HITH Society Board

The HITH Society Board is elected by members of the Society at the Annual General Meeting. The term of appointment is two years and nomination for board requires at least two member nominees (Proposer and Seconder). All positions are voluntary (unpaid), and from within the board a President, Treasurer and Secretary are appointed. Board members pay for their own attendance at the Annual Conference.


Bios 

Angela Ellis

Dr Angela Ellis has had a varied nursing career spanning 40+ years between the UK and Australia.  Almost a third of this time has been within HITH in Australia, with the remainder in the UK for sexual health, contraceptive, men’s, and women’s health services. Angela's passion is the role and scope of HITH RNs, and she is currently writing a position statement to outline what skills and knowledge HITH RNs require. There are notable variances in the education and career pathways as RNs are employed in many areas of nursing. HITH nurses need clarity in both these areas which is supported by the HITH Australasia Board. Angela volunteers on the ACN Domestic Violence task force on the sub-group… “Looking after nurses who are caring for people who are or have experienced domestic violence and abuse.” Angela has been involved in writing a position statement on the role of enrolled nurses in aged care, and is an active member of the ACN Foundation fundraising committee where the aim is to raise funds for new education initiatives that will benefit many nurses. 

AnnMarie Crozier

Current appointment: Medical Director of Hospital in the Home (HITH), Sydney Local Health District and  Acting Director Emergency Hospital in the Home (EHITH), Hospital in the Home (HITH) and Lymphedema collaboration.

AnnMarie has been the Medical Director of HITH Sydney Local Health District for 10 years from its inception and assisted with the establishment of our HITH units at Balmain, Canterbury and Concord as well as Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. We have also established a new service for our district 2023- Emergency Hospital in the Home. Its objective is to assess and manage community living older persons who call an ambulance or are referred by their GPs or specialists for acute conditions and treat them in a supported environment at their own residence. The service is staffed with registered nurses, allied health practitioners and doctors travelling in a fully equipped vehicle to the patient’s residence. Liaison with HITH doctors for ongoing care will occur along with close liaison with the patient’s general practitioner.

Other appointment(s):

- Investigator for the Central and Eastern Sydney Primary and Community Health Cohort/Resource (PS41767)

- Investigator for HCF EHITH Service Implementation and Usage Evaluation

- Member of the Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network Clinical Council

- Member of the Australasian Hospital in the Home Society, Board and Conference Organisation

- Member of the Division of Medicine RPAH

- Member of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee RPAH

- Chair of the Central Sydney Primary Health Network and SLHD Liaison Committee

- Chair of the SLHD HITH/Sydney District Nursing Committee

- Member of the Embedding Virtual Health Ministry of Health HITH Committee

Professional Qualifications

  • FRACGP 1990
  • Masters Health Planning and Finance, LSHTM/London School of Economics 1989
  • MBBS 1984

Research Publications:

Barr M, Kabir A, Harris-Roxas B, Comino E, Jackson T, Crozier AM, Goodger B, Finch J, Harris M. All-cause mortality in Australia: impact of social isolation and living alone, Presented at the virtual World Congress of Epidemiology, Melbourne, Sept 2021. International Journal of Epidemiology, 50 (S1) https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyab168.060

Margaret Williamson,Margo Linn Barr,Alamgir Kabir,Elizabeth Jane Comino,Brendan Goodger,Ben F. Harris-Roxas,Ann-Marie Crozier,Tony Jackson,Julie Finch,Mark Fort Harris

Frequent users of health services among community-based older Australians: Characteristics and association with mortality, Australasian Journal of Aging, 27 June 2022Au https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.13110

Iftah Amith

Iftah is a dedicated and passionate HITH physician with a diverse array of public appointments throughout Melbourne. Drawing on a solid foundation in General Practice, he deeply understands the significance of allowing patients to heal in the comfort of their own homes. Since embracing the HITH movement, Iftah has been at the forefront of exploring innovative models of care. These include managing acute inflammatory colitis at home. Iftah envisions a future where there is strong collaboration among HITH units across Australasia. He believes in fostering a network which not only shares best practices, but also pushes the boundaries of what HITH can achieve.

James Pollard

James is Clinical Director Community Care and Chair of Infection Prevention and Control at Cabrini Health, a large not for profit Private Hospital Group in Melbourne. James is an Infectious Diseases Physician and was previously Clinical Lead of Barwon Health Hospital in the Home from 2012 - 2019. James has interests in decentralised healthcare, OPAT, HIV medicine and infective hepatitis. James has been a member of the HITH Society of Australasia Executive Council since 2013 and board since 2015.

Narelle Hawkins

Narelle Hawkins has been nursing in WA since 1994. Narelle is the Clinical Nurse Specialist for Home Link, the Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital, Hospital in the Home program.  She has worked in this area since it’s inception in 1999.  Her role involves the management and support of over 28 FTE of nurses in providing acute and complex care for up to 90 patients each day. Narelle has an extensive clinical background in wound care and a special interest in outpatient antibiotic therapy.  She has a post graduate certificate in Nursing Leadership and Management, and has been a member of the HITH Society of Australasia executive committee since 2012. 

Sue Henning

Sue Henning is the Pricing and Services Analyst, for Silver Chain in Perth, Western Australia and has been in this role since 2015. She has been an employee of Silver Chain for over 30 years and has extensive experience in assisting people in need to live in their community. In 2005 Sue had a major role in modelling and implementing a 500 bed “Home Hospital” in metropolitan Perth. Sue is currently the honorary treasurer of the Hospital In The Home (HITH) Society of Australasia and has held this position since November 2009. Sue’s professional qualification began in 1982 with the completion of a hospital based Diploma of Nursing and a Diploma of Business in 2002.


Voni Leighton

Voni is an Owner of and Clinical Director of Vitalis Health & Home Care Pty Ltd. Voni has worked for more than 35 years as a Specialist Nurse in hospitals and homes both in Australia and the UK.  Trained in Scotland, Voni has spent the past 28 years specialising in Acute Care Nursing in Australia. With a broad range of Clinical leadership experience including ICU, EC and HITH (Hospital in the Home), Voni is passionate about leading a team of highly experienced and compassionate nurses and carers providing the very best level of care. Voni is an Executive Committee member of the HITH Society, Australasia. Currently completing a Masters of Psychotherapy and Counselling, Voni understands the complexities and challenges faced by those who wish their loved ones to remain at home with dignity and assisted independence. Voni volunteers with the Sony Foundation to provide holiday camps for children with special needs and to give their families much welcomed respite, is a mentor with the Raise Foundation supporting at risk teenagers, and is involved with Homeless Connect, Sydney.

Michael Young

Dr Michael Young is a Rural Generalist who has being actively involved with HITH programs for over a decade. Michael was instrumental in setting up the Townsville Hospital HITH service and is a co-founder of Hospital in Your Home and actively participates in HIYH clinical matters including providing medical governance for private clients of HIYH.  He has a passion for developing efficient and sustainable models of care that focus on improving patient outcomes whist providing value across the healthcare continuum.


Past Board Members

Barbara Farrelly - Immediate Past President

Barbara is the Advanced Nurse Unit Manager, Hospital @ Home for Southern Adelaide Local Health network, based at Flinders Medical Centre. Barbara has worked in various roles in the service since 1994 and  is committed to developing advanced practice nursing roles within Hospital @ Home services. Barbara has a Masters Degree in Nursing, has a focus on consumer participation and is active in promoting Hospital @ Home as an alternative model of care. Barbara led the development of the support network for both public and private HITH service coordinators in South Australia and acted as a consultant and mentor for many developing services in metropolitan and rural South Australia


Nicholas Marlow

Nicholas has actively led many health and welfare organisations including setting up and developing new models of health care including HITH. Nicholas has led HITH services since 1997. Nicholas has spoken at medical and health conferences and facilitated seminars across Australia, New Zealand, USA, Poland, France, Hong Kong, Dubai, Ireland and the UK. In 2015 Nicholas with his network launched a bespoke consultancy service to traditional Health and Aged Care owners and/or operators in relation to, but not limited: Clinical and Corporate Governance & Compliance Frameworks Literature, Policy and Legislation Reviews, Market Comparisons & Tools development to support Organisational Governance & Implementation. He currently holds non-executive directorships in three companies in health and aged care and has published and been involved as Clinical Excellence Commission surveyor in NSW, accreditation readiness, Royal Commission & Special Inquiries preparation & response, Clinical Models of Care development more recently in rehab for aged care, IT strategy & digital development. Married with 3 children, a keen LFC fan, lover of the wonderful game, skiing and travel.  


Daryl Kroschel

Daryl has worked in healthcare for 20 years, with diverse clinical experience in Australia and the UK across General Practice, Emergency and Urgent Care.  He has developed a particular focus in the area of Hospital in the Home (HITH) over the last ten years. During this period he has been involved as a clinician and manager in several models in different states of Australia.  Daryl is currently based in Perth as the National Medical Director for Silver Chain Group, and is the convener for the 2019 Australasian HITH Society Annual Scientific Meeting.





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