Wounds Australia is pleased to announce the appointment of the Clinical Expert Advisory Panel, one of the two groups advising our Federally-funded public awareness campaign, Be Wound Aware.

The panel, known informally as CEAP, is a vital component of the campaign. CEAP members are tasked with overviewing all clinical content for the campaign, which will be running until at least 2027.

Be Wound Aware was launched on social media this week, with help guides, how-to videos and training modules soon to come.

Appointments

Following the appointment of Melissa Freeman as Chair, Wound Australia CEO Jeff Antcliff and our Board were happy to be able to appoint six further members of CEAP:

Alix Clarke - Deputy Chair

Alix is a Clinical Nurse Specialist and Ward-Based Wound Resource Nurse on an Acute Geriatric Ward at Austin Health. Alix brings a wealth of experience in delivering high-quality patient care with a calm and compassionate approach, and also mentors graduate and undergraduate nurses. 

Alix already contributes to Wounds Australia's work as a member of the 2024 Conference Planning Committee, contributing to the organisation and execution of the event with a focus on planning workshops and masterclasses. 

Ruth Angus

A Registered Nurse with postgraduate studies in District Nursing, Ruth moved to Australia from the UK in 1988, Here, she developed an interest in wound care, and she has since completed postgraduate study in wound management. 

Ruth wprked as a Clinical Nurse Consultant in wound care with District Nursing in Metropolitan Melbourne. She taught the undergraduate nursing wound management module at Monash University from 2015-2021. She is now semi-retired but continues casual work in a chronic wound clinic for Peninsula Health and in aged care facilities. 

Rebecca Christensen

Bekk is a passionate occupational therapist with a special interest in all things wound care, lymphoedema and vascular management. She has over 16 years' experience working in rural, metro, acute and community settings in both public and private hospitals across Queensland. She is the Occupational Therapy Team Leader for public services at Mater Hospital Brisbane, a director on the Australasian Lymphology Association Board and a member of the Queensland committee for Wounds Australia. 

Catherine Leahy

Catherine is a Clinical Nurse Consultant for Wound Prevention and Management at Western NSW Local Health District and Deputy Chair of Wounds Australia NSW committee. She has over 10 years of wound care experience, with a focus on rural healthcare. She is Co-Chair of NSW Chronic Wound Management Taskforce and Single Digital Patient Record Wound Care Working Group, Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Charles Sturt University, a research enthusiast and virtual care driver. 

Mel Lewis

Mel is a highly skilled pharmacist with a passion for patient-centred care. She has worked hospital pharmacy in surgical, general medical and rehabilitation, also specialising in oncology and palliative care. Mel holds a Master of Wound Care from Monash University, where she is now a teaching associate contributing to both the Masters of Wound Care program under the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences, and Evidence-Based Practice under the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She is currently the Clinical Pharmacy Manager at Epic Pharmacy Kings Meadows. 

Nicola Morley

Nicola is a Vascular Nurse Practitioner in the Surgical Division of the Gold Coast University Hospital. Over the last 15 years, she has dedicated herself to leadership and advocacy in the realm of chronic wound care. She was instrumental in establishing the role of Vascular Nurse Practitioner and aids the professional development of other Nurse Practitioners though mentoring, extending her expertise to nursing staff of the tertiary hospital's Vascular Ward, and in extending training to General Practitioner Practice Nurses.