Bulletin

Issue: March 2004

People

NEW HEAD OF PSYCHOLOGY AT BENDIGO

Dr Anthony Love has been appointed the new Head of Psychology at La Trobe University Bendigo.

Recently elevated to associate professor, Dr Love is a clinical psychologist, specialising in the application of psychology to palliative care and serious medical conditions.

'His appointment will support palliative care in the region, through collaboration with existing services,' said the Head of the University's School of Psychological Science, Dr Simon Crowe. 'His appointment also underlines the University's commitment to its regional communities.'

'Dr Love has had considerable experience in the application of psychology in palliative care-giving great psychological assistance to people with illnesses such as cancer,' Dr Crowe said.

Dr Love joined La Trobe in 1984 and for the past decade has been a senior lecturer. Before joining La Trobe he was a lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at Monash Gippsland.

His research areas centre on the overlap between the domains of social and clinical psychology.

In particular, he is concerned with the role of social judgements, communication, self-concept, and stress appraisals in coping with clinical problems, both physical and psychological. Postgraduate projects he is currently supervising include topics on psychological distress in patients with lung cancer, and pain and anxiety experienced by adolescents undergoing invasive medical procedures for the treatment of cancer.

In addition, Dr Love is a Senior Research Associate of the Centre for Palliative Care, St Vincent's Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, where he is part of an National Health and Medical Research Council-funded multi-disciplinary team investigating the psychosocial adjustment of men with prostate cancer. This multi-site, long-term study is the first of its kind and will provide valuable information about how men cope with the symptoms and treatment of the problem across all its stages, to palliative care.

Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through early identification, full assessment, and comprehensive treatment of problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual. Compared to conventional care, specialist palliative care services improve patient and family satisfaction, reduce family anxiety, provide better pain control and improved symptom management.

Dr Love also works in partnership with Professor Annette Street, from La Trobe University's School of Nursing and Midwifery. Professor Street is a sociologist with an international reputation in health care and nursing research. Their collaborations integrate psychological and sociological perspectives on palliative care.

'I am looking forward to extending our collaborative efforts with researchers and practitioners in the region,' Dr Love said.

La Trobe's School of Psychological Sciences teaches at three of the University's campuses - Melbourne (Bundoora), Bendigo and Albury-Wodonga. It has provided psychology courses in Bendigo since the early 1990s and currently there are ten staff based in Bendigo.

Dr Love's move to Bendigo is a joint appointment- 80% at La Trobe Bendigo and 20% at the Bendigo Health Care Group. The appointment enables the University to further support the work of the Group, through Dr Love's considerable expertise and research experience in palliative care.

'The joint appointment creates opportunities for postgraduate students in the region to integrate theoretical teaching and practical skills, which will be of immense benefit to them as practitioners,' said Dr Love.

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