NHMRC Research Translation insomnia presentation
07 December 2022
From Alex Sweetman

The NHMRC’s Research Translation long-weekend 2022  in mid-November showcased the diversity of health research translation and implementation programs in Australia. I was invited to speak in a plenary session “Getting best practice into practice”, to describe the ongoing program to improve access to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBTi) in Australia.

You can watch the presentation here or below , or view all presentations via the Joyn website  (create a free account to view all presentations).

This presentation highlighted the combined work of the SAX Institute, National Centre for Sleep Health Services Research, Australasian Sleep Association, Australian Psychological Society, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and other research, Government, primary care, and sleep organisations to improve access to CBTi in Australia. Despite evidence-based guidelines that strongly recommend CBTi as the ‘first line’ treatment for insomnia, very few Australians with insomnia access this treatment. The NHMRC funded CRE program has worked with other organisations to improve access to CBTi through GPs, psychologists, and digital programs. 

The Australasian Sleep Association are promoting evidence-based resources  on insomnia and sleep apnoea for primary care clinicians. An ongoing collaboration between the Australasian Sleep Association and Australian Psychological Society aims to develop and promote new CBTi education resources to psychologists and other healthcare groups.