian Wound Management Association in 2010 for her significant contribution to wound management at a state, national and international level. She is the current Vice Chair of the International Wound Infection Institute (IWII) and chaired the development and publication of the 2016 IWII Consensus Document Update on Wound Infection. Terry served as the Chair of IWII from 2012 until 2015.
Terry has published and presented on chronic wounds and wound infection nationally and internationally. She was the lead author and editor for the book Wound Management for the Advanced Practitioner. Terry was the Scientific Chair of the 2018 Wounds Australia National Conference and has held positions of responsibility of various nursing and wound related boards locally, nationally and internationally. When Terry was President of the Australian Wound Management Association (now Wounds Australia) Victorian Branch Terry was on the organising committee and helped host the first World Union of Wound Healing Conference in Melbourne in 2000.
A/Professor Pete Lazzarini (PhD, BAppSci) is a conjoint Research Fellow with Queensland University of Technology and Queensland Health in Brisbane, Australia. He leads Australia’s first Foot Disease research program and is a podiatrist by clinical background.
Pete has an emerging international track record in the field of diabetic foot disease research. He has delivered >120 publications (manuscripts, abstracts, reports or book chapters), >110 (inter)national conference presentations and attracted >$3.5 million in grant funding.
He serves on multiple diabetic foot disease committees, including Chair of Diabetes Feet Australia and Secretary of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot Offloading Guideline. And he currently holds a National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship.
Pete is particularly motivated by nurturing the next generation of researchers to develop policy, practices and pathways to ending avoidable amputations within a generation in Australia.
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
Professor James Charles is a very proud Kaurna man for the Adelaide Plains, South Australia and is currently the Director of First Peoples Health Unit at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Charles has lived at many different places around Australia, including Geelong while Coordinator of Master of Public Health, and Associate Director of Research at the NIKERI institute, and academic with the School of Medicine, Deakin University, at Newcastle NSW while working at the University of Newcastle, and Albury while working at Charles Sturt University. Prof Charles was one of the first Aboriginal Podiatrist in Australia, the first Aboriginal person to receive a Master of Podiatry, and the first Aboriginal Podiatrist to receive a PhD (Aboriginal foot health). Prof Charles has volunteered his time at many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, boards and committees around Australia. James has provided clinical podiatry services to Aboriginal communities all over Australia, in urban, rural and remote places.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
Jane is a Consumer Engagement Officer at Diabetes Victoria. Her role involves working closely with consumer groups and through this engagement Jane has learned a lot about the positives which can be achieved through involving consumers in the healthcare system.
With lived DFD experience, Jane is also extremely passionate about slowing the rate of amputation in people living with diabetes.
WOUND HEALING INTERVENTIONS GUIDELINE CHAIR
Jenny’s clinical background encompasses over 35 years’ experience in wound management, palliative care, acute gastro-intestinal surgery, nursing administration, project management and nursing consultancy nationally and internationally within acute, domiciliary/community and residential aged care settings. Jenny contributed to the establishment of WoundsWest, a tripartite entity between Western Australian Department of Health, Silver Chain and Curtin University in 2006 assuming the role of Director in December 2008. WoundsWest, provided a sustainable framework for improving wound management in Western Australian through clinical audits, online wound education and an e-health wound consultation service. Jenny is now Chief Executive Officer of Wound Healing Institute Australia (WHIA), a new company formed as a realisation of the vision and investment of the WoundsWest Program. Jenny has extensive experience in wound research and has peer reviewed NH&MRC and other wound related grant applications. Jenny has participated in several WMIC CRC research projects and committees, including Diabetes Feet Australia and the Australian Wound Registry. She enjoys supervising higher degree student’s research in wound management and delivering wound education programs particularly within Indigenous communities.
WOUND HEALING INTERVENTIONS GUIDELINE SECRETARY
Pam Chen is a Podiatrist and a credentialed wound clinician with the Tasmanian Health Service. She is also a part-time PhD candidate with the School of Medicine at the University of Tasmania. Pam is passionate about preventing and managing lower limb complications and works across acute tertiary, community health and private practice settings. Her research is focused on health literacy and its potential in improving diabetic foot ulcer prevention, and in her short research career has been awarded over $44,000 in competitive grant funding.
Pam is the current President of the Advanced Practicing Podiatrists – High Risk Foot Group and co-chair of the Lower Amputation Extremity Prevention (LEAP) conferences in both 2018 and 2020.
Keryln Carville is the Professor of Primary Health Care and Community Nursing at Silver Chain Group and Curtin University. Keryln has extensive clinical experience in wound and ostomy care and is committed to research and education within the domains.
Kerlyn co-ordinates the Curtin University Postgraduate Program of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Practice. in Perth and Singapore. Keryln Chaired the Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance, in the development of the International Guideline 2014 and 2019.
Keryln was appointed a Life Membership of the Australian Wound Management Association (now Wounds Australia) in 2006 and the Australian Association of Stomal Therapy Nurses in 2015. She was awarded the WA Health Life-Time Achievement in Nursing Award in WA in 2010. Keryln has over 100 peer reviewed journal publications and texts and has delivered many national and international keynote presentations. She sits on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Wound Practice and Research.
Terry Swanson completed her undergraduate work in the USA before immigrating to Australia. She was endorsed in 2004 as one of the first Nurse Practitioners in her state and specialty of wound management. Terry was admitted as a Fellow of the Australian Wound Management Association in 2010 for her significant contribution to wound management at a state, national and international level. She is the current Vice Chair of the International Wound Infection Institute (IWII) and chaired the development and publication of the 2016 IWII Consensus Document Update on Wound Infection. Terry served as the Chair of IWII from 2012 until 2015.
Terry has published and presented on chronic wounds and wound infection nationally and internationally. She was the lead author and editor for the book Wound Management for the Advanced Practitioner. Terry was the Scientific Chair of the 2018 Wounds Australia National Conference and has held positions of responsibility of various nursing and wound related boards locally, nationally and internationally. When Terry was President of the Australian Wound Management Association (now Wounds Australia) Victorian Branch Terry was on the organising committee and helped host the first World Union of Wound Healing Conference in Melbourne in 2000.
A/Professor Pete Lazzarini (PhD, BAppSci) is a conjoint Research Fellow with Queensland University of Technology and Queensland Health in Brisbane, Australia. He leads Australia’s first Foot Disease research program and is a podiatrist by clinical background.
Pete has an emerging international track record in the field of diabetic foot disease research. He has delivered >120 publications (manuscripts, abstracts, reports or book chapters), >110 (inter)national conference presentations and attracted >$3.5 million in grant funding.
He serves on multiple diabetic foot disease committees, including Chair of Diabetes Feet Australia and Secretary of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot Offloading Guideline. And he currently holds a National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship.
Pete is particularly motivated by nurturing the next generation of researchers to develop policy, practices and pathways to ending avoidable amputations within a generation in Australia.
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
Professor James Charles is a very proud Kaurna man for the Adelaide Plains, South Australia and is currently the Director of First Peoples Health Unit at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Charles has lived at many different places around Australia, including Geelong while Coordinator of Master of Public Health, and Associate Director of Research at the NIKERI institute, and academic with the School of Medicine, Deakin University, at Newcastle NSW while working at the University of Newcastle, and Albury while working at Charles Sturt University. Prof Charles was one of the first Aboriginal Podiatrist in Australia, the first Aboriginal person to receive a Master of Podiatry, and the first Aboriginal Podiatrist to receive a PhD (Aboriginal foot health). Prof Charles has volunteered his time at many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, boards and committees around Australia. James has provided clinical podiatry services to Aboriginal communities all over Australia, in urban, rural and remote places.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr Charles is currently an executive member of the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network. Dr Charles was President of Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2009 – 2010, and Chairperson of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia Network 2008. Dr Charles was very proud to be chosen as a representative on the national “Close the Gap” committee in 2008-2009. Dr Charles was very honoured to receive the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year award in 2017 for his teaching, research and work in the Aboriginal community. Dr Charles has also received the prestigious Alumni Accolade Award from the University of South Australia in 2018. Dr Charles has recently engaged with the AFL AllPlay program, especially where it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. A/Prof Charles has published many research papers on Aboriginal foot health in peer-reviewed journals.
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
Jane is a Consumer Engagement Officer at Diabetes Victoria. Her role involves working closely with consumer groups and through this engagement Jane has learned a lot about the positives which can be achieved through involving consumers in the healthcare system.
With lived DFD experience, Jane is also extremely passionate about slowing the rate of amputation in people living with diabetes.
PARTNERSHIPS
Diabetes Feet Australia would like to thank and acknowledge Mikaela Cameron who has developed the stunning artwork used throughout the guidelines.
Mikaela Cameron (M. J. Badagarang) is a proud Dharug saltwater woman from the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia. She's worked the past 4 years as a cultural educator delivering cultural workshops and creating murals. "Worimi, I am a proud Dharug woman. My totem is the Badagarang (Eastern Grey Kangaroo), and Waroo (the brown-eyes crow). I pay my respects to all Elders past, present and emerging, and extend this acknowledgment to you and your people. Welcome, let's walk together."
Diabetes Feet Australia would like to thank and acknowledge Urgo Medical for their partnership and providing an unrestricted grant used towards the development of this digital platform for health professionals and to deliver the 6-part educational webinar series to launch the 2021 Australian guidelines for diabetes-related foot disease.
ENDORSEMENTS
Diabetes Feet Australia would like to thank and acknowledge the national peak bodies involved with diabetes-related foot disease who have endorsed the 2021 Australian Guidelines for diabetes-related foot disease. Endorsement details are listed in each guideline and on the digital platform.
ENDORSEMENTS
Diabetes Feet Australia would like to thank and acknowledge the national peak bodies involved with diabetes-related foot disease who have endorsed the 2021 Australian Guidelines for diabetes-related foot disease. Endorsement details are listed in each guideline and on the digital platform.
MEET THE GUIDELINES WORKING GROUP
PROJECT CO-CHAIR & OFFLOADING CHAPTER CHAIR
PROJECT CO-CHAIR & WOUND CLASSIFICATION CHAPTER CHAIR
PREVENTION CHAPTER CHAIR
WOUND HEALING INTERVENTIONS CHAPTER CHAIR
PAD CHAPTER CHAIR
INFECTION CHAPTER CHAIR
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER REPRESENTATIVE
CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE
DFA OPERATIONS MANAGER & PROJECT MANAGER