25 Sep ACD wants to hear from regional and rural dermatology patients
If you live in a regional, rural, or remote area of Australia (or know and support people who do), you may already know how challenging it can be to see a dermatologist.
Most dermatologists are based in major cities, so patients in the country often face long waits, long travel, or both.
To address this, the Australasian College of Dermatologists (ACD)has received funding from the Federal Department of Health to explore how telehealth and other digital tools can be used to train more dermatologists in regional and rural areas. This research will help more patients get specialist care closer to home.
The Australasian College of Dermatologists (ACD) have invited those with scleroderma to participate in an online group discussion about accessing dermatology services in regional and rural areas.
The focus group will bring together patients living in regional and rural areas and utilising dermatology services for skin conditions. This research has been approved by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (Project ID: 53668).
A copy of the explanatory statement providing more detail on the project can be downloaded below
Who can participate?
- People aged 18+ with a lived experience of using dermatology services for a skin condition, current or past OR a parent/guardian of someone under 18 with this experience
- Live in a regional or rural area of Australia
- Willing to share their experiences in an online group discussion.
How it works
Researchers from the Monash University School of Rural Health will independently manage this process. They’ll review expressions of interest, contact individuals directly to confirm participation and time, and run the focus group. Taking part is entirely voluntary, and anyone who expresses interest in participating can decide not to proceed after hearing more from the researchers.
If you take part in the online group discussion with other regional and rural residents, you will be offered a $100 gift card to compensate you for your time.
If interested, please contact Prof Belinda O’Sullivan on belinda.osullivan@monash.edu and A/Prof Matthew Carroll on matthew.carroll@monash.edu with your name, skin condition and geographic location by 9 October 2026.