Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health
Latest News
Upcoming Events
Engage with CERSH
There are a variety of ways to engage with us. We coordinate a number of networks and working parties for rural workers to engage and connect as well as publish a bi-monthly newsletter. We also support various sexual health and wellness campaigns across northern Victoria.
All of these initiatives have been developed in response to identified needs and continue to evolve based on needs of attendees. If you are interested in signing up to any of the groups below, please email us. If you just want to keep up-to-date by reading more about our activities, please subscribe to our newsletter.
Needing to contact someone from our team? Email us at cersh-admin@unimelb.edu.au.
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Clinical Network for Abortion & Contraception Care
This network is open to practitioners involved in the provision of abortion and contraception care. Meetings are held via videoconference and relate to the clinical care and pathways for women experiencing unintended pregnancy and abortion in Victoria.
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Communities of Practice
There are five communities of practice (CoP) established in rural/regional Victoria. Workers in the clinical, health promotion, education, youth and related fields are welcome to attend network meetings in their local area. Meeting topics are based on identified needs and directed by CoP attendees.
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SHOUT Working Party
The Sexual Health Out and About (SHOUT) initiative was established by CERSH as a resource for workers who recognise the importance of positive sexual health messages and access to means of prevention of STIs for rural young people.
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Sexual Health Month
Sexual Health Month 2023 will be the inaugural celebration of sexual health and wellness in Victoria. CERSH will be working with partners across northern Victoria to host a variety of events ranging from activities, outreach and educational sessions.
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SexRurality Conference 2023
The biennial SexRurality Conference is convened by CERSH as part of our mandate to improve sexual health and well-being in rural Victoria. View the conference snapshot and keynote speaking sessions here.
Education & Training
Here you can discover education opportunities that CERSH provides. We work with professionals around the state and country to provide rural practitioners and health workers with sexual health education, that otherwise they may not have access too.
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Online Learning Modules
CERSH has developed free and accredited online learning modules for rural health professionals and other interested rural workers. There are currently 12 modules available. The overall aim of the modules is to provide practitioners with knowledge and skills regarding aspects of sexual health that particularly pertain to the rural setting.
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Sexual Wellness Professional Development Series
The Sexual Wellness Professional Development Series is a free online initiative designed to meet the distinctive needs of Rural and Regional sexual health professionals. Our primary aim is to enhance knowledge, skills, and confidence in adopting best-practice approaches to address sexual health and wellness concerns.
CERSH Projects
Here you will find links to more information about various projects that CERSH have developed or are currently involved in.
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STI-X
The STI-X project was developed and pioneered by CERSH , which offers free sexually transmitted infection (STI) test kid vending machines for the first in regional Victoria, providing accessible and affordable sexual health service to regional Victorian communities.
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Body Safety – Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Evaluation 2023
This report is a collaboration between CERSH and Body Safety Australia, which evaluates the delivery of the "Super Stars - Child Sexual Abuse Prevention" program to early learning centres in Bendigo.
Research
For further information on our research and publications, or if you have any issues accessing an article please contact - Professor Jane Tomnay: jtomnay@unimelb.edu.au.
Publication Listing
The below is a list of completed research, academic publications and reports by CERSH staff, grouped by year of publication.
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2022
Goller J, Coombe J, Temple-Smith M, Bittleston H, Sanci L, Guy R,Fairley C, Regan D,Carvalho N, Simpson J, Donovan B, Tomnay J, Chen MY, Estcourt C, Roeske L, Hawkes D, Hocking J. Management of Chlamydia Cases in Australia (MoCCA): protocol for a non-randomised implementation and feasibility trial. BMJ Open 2022;12:e067488. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067488
Noonan A, Black K.I., Luscombe G.M., Tomnay J. What women want from local primary care services for unintended pregnancy in rural Australia: a qualitative study from rural New South Wales. Australian Journal of Primary Health , https://doi.org/10.1071/PY22134 Oct 2022.
Moulton JE, Mazza D, Tomnay J, Bateson D, Norman WV, Black KI, et al. Co- design of a nurse- led model of care to increase access to medical abortion and contraception in rural and regional general practice: A protocol. Aust J Rural Health. 2022;30:876–883. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12937
Coombe J, Goller J, Bittleston H, Bateson D, Bourne C, O’Donnell H, Tomnay J, Temple-Smith M, Hocking JS. 'Patient-delivered partner therapy: one option for the management of the sexual partner/s of a patient diagnosed with a chlamydia infection'. The Australian Journal of General Practice. Volume 51, Issue 6, June 2022. doi: 10.31128/AJGP-07-21-6066
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2021
Christina Malatzky & Alana Hulme (2021): ‘I love my job…it’s more the systems that we work in’: the challenges encountered by rural sexual and reproductive health practitioners and implications for access to care, Culture, Health & Sexuality, DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2021.1880640
Goller J, Coombe J, Bittleston H, Bourne C, Bateson D, Vaisey A, Tomnay J, O’Donnell H, Garret C, Estcourt C, Temple-Smith M, Hocking J. Patient delivered partner therapy for chlamydia infection is used by some general practitioners, but more support is needed to increase uptake: findings from a mixed-methods study. Sexually Transmitted Infections Published Online First: 30 June 2021. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2020-054933
Layton E, Goller JL, Coombe J, Temple-Smith M, Tomnay J, Vaisey A, Hocking JS. 'It's literally giving them a solution in their hands': the views of young Australians towards patient-delivered partner therapy for treating chlamydia. Sex Transm Infect. 2021 Jun;97(4):256-260. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2020-054820. Epub 2021 Jan 13. PMID: 33441448.
Aung ET, Chen MY, Fairley CK, Higgins N, Williamson DA, Tomnay JE, Cook KA, Peel J, Dharmakulasinghe V, Alpren C, Chow EPF. Spatial and Temporal Epidemiology of Infectious Syphilis in Victoria, Australia, 2015–2018. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2021; 48(12): e178-e182. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001438
Coombe J, Kong F, Bittleston H, Williams H, Tomnay J, Vaisey A, Malta S, Goller J, Temple-Smith M, Bourchier L, Lau A & Hocking J (2021). Contraceptive use and pregnancy plans among women of reproductive age during the first Australian COVID-19 lockdown: findings from an online survey, The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care, DOI: 10.1080/13625187.2021.1884221
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2020
Coombe J, Kong F, Bittleston H, Williams H, Tomnay J, Vaisey A, Malta S, Goller J, Temple-Smith M, Bourchier L, Lau A, Chow E, Hocking J. Love during lockdown. Sexually Transmitted Infections 2020;0:1–7. doi:10.1136/sextrans-2020-054688.
Coombe J, Goller J, Bittleston H, Vaisey A, Sanci L, Groos A, Tomnay J, Temple-Smith M, Hocking J. 'STIs, partner notification and intimate relationships: a qualitative study exploring the perspectives of general practitioners and people with a recent chlamydia infection'. Sexual Health. 2020 Dec;17(6):503-509. https://doi.org/10.1071/SH20109.
Goller Jane L., Coombe Jacqueline, Bourne Christopher, Bateson Deborah, Temple-Smith Meredith, Tomnay Jane, Vaisey Alaina, Chen Marcus Y., O’Donnell Heather, Groos Anita, Sanci Lena, Hocking Jane (2020) Patient-delivered partner therapy for chlamydia in Australia: can it become part of routine care? Sexual Health 17, 321-329. https://doi.org/10.1071/SH20024 May 2020
Wagg E, Hocking JS, Tomnay JE. 'What do young women living in regional and rural Victoria say about chlamydia testing? A qualitative study.' Sexual Health 17, 160-166.March 2020.https://doi.org/10.1071/SH19182.
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2019
Goller J, Coombe J, Bourne C, Temple-Smith M, Tomnay J, Vaisey A, Chen M, ODonnell H, Groos A, Sanci L, Hocking J. Patient delivered partner therapy for chlamydia in Australia – can it become part of routine care? Sexual Health. Sexual Health https://doi.org/10.1071/SH20024 May 2020.
Wagg E, Hocking JS, Tomnay JE. 'What do young women living in regional and rural Victoria say about chlamydia testing? A qualitative study.' Sexual Health 17, 160-166.March 2020.https://doi.org/10.1071/SH19182.
Iturrieta-Guaita N, Temple-Smith J, Tomnay J. Experiences from the field: Chilean healthcare providers’ perspectives on partner notification for syphilis – a qualitative case study. Brazilian Journal of STD, 2019; 31(3):90-95. doi:10.5327/DST-2177-8264-201931304.
Bilardi JE, Hulme-Chambers A, Chen MY, Fairley CK, Huffam SE, Tomnay JE. The role of stigma in the acceptance and disclosure of HIV among recently diagnosed men who have sex with men in Australia: A qualitative study. PLoS ONE 2019; 14(11): e0224616. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0224616
Iturrieta-Guaita, N, Temple-Smith M, Tomnay JE. Using electronic communication technologies for improving syphilis partner notification in Chile: healthcare providers’ perspectives – a qualitative case study. Sexual Health 2019:16(4) 377-382 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH19007.
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2018
Hulme-Chambers A, Clune S, Tomnay J. Medical termination of pregnancy service delivery in the context of decentralization: social and structural influences. International Journal for Equity in Health 2018; 17:172
Hulme Chambers A (2018), Understanding models for delivering sexual health services in rural Victoria, Report completed April 2018
Hulme Chambers A, Tomnay J, Stephens K, Crouch A, Whiteside M, Love P, McIntosh L, Waples Crowe P. Facilitators of community participation in an Aboriginal sexual health promotion initiative. Rural and Remote Health 2018; 18: 4245.
Tomnay J, Coelli L, Davidson A, Hulme Chambers A, Orr C, Hocking J. Providing accessible medical abortion service in a Victorian rural community: A description and audit of service delivery and contraception follow up. Sexual and Reproductive Health Care
Hulme Chambers, A, Temple-Smith, M, Coelli L, Davidson A, Orr, C, Tomnay, J. (2018). Australian women’s experiences of a rural medical termination of pregnancy service: A qualitative study. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare; 15: 23-27
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2017
Tomnay JE, Coelli L, and Hocking JS. High rates of chlamydia found among 12-16 year olds attending a rural sexual health clinic: Implications for practice. Sexual Health: http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/SH15140.
Winterton R, Hulme Chambers A. (2016) Developing sustainable social programmes for rural ethnic seniors: perspectives of community stakeholders. Health and Social Care in the Community, DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12373
Iacono T, Stagg K, Pearce N, Hulme Chambers A. (2016) A scoping review of Australian allied health research in ehealth. BMC Health Services Research, 16(543), DOI: 10.1186/s12913-016-1791-x
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2016
Conferences & Presentations
The CERSH team have also been involved in presenting at various conferences. See a list of where our team have presented and further information about the topics.
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2023
Evans, D, Kelly, AM, Corio, B. and Tomnay, JE. (2023). STI-X: A novel approach to STI testing in rural and regional Victoria, Australia. 26th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health. Antalya, Türkiye.
Kelly, AM, Colquhoun, A, Corio, B, Evans, D. and Tomnay, JE. (2023). SWAPs: Sexual Wellness Action Plans boost community commitment and engagement. 26th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health. Antalya, Türkiye.
Evans, D., Wright, C., Davis, A., Castree, N., Orozco, A., Corio, B., Lakey, T., Kjellstrand, M.V., Langstone, A., Jennings, R., Burns, W., Lim, M.S.C. (2023). The Gist: A comprehensive approach to porn education. 26th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health. Antalya, Türkiye.
Evans, D, Kelly AM, Corio, B. and Tomnay, JE. (2023). Comprehensive STI testing in self-accessible vending machines. 1st Australasian Conference on Point of Care Testing for Infectious Diseases. Sydney, Australia.
Bond S, Wigan R, Giles ML, Kane S, Posma E, Hodges R, McCully B, Giarrusso R, Ryder N, Bilardi J, Chow E, Fairley CK, Tomnay JE, Hocking J, Temple-Smith M, Kaldor J, Donovan B, Chen M (July 24-27 2023). Using implementation science to develop an adaptable clinical systems implementation package to embed routine syphilis screening in later pregnancy into clinical practice. STI & HIV World Congress, Chicago USA.
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2022
Evans, D. (2022). Relationships and sexuality education curricula decision makers: parents, a nice to have, but not a necessity. Global Partnership Forum on Comprehensive Sexuality Education, UNESCO and UNFPA. Paris, France.
Noonan A, Black KI, Luscombe GM, Tomnay JE (3-5 August 2022). What women want from primary care services for unintended pregnancy in rural Australia: A qualitative study from rural New South Wales. Children By Choice 2022 Reproductive Rights and Abortion Conference: Towards Universal Access, Brisbane, Australia.
Noonan A, Black KI, Luscombe GM, Tomnay JE. (2-4 August 2022 Brisbane). What women want from primary care services for unintended pregnancy in rural Australia : A qualitative study from rural New South Wales. 16th National Rural Health Conference.
Moulton JE, Subasinghe AK, Shankar M, Botfield JR, Bateson D, Tomnay JE, Norman WV, Black K, Mazza D 2022(3-5 August 2022). ‘A nurse-led model of care for long-acting reversible contraception and early medical abortion provision in rural and regional general practice: Outcomes of a codesign process’, Children By Choice 2022 Reproductive Rights and Abortion Conference: Towards Universal Access, Brisbane, Australia.
Mazza D, Shankar M, Subasinghe AK, Botfield JR, Chakraborty S, Moulton JE, Hamill K, Black K, Tomnay JE, Bateson D, McGeechan K, Laba T, Norman WV 2022 (3-5 August 2022). ‘The ORIENT Trial: protocol for evaluating the effect of a nurse-led model on contraception & medical abortion access in Australian rural and regional general practice’. Children By Choice 2022 Reproductive Rights and Abortion Conference: Towards Universal Access, Brisbane, Australia.
Mazza D, Shankar M, Subasinghe AK, Botfield JR, Moulton JE, Hamill K, Black K, Tomnay JE, Bateson D, McGeechan K, Laba T, Norman WV (August 2022). ORIENT: protocol for evaluating effect of a nurse-led model on contraception & medical abortion access in Australian rural general practice. National Rural Health Conference, Perth Australia.
Bourke S and Tomnay JE (May 2022). An Australian first: Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Education for Medical Students delivered over the entirety of MD at The University of Melbourne. 16th ESCRH Congress Ghent Belgium.
Bourke S and Tomnay JE (2022). Choose your own MD adventure! Four-year Sexual Health Care Education for Medical Students at The University of Melbourne. 2022 Joint Australasian HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conferences Brisbane Australia.
Mazza D, Hussainy S, Bateson D, Johnston S, Tomnay JE, McGeechan K, Church J, Cameron S, Grzeskowiak L, Nissen L, Chakraborty S, Assifi A, Buckingham P.Protocol (June 2022) for ALLIANCE (Quality Family Planning Services and Referrals in Community Pharmacy: Expanding Pharmacists’ Scope of Practice): A stepped-wedge trial. 27th WONKA Europe Conference. World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians. London.
Mazza D, Hussainy S, Bateson D, Johnston S, Tomnay JE, McGeechan K, Church J, Cameron S, Grzeskowiak L, Nissen L, Chakraborty S, Assifi A, Buckingham P.Protocol (July 2022) for ALLIANCE (Quality Family Planning Services and Referrals in Community Pharmacy: Expanding Pharmacists’ Scope of Practice): A stepped-wedge trial. Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) 50th Annual Scientific Meeting.Preston, Lancashire England.
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2021
Invited Presentations
Tomnay JE. (October 2021). Working with WHO on HIV testing and contact tracing programs. Australian and New Zealand Nurses in AIDS Care AGM.
Tomnay JE. (March 12th & 13th 2021). Regional and Remote HIV Programs and Projects. Going the full 360: The Continuum of HIV Care Gilead conference. Melbourne Hub.
Resources
In collaboration with key agencies and organisations, CERSH has developed sexual health resources for workers across different sectors. These resources aim to provide workers with information, tools and guides to improve sexual and reproductive health in their individual and local context.
Resources for Health Practitioners
Health Promotion and Educational Resources
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Voices of Sexuality
This resource consists of a collection of YouTube clips portraying the sexuality education experiences of rural young people and their parents/carers from a range of cultural backgrounds, belief systems, abilities/disabilities and sexualities.It aims to assist educators and health workers in a range of settings to teach sexuality education.
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Smart & Deadly
This resource collection consists of short educational video clips developed by Aboriginal young people and organisations. These videos are intended to assist health workers who collaborate with Aboriginal communities and organisations to facilitate sexual health promotion with Aboriginal young people.
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SHOUT Resources
The Sexual Health Out and About (SHOUT) initiative was established by CERSH as a resource for workers who recognise the importance of positive sexual health messages and access to means of prevention of STIs for rural young people. The working party has developed six posters to be downloaded and displayed in your workplace. Here you can also find resources from the Be Proud of Your Choices 2023 campaign.
About the Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health (CERSH)
CERSH is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services Victoria through a service agreement with The University of Melbourne, to work across the Hume and Loddon Mallee regions. Our team is led by Professor Jane Tomnay, with staff based at the Department of Rural Health - Wangaratta campus and La Trobe University - Bendigo campus.
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Our Team
Our staff team and contact details are:
CERSH Director
Professor Jane Tomnay: jtomnay@unimelb.edu.au
Sexual Health Physician/Senior Lecturer
Dr Siobhan Bourke: siobhan.bourke@unimelb.edu.au
Senior Health Promotion Manager - Loddon Mallee region
Anne-Marie Kelly: annemarie.kelly@unimelb.edu.au
Sexual Health and Wellbeing Project Officer - Loddon Mallee region
Ashleigh Colquhoun: a.colquhoun@unimelb.edu.au
Senior Health Promotion Manager - Hume region
Dr Dave Evans: dave.evans@unimelb.edu.au
Sexual Health and Wellbeing Project Officer - Hume region
Ben Corio: ben.corio@unimelb.edu.au
Sexual Health and Wellbeing Project Officer - Hume region
Kim Cowen: kim.cowen@unimelb.edu.au
Rural Services Development Coordinator
Karli March: karli.march@unimelb.edu.au
CERSH Centre Coordinator (Shared Position)
Johanna Kyriakou: johanna.kyriakou@unimelb.edu.au
Sexual Health MD Discovery Coordinator / CERSH Centre Coordinator (Shared Position)
Sophie Stuart: sophie.stuart@unimelb.edu.au
For all general CERSH enquiries please email : cersh-admin@unimelb.edu.au
Our Vision & Work Focus
The vision of CERSH is that all rural Victorians have access to quality sexual health care, information and support that is tailored to their individual needs. CERSH continues to develop sustainable strategies by building collaborations and partnerships between agencies, services and individuals to achieve our vision.
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Our Priorities
The purpose of the Centre is to design, implement and evaluate programs that provide practical solutions for the improvement of sexual health in both the Hume and Loddon Mallee Department of Health and Human Services regions in rural Victoria. In achieving this, the Centre’s priority areas are focused on:
- Rural workforce capacity and development
- Leadership, research, evaluation and knowledge sharing
- Affordable reproductive health
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Our Goals
The goals that CERSH is working towards, in line with other funded agencies in Victoria, are:
- Reduced incidence and prevalence of Sexually Transmissible Infections/ Blood Borne Viruses (STI/BBV)
- Increase in early detection and treatment of STI/BBV
- Increased best-practice sexual and reproductive health services
- Increased access to affordable contraception and termination of pregnancy services
Annual Reports & Strategic Plans
Our most recent Annual Report is available here, as well as our current Strategic Plan.
