2021 Marian Barrett Lecture: Can nurses reduce the health impacts of inequity? Leading from the frontline

Presented by Professor Sanchia Aranda AM

In 1945, Sir James William Barrett made a bequest to The University of Melbourne to provide a lecture on a subject of interest to nursing and medical professions. In 1953, an inaugural Marian Barrett Lecture was delivered. Since 1997 the Marian Barrett Lecture has become an annual event and highlight of our nursing calendar at The University of Melbourne.

As part of our 25 Years of Nursing at The University of Melbourne celebrations, Professor Sanchia Aranda AM delivered the 2021 Marian Barrett Lecture. As one of our former Heads of School, and an esteemed colleague, we were delighted to welcome Sanchia back for this special occasion. Sanchia examined disadvantage in Australia’s healthcare system and considered nursing's role in seeking to create greater equity for all Australians.

As a former Head of Nursing, Professor Aranda joined the School of Postgraduate Nursing at The University of Melbourne 24 years ago. This was a conjoint appointment as Deputy Head of School and Associate Professor in Palliative Care Nursing at the Centre for Palliative Care. Her appointment epitomised the new School’s commitment to excellence in clinical practice as the basis for its teaching and research programs.

While working across Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and The University of Melbourne, Professor Aranda established a clinical research program centred on developing and testing novel support interventions to improve the quality of life and experiences of people affected by cancer.

In 2011, Professor Aranda moved to the NSW Cancer Institute. During this time Sanchia established an Australian first program of cancer system performance reporting that is considered a model for other jurisdictions and includes public reporting of variations in clinical care. This work highlighted the disparities in Australian cancer outcomes. Between 2015-2020, Sanchia was CEO of Cancer Council Australia, a role she used to highlight these disparities and address them through policy and system level changes.

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Watch the recording below:

Listen to a sneak peak below: