About the PEP-Aus Initiative
Bringing world-leading communication training to Australian CF care.
PEP-Aus is a first-of-its-kind initiative to bring structured, relationship-centred communication training to cystic fibrosis (CF) healthcare teams in Australia.
Built on an evidence-based program developed in the United States, and co-created with the Australian CF community, PEP-Aus is designed to strengthen the partnership between people with CF, their families, and the multidisciplinary teams who support them.
Where it began: The Partnership Enhancement Program
In 2019, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) in the US partnered with the Academy of Communication in Healthcare to develop the Partnership Enhancement Program (PEP) – a communication training program built specifically for CF multidisciplinary teams.
PEP teaches three core skills:
- Building trust – creating the conditions for honest, open conversations
- Fostering open dialogue – helping clinicians and patients share what’s really going on
- Setting shared goals – making decisions together, guided by what matters most to the individual
The PEP program is delivered as a one-day training session, followed by a virtual reinforcement session three months later. It also includes practical resources to support teams in applying these skills day-to-day.
PEP is now embedded across CF teams throughout the US. It has been shown to improve communication skills, strengthen partnerships between clinicians and patients, and enhance the overall care experience. Over time, it has expanded to include training for people with CF and their families, equipping them to engage more confidently as partners in their own care – and to connect with an ongoing online community of healthcare professionals and peers.
[Explore the need for communication training →]
Bringing PEP to Australia
A collaboration has formed between the CFF and a team of Australian multidisciplinary healthcare professionals and people living with CF, with a shared vision: to adapt and pilot PEP for the Australian context.
While the US and Australia share much in common, our healthcare system, geography, and communities have their own distinct character. A direct transplant of the US program wouldn’t do justice to the Australian experience. So rather than simply adopting PEP, the Australian CF community is co-creating it – shaping an adapted version that reflects local needs, values, and the realities of care delivery here.
Who is involved
PEP-Aus is a collaboration between Australian CF healthcare professionals, people living with CF and their families, Cystic Fibrosis Western Australia, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (US).
[Read more about our Partners and Funding →] [Explore partnership opportunities →]
PEP-Aus is being developed and tested through a structured, two-year research and pilot program based in Western Australia.
How we work together
The PEP-Aus initiative is guided by the Principles of Co-Production – a framework that puts collaboration, respect, and shared purpose at the centre of everything we do.
- Equality of Expertise – Lived experience, clinical practice, research, and system knowledge are all recognised as valid and contributions. No one perspective takes precedence.
- Shared Purpose – Every member of the PEP-Aus community works toward the same goal: better communication, stronger partnerships, and improved care for people with CF in Australia.
- Mutual Respect – All contributions are welcomed and considered with professionalism and openness.
- Transparency in Decision-Making – Roles, responsibilities, and how decisions are made are always made clear.
- Inclusivity and Accessibility – We actively work to ensure participation is supported through accessible processes, materials, and discussions.
- Reciprocity – Contributions are acknowledged appropriately, including formal recognition and remuneration where applicable.
How the research works
The PEP-Aus initiative uses a three-phase design, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to ensure the program is grounded in real experience and rigorously evaluated.
Before adapting anything, the team is doing the groundwork: listening.
A core working group has been established – bringing together adult and paediatric respiratory physicians, clinical nurse consultants, a social worker, physiotherapist, dietitian, medical education specialist, a person living with CF, and a representative from CFF. The group also includes consumer representatives from Cystic Fibrosis Western Australia (CFWA), Perth Children’s Hospital, and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
Across Australia, at least 60 clinicians, people with CF, and family members are being invited to participate in semi-structured interviews to share their experiences of CF healthcare communication and identifying where things work well and where they don’t. These conversations will directly inform what PEP-Aus needs to look like to be relevant and effective here.
Using what’s learned in Phase 1, the team will work with key stakeholders – including people with CF and families – through a series of five structured co-design workshops to build PEP-Aus.
This isn’t a top-down process. The program will be shaped by the people who will use it, ensuring the training, content, and resources genuinely reflect Australian needs and experiences.
PEP-Aus will be delivered by certified facilitators to CF multidisciplinary teams across three Western Australian sites:
- Cystic Fibrosis Western Australia (CFWA)
- Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH)
- Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH)
The pilot will be rigorously evaluated across three dimensions:
- Acceptability – Do participants find the training appropriate, engaging, and valuable?
- Feasibility – Can the program be delivered practically within existing clinical workflows?
- Impact – Does the training improve the experience of care for both clinicians and patients and families?
Both health professionals and patients and families attending clinics where PEP-trained clinicians are practising will be invited to share their perspectives – through validated surveys and in-depth interviews.
Beyond the pilot: a vision for national change
The WA pilot is just the beginning, not the end.
Findings from the pilot will directly inform an implementation roadmap for national rollout, with the goal of making PEP-Aus available to CF teams across Australia. The research team is also working toward:
- Consumer-focused training – dedicated resources to help people with CF and their families engage as confident, informed partners in care
- A national practitioner network – connecting CF healthcare professionals across Australia to share learning and sustain the culture of communication PEP-Aus builds
- Long-term funding – including applications to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and other state and federal health programs, to ensure the work continues beyond the pilot
This project is a critical first step in a longer journey: reimagining CF care in Australia as a genuinely collaborative process – one grounded in trust, shared decision-making, and the belief that the best care happens when people with CF, families, and healthcare teams work together.
Explore more about PEP-Aus
Why communication training matters in CF care
Communication in CF care has lagged behind other advancements in CF management. Learn about the evidence behind PEP-Aus and why our work is so timely.
What we have been up to, and what next for PEP-Aus
The PEP-Aus project is underway! Follow our progress and explore the next steps – from working group formation and community consultation through to co-creation and pilot delivery.
Help us bring PEP-Aus to life
Whether you’re a person living with CF, a CF healthcare professional or researcher, consumer organisation, or potential funder/sponsor, we’d love to hear from you to explore meaningful ways for you to be part of this work.
[Explore partnership opportunities →]
[Complete the Partner Contact Form →]