Dr Polly Dufton is a clinician-researcher and Clinical Nurse Consultant at Austin Health, with longstanding ties to the University of Melbourne. She currently serves as Research Education Coordinator at Austin Health, where she leads initiatives to build nursing research capacity, facilitates a Nursing Research Community of Practice, and delivers tailored education to support clinicians in translating research into practice.
Her research focuses on service evaluation, evidence translation, and the development of nurse-led models of care for older adults with cancer and patients undergoing systemic therapy. Dr Dufton has led multi-site studies and service improvement projects supported by over $800,000 in competitive funding, resulting in high-impact publications and presentations nationally and internationally. She has expertise in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research and actively promotes interdisciplinary collaboration.
Dr Dufton has contributed extensively to nursing education and leadership, including as former Course Coordinator for the Graduate Certificate in Cancer Nursing at the University of Melbourne and inaugural Chair of the CNSA Older Persons with Cancer Community of Practice. Her work emphasizes patient-centred care, co-design, and collaborative initiatives, aligning closely with the VCCC Alliance’s mission to integrate research, education, and clinical care to improve outcomes in cancer nursing.
