It’s official! We’re launched
Carla Treloar, Scientia Professor at the Centre for Social Research in Health and the Social Policy Research Centre and founder of Tackling Stigma in Healthcare.
After 250+ responses to our recent survey and a landmark conference last year, it’s clear: stigma is everywhere in healthcare—but so are the people working to end it. Here’s what’s next.
If you’ve ever witnessed or experienced stigma in healthcare, you’re not alone. And if you’ve ever tried to challenge it? You’re not alone in that, either.
Over 250 people took part in our recent survey about tackling stigma in healthcare. What we heard was loud and clear: stigma remains deeply embedded in healthcare systems, policies, and everyday interactions. But across the country, individuals and organisations are already doing inspiring work to dismantle it.
The problem? Much of that work is happening in isolation and siloes.
That’s why we’ve launched Tackling Stigma in Healthcare—a growing national network designed to connect the dots. Our goal is to bring together the people, projects, and ideas working to address stigma, so we can share what’s working, amplify impact, and support one another to drive real change.
Because stigma only ends when it ends for everyone.
“There’s so much good work happening—but it’s siloed. We want to break down those walls and build a community that learns, shares, and acts together,” says Carla Treloar, Scientia Professor at the Centre for Social Research in Health and the Social Policy Research Centre and founder of Tackling Stigma in Healthcare. “If we want to end stigma, we need to connect the people already doing the work—and make sure no one’s doing it alone.”
What is Tackling Stigma in Healthcare?
Tackling Stigma in Healthcare is a new collaborative network focused on structural stigma—addressing the systems, language, and power dynamics that create shame and discrimination in care.
Our mission is to make sure that everyone, no matter their background or circumstances, can access healthcare without fear of judgement.
We’re starting with a simple goal: connect and share. That includes monthly newsletters (the most requested communication method in our survey), regular interviews, practical resources, and the chance to spotlight brilliant work happening across every sector of healthcare.
What you can expect
Sign up to our newsletter and each month, you’ll receive:
A short interview with someone doing inspiring work to tackle stigma
A sector spotlight exploring a specific area of healthcare and how stigma is being addressed
Curated research, resources, and tools to help you in your own work
This month, we kick off with an interview with Dr. Nhi Nguyen, intensive care specialist and clinical lead at Nepean Hospital. Drawing on her personal story and professional experience, Dr. Nguyen speaks powerfully about how stigma shows up in everyday clinical practice—and how self-reflection, language, and leadership can help shift culture from the inside out.
How you can get involved
This network is only as strong as the people in it. Here’s how you can help it grow:
Share your work with us—resources, research, programs, and tools. We’ve already got 25+ resources on the website, all filterable by type and sector. Let’s build the collection together
Nominate a Stigma Elimination Champion we should feature in an upcoming newsletter
Follow us on LinkedIn here
Invite your colleagues to sign up to the newsletter by sharing this website with them
In future, we’ll be rolling out networking events, workshops, and more. But for now, we’re starting with what matters most: listening, sharing, and connecting.