Associate Professor Gillian Gorham

Wellbeing & Preventable Chronic Diseases (WPCD) Division Lead; Head Renal Health Program

Qualifications:

PhD, Charles Darwin University 2021; Master of Health Administration, University of New South Wales, 2005; Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management, Flinders University, 2000; Diploma in Teaching (Sec.), Western Australia College of Advanced Education, 1987; Registered Nurse, Royal Adelaide Hospital, 1979.

Approved level of HDR supervision at Charles Darwin University:

Principal Supervisor

Location:

Darwin - Royal Darwin Hospital campus

Biography:

Gillian has more than 30 years' experience in health services with roles spanning nursing, managerial, policy and research.  Her academic qualifications include teaching, health service management and a PhD.

Gillian has worked at the local and national level to develop strategic documents for the delivery of renal services; curriculum for renal training programs for Aboriginal Health Practitioners and nurses; and educational resources for kidney patients and their families. She has developed innovative and creative solutions for renal health service delivery in the context of remote Indigenous health. Many of these were a ‘first’ for Australia including developing the training package and training the first Aboriginal Health Practitioner in dialysis, designing the first relocatable dialysis facility for community-based dialysis and designing and implementing a mobile dialysis bus for remote community respite dialysis. She currently leads the development of TKC, an innovative digital decision support tool that for the first time consolidates patient level data from government and partnering non-government health services to support the delivery of integrated care for people with complex chronic diseases. 

Gillian’s work and that of the renal program at Menzies, has a strong focus on evidence translation and consumer engagement in the implementation of research findings. She has a keen interest in evaluating models of care to identify ways to improve service integration, health outcomes and the experiences of individuals with multi-morbidity.

Publications include government reports, strategic plans and peer reviewed manuscripts.

Associate Professor Gillian Gorham
Email
Research Themes
  1. ABC Online | Elcho Island elders celebrate new dialysis nurse and treatment, bringing them home to families

    ABC Online | Elcho Island elders celebrate new dialysis nurse and treatment, bringing them home to families

    Date

    The newly staffed renal unit at Galiwin'ku means respected elders who have been stuck in Darwin for kidney dialysis treatment can now travel home – four patients at a time – for up to three or four months.

  2. Territory Kidney Care: integrated chronic disease support in the NT

    Territory Kidney Care: integrated chronic disease support in the NT

    Date

    TKC represents a collaboration between Menzies School of Health Research, NT Health and the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT).

  3. Winner The Margaret Kelaher Best PhD Paper 2021 - Dr Gillian Gorham

    Winner The Margaret Kelaher Best PhD Paper 2021 - Dr Gillian Gorham

    Date

    The study discussed in Gillian's paper explored the concept of ‘place’ in the cost of dialysis service delivery in the NT.

  4. Territory Q | NT Digital Excellence Awards

    Territory Q | NT Digital Excellence Awards

    Date

    Community Benefit Award in partnership with DXC Technology - Menzies Territory Kidney Care

  5. ABC News | No solution before NT election for Indigenous dialysis patients desperate to get home

    ABC News | No solution before NT election for Indigenous dialysis patients desperate to get home

    Date

    Researcher Gillian Gorham was inspired to study the costs of remote dialysis after witnessing the change in a Groote Eylandt community when a respected elder returned home.

  6. A new action plan to tackle kidney disease

    A new action plan to tackle kidney disease

    Date

    The Government has launched the National Strategic Action Plan for Kidney Disease and awarded $3.5 million in funding to organisations to take immediate action.

  7. ABC Life Matters - the gap in Indigenous life expectancy

    ABC Life Matters - the gap in Indigenous life expectancy

    Date

    The death this week of the wonderful singer Dr G Yunipingu at the age of just 46 from long-term illness, brings home once again the disparity in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

  1. Gorham, G., Howard, K., Cunningham, J., Barzi, F., Lawton, P., & Cass, A. (2021). Do remote dialysis services really cost more? An economic analysis of hospital and dialysis modality costs associated with dialysis services in urban, rural and remote settings. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06612-z
  2. Gorham, G., Howard, K., Zhao, Y., Ahmed, A., Lawton, P., Sajiv, C., Majoni, S. W., Wood, P., Conlon, T., Signal, S., Robinson, S. L., Brown, S., & Cass, A. (2019). Cost of dialysis therapies in rural and remote Australia – a micro-costing analysis. BMC Nephrology, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-019-1421-z
  3. Gorham, G., Majoni, S. W., Lawton, P., Brown, S., Dube, B., Conlon, T., Sajiv, C., Wood, P., Signal, S., & Cass, A. (2018) Interesting times: Evolution of dialysis in Australia’s Northern Territory (1980-2014). Renal Society of Australasia Journal, 14(3), 108-116.
  4. Gorham, G., Howard, K., Togni, S., Lawton, P., Hughes, J., & Majoni, S., Brown, S., Barnes, S., & Cass, A. (2017). Economic and quality of care evaluation of dialysis service models in remote Australia: protocol for a mixed methods study. BMC Health Services Research, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-017-2273-5
  5. Tasmania Government. (2009). Tasmania State Plan for Renal Services 2010-2020 — Part One, Two and Three. Hobart: Tasmanian Government.
  6. Jose, M., Livingston, B., McDonald S. & Gorham, G. (2008). Chapter 12: End Stage Kidney Disease Among Indigenous Peoples of Australia and New Zealand. In S. McDonald, L. Excell & B. Livingston (Eds.), The 31st Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry Report, 12-2 – 12-9. Adelaide, South Australia: ANZDATA.
  7. Australian Health Ministers Council. (2006). National Service Guidelines for the Management of Dialysis and Kidney Transplantation in Remote Australia. Darwin: Northern Territory Department of Health and Community Services.
  8. Department of Health and Community Services. (2005). Renal Services Strategy 2005-2009 – Aiming for World’s Best Practice. Darwin: Northern Territory Department of Health and Community Services.
  9. Coulehan, K., Brown, I., Christie, M., Gorham, G., Lowell, A., Marrnganyin, B., Patel, B. (2005). Sharing the True Stories: Evaluating Strategies to Improve Communication between Health Staff and Aboriginal Patients. Stage 2 Report. Darwin: Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health, 10.
  10. Gorham, G. (2003). Prevention and Treatment Options for Renal Disease in the Northern Territory (with particular reference to the Barkly region). Darwin: Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical and Aboriginal Health.