HammondCare’s appointment of a new Professor in Palliative Care further strengthens the health and aged care provider’s commitment to caring for people in their last days, while continuing to develop clearly focussed clinical training schemes. 

Professor Roderick MacLeod will be Senior Staff Specialist in Palliative Care and Conjoint Professor of the University of Sydney, based in the new Clinical Training Centre in the historic Pallister House at HammondCare’s Greenwich Hospital. 

Chief Medical Officer, Associate Professor Andrew Cole said the appointment of Professor MacLeod came after a world-wide recruitment search and was a significant step in HammondCare’s ongoing commitment to excellence in palliative care as well as clinical training and research. 

A/Prof Cole said Professor MacLeod would begin his appointment on June 12, 2012 and will also be linked with the Northern Clinical School of the University of Sydney. 

Professor MacLeod moves from an academic appointment at Auckland University and has a long record of international prominence in the field of palliative care achieved through clinical practice, research, education and service. 

Further strengthens integration 

In welcoming Professor MacLeod’s appointment, HammondCare Chief Executive Dr Stephen Judd said it further strengthened integration of best practice palliative care with training of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, complemented by cutting edge research. 

“HammondCare is a leading provider of sub-acute and community palliative care across northern Sydney and Sydney’s south-west,” Dr Judd said. 

“The expansion of Greenwich Hospital, re-opening of Neringah Hospital and restored funding for Northern Sydney's community palliative care services is now further enhanced by HammondCare’s decision to fund Professor MacLeod’s appointment. 

“We are passionate about providing sub-acute services such as palliative care where ever people are, and this means training the workforce of the future and advancing best practice in clinical care through research. 

“This initiative, taken with the University of Sydney, will ensure we can continue to educate palliative care health students in the context of sub-acute hospitals and in the community - where the people are. 

“It also means our impressive record of palliative care research will continue to grow - focused on improving care and service and developing new palliative approaches.“ 

Emphasis on listening carefully to patients, families 

Professor MacLeod has published extensively in clinical and spiritual aspects of palliative and supportive care, and in the education of healthcare students and professionals. 

He has contributed to clinical education on matters relating to end of life care and has emphasised the importance of listening carefully to patients and families and carers, as they guide us in how they would like their care provided. 

Professor MacLeod summarised his career to date by saying, “I have been driven by the belief that best quality palliative care should be available to people who need it, in the place where they want to be, and at the time that they would like to receive it.”