Dr John Furler, University of Melbourne

I completed GP training in the UK in 1990. Since 2000 I have been involved in primary care research. I completed my PhD in 2007, in which I explored the way patient centeredness is used in addressing social disadvantage and health inequalities in the care of patients with diabetes. I am currently (2012-2015) a senior research fellow at the Department of General Practice at the University of Melbourne supported by an NHMRC/PHCRED Career Development Fellowship. My recent and current research has focused on two related areas.

Firstly I am involved in interventions to improve quality of care and outcomes in diabetes care in General Practice including an evaluation of a telephone coaching trial of diabetes care in General Practice, a study to improve the cultural appropriateness of diabetes care in mainstream General Practice for urban Indigenous people and more recently I have commenced a cluster RCT of an intervention to enhance Practice Nurse led insulin initiation in General Practice. I have also been involved in a study of a novel continuous glucose monitoring technology to assist insulin initiation and up-titration.

Secondly I am involved in a number of studies of depression, often co-morbid with physical illness, and my Fellowship explores the notion of best practice in managing multi-morbidity in the context of social disadvantage. I am keen to explore how General Practice and Primary care can mitigate rather than worsen health inequity.