Professor Jennifer Philip with BGRF Chairperson, Chris Wilson
The 2024 Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation medal has been awarded to Professor Jennifer Philip for improving access to palliative care in previously underserved populations.
A national leader in palliative care health, her outstanding ability to build collaborations with researchers, clinicians, policy makers and the community has resulted in benchmarks for access to palliative care, the incorporation of a triage tool for care into statewide and international settings and the early adoption of palliative care models for people with cancer.
‘I am proud of the tremendous collaborations that have made it possible to improve care for underserved groups including the growing prison population increasingly facing end of life in custody, people who are homeless, and First Nations peoples’, Professor Philip said.
Professor Philip’s leadership has been instrumental in translating research outcomes into practice across metropolitan, regional and community palliative care settings, resulting in system change with greater transparency and more equitable access to palliative care.
A palliative care physician at St Vincent’s, Royal Melbourne and Peter MacCallum Hospitals and Chair of Palliative Medicine at University of Melbourne, Professor Philip also heads the Palliative Nexus research group which focuses upon improving equitable access to care for people with advanced illness.
Accepting the medal from friend and mentor Associate Professor Mark Boughey, Director of Palliative Medicine & Deputy Director of the Centre for Palliative Care at St Vincent’s Hospital, Professor Philip said that she felt very lucky to have had such brilliant mentors. ‘I almost feel fraudulent accepting this honour as I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to do the best job in the world.’ ‘The beauty of caring for people at the end of life is hearing their stories at the height of their physical, social, community and existential self. All these things determine their goals for this part of their life and the decisions they make. It is a privilege to play a small part in their stories.’
