Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health
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CERSH coordinates a number of networks and working parties for rural workers to engage and connect with. 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 reading more about our activities through regular updates from CERSH, please subscribe to our newsletter.
Networks & Working Parties
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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
This working party is open to members of the youth/community sector and aims increase workers capacity to support the sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing of young people and establish stronger links with local organisations working in sexual and reproductive health.
Facets of Rural Sexual Health
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.
Cost: Free
Location: Online
Learning model: Self-guided adult learning. Complete as a full course or choose the modules that suit your learning needs.
Accreditation: Each module is RACGP and ACRRM accredited and CPD points are allocated based on the hours of learning. CPD points will be allocated into your account on completion of each module.
Outline of the modules:
An outline of each module is below, along with the estimated time each will take to complete.
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Module 1: Introduction to Rural Sexual Health Care
This first model introduces models of health care in rural communities, explained by experts in the field.
Approx. learning time: 1 hour
RACGP CPD Activity: 2 points
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Module 2: Cornerstones of Rural Sexual Health
In this module you will gain some tips into how to take a good history about someone’s sexual activity. The module also looks at issues of access to medical care related to cost, and usage of Medicare by young patients.
Approx. learning time: 2 hours
RACGP CPD Activity: 4 points
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Module 3: STI: Treatment and Management
The NSW STI Programs Unit (STIPU) in partnership with the CERSH, Australian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM) and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACCRM) have developed this module to assist GPs to understand the current epidemiology of sexual health in Australia, identify the role they have to play in preventing STIs and consider what changes they can implement into their practice to ensure patients feel comfortable to ask about their sexual health care.
Approx. learning time: 1.5 hours
RACGP CPD Activity: 3 points
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Module 4: Youth and Trust
This module explores ideas for engaging younger clients and the legalities that may need to be addressed.
Approx. learning time: 1.5 hours
RACGP CPD Activity: 3 points
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Module 5: Privacy and Confidentiality
This module explores ideas on how to maintain privacy and confidentiality in a rural community setting.
Approx. learning time: 1 hour
RACGP CPD Activity: 2 points
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Module 6: Avoiding Assumptions in Sexual Health Care
This module looks at the experiences of people with diverse sexuality and sexual health needs and how we can learn from them to provide better health care.
Approx. learning time: 1 hour
RACGP CPD Activity: 2 points
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Module 7: Partner Notification in a Small Community
This module presents some concepts to help with partner notification in smaller communities, where overlapping relationships produce particular challenges.
Approx. learning time: 1.5 hours
RACGP CPD Activity: 3 points
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Module 8: Pharmaceutical Access for Sexual Health Care
This modules explores how to create better pharmacy access for patients with sexual health care needs.
Approx. learning time: 2 hours
RACGP CPD Activity: 4 points
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Module 9: National Cervical Screening Program
This module covers an overview of the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP), with a focus on how to engage under-screened patients.
Approx. learning time: 2 hours
RACGP CPD Activity: 4 points
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Module 10: Service Delivery of Medical Abortion in a Rural Context
This module will take you through issues worth considering when contemplating or indeed setting up a service for medical abortion in a rural setting. The module will give examples of how it has been done by others and the different models of care that have been used.
Approx. learning time: 3 hours
RACGP CPD Activity: 6 points
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Module 11: Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC)
This module will look at identifying patients suited to LARC and how to explain the different methods of LARC available. The module also aims to present the benefits of offering LARC and to improve the take-up of LARC as the first line of contraception.
Approx. learning time: 3 hours
RACGP CPD Activity: 6 points
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Module 12: Syphilis
This module explores the history of syphilis, as a background to understanding the epidemiology and to determine screening and treatment best practices.
Approx. learning time: 2.5 hours
RACGP CPD Activity: 5 points
How to enrol in the free learning modules
The modules are hosted on Canvas, The University of Melbourne's learning platform, and users will need an account to enrol.
To obtain access to the modules, follow the below instructions.
Send a request email with the below details listed to: cersh-admin@unimelb.edu.au
- Full Name
- Email Address
- Professional Affiliation
You will receive an 'account activation' email with instructions on creating your Canvas account (make sure you take note of your username and password).
Once your account is activated, you will be able to login to Canvas and commence your learning!
For each completed module you will receive a Certificate of Completion as evidence of your learning. RACGP & ACRRM members will also have CPD points allocated to their account.
Questions about these modules?
Please contact us at: cersh-admin@unimelb.edu.au.
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. You will also find links at the bottom of the page to select Sexual Wellness Professional Development Series recordings that we are able to share.
Resources for Health Practitioners
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Resource Hub for Abortion & Contraception Care
This Hub is a selection of key resources, tools and materials to support clinicians working in the domain of abortion and contraception care. It contains links and downloads to over 100 free resources and is grouped in helpful categories.
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SexRurality Conference 2019
The biennial SexRurality Conference is convened by CERSH as part of our mandate to improve sexual health and well-being in rural Victoria. Keynote presentations are recorded and free to view here.
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 - Sexual Health Out & About
The SHOUT initiative is a series of campaigns and projects developed to assist workers who engage with rural young people. The objectives are to promote positive sexual health messages, improve access to condoms and encourage regular STI testing.
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AcceSex Workshop 2021
AcceSex is a workshop focusing on creating more inclusive and accessible reproductive and sexual healthcare services and community programs for women with disabilities. This video is a recording from the workshop that happened on the 9th June, 2021.
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The Busy Youth Workers' Guide to Talking Sexual Health
Victorian rural youth workers said they needed help talking with young people about sexual health and relationships.
So that’s what this site is for. It’s not a course – it’s a resource full of links and videos to help you navigate this space.
Sexual Wellness Professional Development Series Recordings
If you were unable to attend one of our PD webinars, you may still be able to find the recording below. Unfortunately, due to some funding and content restrictions, not all of our sessions are able to recorded. If there is a session you have questions about, but do not see below, please contact us at cersh-admin@unimelb.edu.au and we will try to assist you or redirect your query to the relevant speaker.
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March: Sexual Wellness PD with Jodi Rodgers
Unfortunately this video is no longer accessible.
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June (recorded in July): Sexual Wellness PD with Dr. Siobhan Bourke
Topic: Sensitive Physical Examination
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July: Sexual Wellness PD with Shannon Hill
Topic: Building Support for Women's Sexual Wellbeing in Rural & Regional Victoria
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August: Sexual Wellness PD with Dr Gemma McKibbin and Molly Madigan
Topic: Power to Kids: A Child Sexual Abuse prevention and response program in Out-of-Home Care
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September: Sexual Wellness PD with Isabella Burstin
Topic: Empowering individuals with physical, cognitive, and sexual health conditions to engage their sexuality through providing accessible products and sex-positive blogs
The below is a list of completed research, academic publications and reports by CERSH staff, grouped by year of publication.
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
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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
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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
The Sexual Health Out and About (SHOUT) initiative has been developed by the 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.
About the SHOUT Working Party
The SHOUT Working Party is a joint project between CERSH and the Youth Affairs Council Victoria.
While there is a high level of awareness amongst rural young people that condom use is key to preventing sexually transmissible infections (STIs); issues of privacy, lack of transport and cost are some of the barriers that prevent rural young people from accessing condoms.
High rates of chlamydia in rural populations may indicate inadequate condom use and low levels of accessing testing and treatment. The SHOUT initiative was developed in an attempt to address this.
The projects and campaigns for SHOUT are developed with consultation from rural workers, community-based organisations and young people. The Working Party will focus on projects and initiatives to engage with young people to improve sexual health outcomes.
To date there are over 30 organisations and services across rural Victoria represented on the working party. If you are interested in joining, please read the Terms of Reference below and contact SHOUT for further details.
Feature Campaigns and Resources
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STI Information
SHOUT aims to increase awareness and health literacy around sexually transmissible infections (STIs). Here you will find information, fact sheets and resources from Government departments and peak sexual health organisations.
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Improve Access
SHOUT aims to improve access to both condoms and STI testing for rural young people. Here you will find information on SHOUT's condom programs and STI testing resources.
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Campaigns
SHOUT helps in developing projects and campaigns for rural young people with consultation from rural workers, community-based organisations and young people. Discover more about our current campaigns here.
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Engage Young People
SHOUT aims to provide simple and practical ways to foster young people’s involvement, to listen to their perspectives and experiences and to be guided by them in ways to improve sexual health information, resources and supports. Find out how SHOUT engages young people here.
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 - Hume region
Dr Dave Evans: dave.evans@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
Sexual Health and Wellbeing Project Officer - Loddon Mallee region
Dr Sourav Jain: sourav.jain1@unimelb.edu.au
Sexual Health and Wellbeing Project Officer - Hume region
Ben Corio: ben.corio@unimelb.edu.au
CERSH Centre Coordinator
Johanna Kyriakou: johanna.kyriakou@unimelb.edu.au
Sexual Health MD Discovery Coordinator
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.
