ACRA

Sleep and Cardiovascular Disease - Webinar
2024-03-07 15:30 - 16:30 (Australia/Sydney) | Online
Rural Health West in conjunction with Heart Foundation, WA Rheumatic Heart Disease Register and the Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association invite you to this interactive webinar to assist health professionals working in rural areas.
Hosted by:
Helen McLean – Past President ACRA-WA, National Program Coordinator (Heart Support Australia)
Presented by:
Tracy Swanson – Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse Specialist (Ramsay Health Care)
Webinar overview
– Identify the impact of chronic sleep deprivation on cardiovascular health.
– Understand the effects of caffeine, alcohol, technology, and environment on – Learn how to implement strategies to improved sleep.
– Understand what happens during sleep and why both quantity and quality are important factors for each night of rest.

Bottlenecks in supporting cardiac recovery: Addressing Cardiac Rehabilitation waitlists
2024-04-17 12:30 - 13:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Online
ACRA members Roschelle Brown, Linda Macaulay and Susie Cartledge will be featured in this clinical conversation.
Join us to hear from our expert panel discussing the potential bottlenecks in commencement of cardiac rehabilitation after a cardiac event and what processes can be introduced to improve delays so those in need can receive timely access to secondary prevention support.
Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a crucial part of the recovery process for patients’ post-cardiac events such as heart attack or heart surgery. CR after a cardiac event has been consistently shown to reduce readmissions and improve quality of life, supporting patient’s recovery and integration of secondary prevention activities into their daily life.
An extended waitlist for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) can have considerable consequences for patients and their caregivers. Delayed access to CR can lead to prolonged recovery times, increased risk of complications, lack of risk factor modification, and reduced quality of life. The early recovery period is often a time of psychological distress during which patients can be supported and reassured by a cardiac rehab program soon after discharge.
In this clinical conversation, our expert panel will discuss the potential bottlenecks in the current system, root causes of extended waitlist and practical solutions that can be implemented by healthcare sectors to improve access to cardiac rehabilitation services.
SCV’s Clinical Conversation Series are webinars providing a platform for people to explore speciality areas of healthcare by sharing and discussing key learnings from lived experience in the sector. They aim to promote peer to peer learning through conversation and shared experiences to improve and inform existing best practice.
It is free to attend, and sessions are recorded for future distribution and viewing.
Hosted by Safer Care Victoria’s Cardiovascular Learning Health Network.

From Hospital to Home: Empowering Recovery Through Cardiac Rehabilitation
2024-04-19 13:15 - 17:45 (Australia/Melbourne) | William Angliss Conference Centre, 555 La Trobe St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
ACRA Vic/Tas Workshop

This afternoon workshop is designed for both acute and outpatient cardiac nurses and will dive deep into the link between Phase I (inpatient) cardiac rehabilitation and Phase II (outpatient) cardiac rehab; Patient education, including how to provide education in busy inpatient clinical environments, consideration of health literacy, use of the Teach Back method and available patient resources; How to strengthen referral process and write a good referral.

CPD certificates will be issued. Consider coming to the workshop and the dinner – package deals available!

Speakers include: A/Professor Alison Beauchamp, A/Professor Kegan Moneghetti, Jo Verdolini

ACRA Vic/Tas DINNER
2024-04-19 18:00 - 21:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Angliss Restaurant, 550 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
Guest Speaker: Prof Andrea Driscoll. Come and network with your colleagues and enjoy a delicious three course dinner! Prof Driscoll will talk to us about all things data, advocacy, cost effectiveness and how to use this information to prepare a business case to improve the care delivered to cardiac patients.

Consider coming to the workshop prior – package deals available!

The psychosocial impacts of SCAD and implications for working in cardiac rehabilitation
2024-04-23 16:00 - 17:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Online
Details: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an increasingly recognised form of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) that occurs due to coronary artery occlusion as a result of intramural hematoma. SCAD-induced AMI differs from traditional AMI in that it occurs in younger people without atherosclerosis, most commonly women. Given its unexpected occurrence, SCAD is a particularly stressful and traumatic event, with complex and varied psychosocial impacts. With its distinct clinical presentation, the management of SCAD- induced AMI differs from traditional AMI. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative studies with SCAD survivors, undertaken through a collaborative project between the Australian Centre for Heart Health and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, this webinar will outline the psychosocial impacts of SCAD and will discuss implications for working with SCAD survivors in cardiac rehabilitation. There will be opportunities for questions and interaction.

Registration: https://events.humanitix.com/acra-national-scad-webinar

Cost: FREE for members, $30 for non-members

Vaping! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing
2024-05-16 16:00 - 17:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Online
Please join us for an informative webinar on the health effects of Vaping with guest speakers from the South East Public Health Unit in Melbourne, Victoria.
Speakers include:
Alyce Jenkins – Alyce is the Vaping Prevention Partnerships Lead at Monash Health’s South East Public Health Unit (SEPHU) with a background in speech pathology and health promotion. Her work involves collaborating and coordinating activities with implementing partners across the south-east Melbourne catchment on vaping prevention.

Free for ACRA members. $30 for non-members

ACRA-Qld Workshop: Research and Clinical Collaboration "Navigating the secondary prevention space"
2024-05-24 09:00 - 14:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | 68 University Dr, Meadowbrook QLD 413
2024 ACRA-QLD Workshop – Free for members!
Are you a clinician interested in research or quality improvement but don’t know where to start? Do you have lots of data or ideas but need help turning them into something meaningful? Are you an academic looking to make clinical collaborations for research projects?
Then, come join the Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association—Queensland (ACRA-Qld) as we host an upcoming collaborative seminar and workshop at Griffith University Logan on Friday 24th May 2024. We’ll work together in small groups to help you understand your clinical data, come up with a research problem or idea, plan quality improvement projects and work up an elevator pitch! Hear tips on conducting research, mentorship, and funding schemes, and take part in facilitated networking between clinicians and academics.
Morning tea and lunch are included for all attendees.
Registration is free for ACRA members. Not a member? Special Offer: Join ACRA as part of registering for this event and get the regular $40 joining fee waived.
Groups of participants who workshop an idea from the day and submit it to ACRA-Qld via the approved project plan have the opportunity to be awarded up to $1000 of research support funding (conditions apply).

Australian Cardiovascular Health & Rehabilitation Association SA/NT 2024 AGM and dinner
2024-06-27 17:30 - 20:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Seafire on the Marina, Shop 2, Holdfast Shores Marina Pier, Gleng, South Australia, 5045, Australia
Australian Cardiovascular Health & Rehabilitation Association SA/NT 2024 AGM and dinner.
Thursday 27th June 2024.
Current Heart Failure Management Update.
Dr Julie Bradley, Consultant Cardiologist, and Ms Lyn Chan, Heart Failure Nurse Practitioner, Central Adelaide Local Health.
Network
The AGM will commence at 5:30pm with dinner and presentations to follow commencing at 6:45pm ACST. Please note the AGM and dinner are open to members only. Non-members are welcome to join the presentation by virtual attendance only.
Venue: Seafire on the Marina, Holdfast Shores Marina Pier and online via Zoom.
Free for ACRA members and $30 for non-members to join virtually.

Book now: https://events.humanitix.com/acra-sa-nt-agm-and-dinner
This event is kindly sponsored by Novartis.

National Webinar: Launch of National cardiac rehabilitation provider certification
2024-08-14 16:00 - 17:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Online
Hear about our national vision and plan towards national unity for cardiac rehabilitation in Australia. The first step towards this is clinician certification. This webinar will unpack the plan for certification with national experts and those who have already undertaken certification. An important webinar not to be missed (and will also be recorded).

Highlights of the ACRA Annual Scientific Meeting 2024
2024-09-17 16:00 - 17:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Online
Hear from some of ACRA’s rising stars as they give you a taste of presentations that were given at this years ACRA Annual Scientific Meeting.
Confirmed speakers: Dr Emily Gray, Vanessa Poulsen, Lucy Walton and more!

ACRA-Qld 2024 State Event (NOW ONLINE ONLY): Collaborating to Bridge the Practice-Research Divide
2024-11-01 09:00 - 15:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Online
Register now for ACRA-Qld’s 2024 State Event

Are you a clinician interested in research or quality improvement but don’t know where to start? Do you have lots of data or ideas but need help turning them into something meaningful? Are you an academic looking to make clinical collaborations for research projects?
We’ll learn how to understand clinical data, come up with a research problem or idea, plan quality improvement projects and work up an elevator pitch! Hear tips on conducting research, mentorship, and funding schemes, and take part in facilitated networking between clinicians and academics.
This event is now ONLINE ONLY! To register visit: https://events.humanitix.com/acra-qld-workshop-research-and-clinical-collaborations

ACRA VIC/TAS Webinar & AGM
2024-11-11 16:30 - 18:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Zoom Videoconference, Australia
Dear ACRA Vic/Tas Members,
Please save the date for our next Annual General Meeting (AGM), preceded by a webinar including two talks from special guests. You should have (hopefully!) already received a calendar invite.
Webinar and Annual General Meeting
Date: Monday, 11th November 2024
Time: Webinar commences at 4:30pm, AGM commences approximately 5:20pm
Location: via zoom
Please register for the event here: https://events.humanitix.com/acra-victoria-annual-general-meeting-with-speakers
1. Webinar, commencing at 4:30pm (open to all)
With Special Guests Murray Chenery and Abi Oliver.
Consumer/Lived experience presentation
Murray is an expert by lived experience and peer support leader for Heart Support Australia. He will be sharing his story and learnings from his experience.
Keynote presentation – “Getting to the heart of the matter – diabetes care in cardiac rehab”
Abi trained in coronary care in the 1990’s and worked in cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation in various roles. Whilst working in the cardiac, pulmonary and bariatric rehabilitation programs at Epworth Camberwell and with so many of the participants having diabetes, Abi was fortunate to have the opportunity to complete a diabetes education qualification at UTS. There, she was inspired by the teachings of Prof Elizabeth Denny-Wilson regarding the issue of inequitable access in health care. Since obtaining credentialing as a diabetes educator, Abi has worked in community health and health promotion charities in diabetes education and obesity. ‘
2. Followed by ACRA Vic/Tas AGM (open to financial members)
AGM Agenda
Please find the agenda linked here.
Appointing a Proxy
If you can’t make the meeting but wish to nominate a proxy, please complete the Proxy Form and return it to us (via email to this address) by midday Friday, 8th November.
Attached Documentation
Please find attached the required documentation for this meeting:

2023 AGM Agenda

2022 AGM Minutes – for your review

Proxy Form – if you cannot make the meeting yourself (due by COB Friday, 8th November)

Nomination Form – if you would like to join the committee (due by COB Friday, 8th November)

AGM Poster – the webinar is open to members and non-members

Nominating for the Committee
We would welcome new committee members to join our dynamic and fun team! We are especially in need of more clinicians on the committee.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a current committee member or drop us a line at this email.
We hope you can join us to review the year and celebrate our achievements over the last 12 months!
Warm regards,
Katrien Janssen
ACRA Vic Tas President
Sarah Gauci
ACRA Vic Tas Secretary
on behalf of –
ACRA Vic/Tas Committee
acravictoriacommittee@gmail.com

Australian Cardiovascular Health & Rehabilitation Association SA/NT 2025 Educational Webinar
2025-03-12 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | Webinar
Australian Cardiovascular Health & Rehabilitation Association SA/NT 2025 Educational Webinar

Date: Wednesday 12th March
Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Online via Zoom
Please note the Zoom link will be sent to all attendees one day prior to the seminar to the email you register with.
Free for ACRA members and $30 for non-members
Book here: https://events.humanitix.com/acra-sa-nt-webinar-12th-march-2025

6:00pm
Journey to a cardiac nurse practitioner
Ms Michelle Iadanza, Nurse Practitioner, Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation Service, Modbury Hospital, South Australia

6:30pm
Outcomes and Future Directions of Web-Based Rehabilitation in South Australia: Insights from the Country Heart Attack Prevention Project
Dr Katie Nesbitt, Research Associate, College of Nursing and Health Science, Flinders University

Enquiries: acrasant.secretary@gmail.com
Book here:

Under the Weather: Exploring Environmental and Socioeconomic Impacts on Heart Health
2025-03-24 13:15 - 21:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Victoria

Exploring the role of Advance Care Planning and its benefits for Cardiovascular Rehabilitation clients
2025-05-06 16:00 - 17:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Webinar
Exploring the role of Advance Care Planning and its benefits for Cardiovascular Rehabilitation clients
Date: Tuesday 6th May 2025
Time: 4:00pm-5:00pm AEST
Online via Zoom
Please note the Zoom link will be sent to all attendees one day prior to the seminar to the email you register with.
Free for ACRA members and $30 for non-members
Book here: Exploring the role of Advance Care Planning and its benefits for Cardiovascular Rehabilitation clients
Event Description:

Join us to hear about Advance Care Planning (ACP) and its benefits for Cardiovascular Rehabilitation clients. As cardiac health care professionals we have a unique opportunity to engage, educate and advocate on Advance Care Planning processes and how it is a way for patients to take back control when thinking of their onward journey in their cardiac recovery. This will be a discussion about ACP nationally, led by experts from Alfred Health.
Our speakers include –
Anna Loughnan who is an experienced senior ACP clinician at Alfred Health, who supports patients daily to complete ACP documents and is involved in educating on ACP to our many established partnership groups. Anna is also a lead clinician on current project with GP practices in increasing health professional knowledge to support their patients with ACP.
Tania Hobbs is the ACP Manager of the Alfred Health team, an experienced clinical nurse leader who will be joining in for the Q & A component of the discussion.

ACRA Webinar - Moving Hearts: Physical Activity and Social Connectedness Beyond Cardiac Rehab
2025-06-19 16:00 - 17:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Zoom Videoconference, Australia
Join us in June to hear about an update on the Heart Foundation Walking Program:
“Moving Hearts: Physical Activity and Social Connectedness: Beyond Cariac Rehab”
Date: Thursday 19th June
Time: 4 – 5pm (AEST)
The Heart Foundation remains committed to reducing heart disease and improving the heart health and quality of life of all Australians through our work in risk reduction, support and care, and research. We are committed to supporting Australians to be more active for positive heart health. Heart Foundation Walking is Australia’s largest free walking network with over 1,300 walking groups. In 2021, we launched our digital Personal Walking Plans in 2021 and have had over 160,000 Australians sign up to date.
Our speakers include –
Elizabeth Calleja
Senior Advisor & Lead for Physical Activity at the National Heart Foundation of Australia
Elizabeth Calleja role functions as support & guidance across the organisation for operations that involve physical activity. This includes advocacy and clinical evidence for the Heart Foundation Walking program, Jump Rope for Heart, MyMarathon and the new partnership with Coastrek as well as our work in Primary and Secondary Care.
Abhai Dhillon
Senior Health Professional Engagement Officer – National Heart Foundation of Australia
Abhai Dhillon leads Health Professional Engagement for the Heart Foundation Walking Program. With over a decade of experience across government, NGOs, and the primary care sector, Abhai works at the intersection of policy, service design, and digital health. He currently focuses on integrating walking into preventive care pathways in collaboration with PHNs, GPs, Nurses, and allied health professionals across Australia.

REGISTER FOR WEBINAR

ACRA SA/NT 2025 AGM and Dinner
2025-06-26 18:00 - 20:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | Lenzerheide Restaurant or online via Zoom, 146 Belair Rd, Hawthorn, South Australia, 5062, Australia
Australian Cardiovascular Health & Rehabilitation Association SA/NT 2025 AGM and Dinner
Date: Thursday 26th June 2025
Time: 6:00pm-8:00pm ACST
Venue: Lenzerheide Restaurant and online via Zoom
Updates on Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD)
Professor Peter Psaltis, Director – Heart and Vascular Health at
SAHMRI, Interventional cardiologist Central Adelaide Local
Health Network
The AGM will commence at 6:00pm with dinner and presentation to follow
commencing at 7:00pm ACST. Please note the AGM and dinner are open to
members only. Non-members are welcome to join the presentation by virtual
attendance only (commencing at 7:15pm ACST).
Free for ACRA members and $30 for non-members to join
virtually
Book now: https://events.humanitix.com/2025-acra-sa-nt-agm-and-dinner
Enquiries: acrasant.secretary@gmail.com

Event kindly sponsored by Novartis

ACRA Webinar - Women are not small men!
2025-07-28 14:00 - 16:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Zoom Videoconference, Australia
Join us in July to hear from esteemed cardiologist, A/Prof Monique Watts on women’s heart health:
“Women are not small men!”
Date: Monday 28th July
Time: 2 – 3pm (AEST)
Our speaker is –
Associate Professor Monique Watts, a Cardiologist and Heart Failure Specialist at Epworth Freemasons and the Alfred Hospital in Victoria.
After graduating from the University of Melbourne, A/Prof Watts trained at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. She completed Advanced Training in Cardiology with a Fellowship in Heart Failure at the Alfred Hospital, Victoria’s only combined heart failure and cardiac transplantation service.
Monique holds a special interest in women’s heart disease and leads the Women’s Heart Clinic at the Alfred Hospital.
She is actively involved in research and teaching and also has a regional clinic in the Central Victorian town of Charlton.

REGISTER FOR WEBINAR

Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in Indian Migrants living in Australia: A mixed methods study
2025-08-20 12:30 - 13:30 (Australia/Perth) | Microsoft Teams
Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in Indian Migrants living in Australia: A mixed methods study

We invite you to register for the upcoming webinar “Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in Indian Migrants living in Australia: A mixed methods study“.
Date: Wednesday 20 August 2025
Time: 12:30pm – 1:30pm (AWST)
Webinar Details
Rural Health West in conjunction with Heart Foundation, WA Rheumatic Heart Disease Register and the Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association invite you to this interactive webinar to assist health professionals working in rural areas.
Hosted by:
· Helen McLean – Heart Support Australia, National Program Coordinator and ACRA Education & Training sub-committee
Presented by:
· Kunwar Kaur – PhD candidate at Edith Cowan University
Content:
· Background of IHD in Indian migrants
· Study methodology
· Perceptions about personal risk of IHD
· Barriers and enablers for behaviour change
Registration Details
To submit your registration, please click the button below and submit the registration form.

REGISTER NOW

– Rural Health West CPD Team

Measurement that moves you: Insights from the ‘Measure It!’ trial
2025-10-21 16:00 - 17:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Online
Event description

Large-scale problems, such as physical inactivity, require scalable solutions. The MRFF funded Measure It! multicentre randomised trial examined whether frequency of physical activity measurement (self-report and step-tracker daily steps), with very brief advice from cardiac rehabilitation clinicians (Measure It!; <5min), influenced physical activity in 190 physically inactive cardiac rehabilitation attendees over 6-months. Here we will share our implementation and effectiveness results, recommending ways that this simple and innovative approach to physical activity promotion within cardiac rehabilitation may be incorporated into your program.
Our speakers:
Professor Nicole Freene
Nicole is a Professor at the University of Canberra. She has been practicing as a physiotherapist for more than 25 years and her research focuses on increasing physical activity levels and decreasing sedentary behaviour in adults, both in healthy and cardiac populations, and physical activity promotion by health professionals.

Jess Seymour
Jess is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist and PhD Candidate at the University of Canberra. Working across the public and community healthcare sectors, she has developed a passion for supporting people with chronic conditions to live active and healthy lives through quality, evidence-based interventions.

The event flyer can be found here.

ACRA VIC/TAS AGM 2025
2025-10-22 16:45 (Australia/Melbourne) | Zoom Videoconference, Australia
Australian Cardiovascular Health & Rehabilitation Association VIC/TAS 2025 AGM
Date: Wednesday 22nd October 2025
Time: 4:45pm AEDT
Venue: Online via Zoom
The AGM will commence at 4.45pm, after presentations by 2 guest speakers commencing 4pm.
Please note that the AGM is open to
financial ACRA VIC/TAS members only. Non-members are welcome to the presentations prior to the AGM.
The meeting papers for the AGM can be found below:

Notice of Meeting and Agenda
ACRA VIC/TAS AGM 2024 Minutes
Proxy Form 2025
Nomination Form 2025

Please find the Zoom link and details below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81636276751?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 816 3627 6751
Passcode: [REDACTED]
