NHMRC is committed to supporting new partnership opportunities for researchers and policy makers to work together to shape our future through an $8.9 million funding investment.
Administered through the Partnership Projects scheme, this funding will support Australian researchers to answer specific research questions that could influence health and wellbeing through changes in the delivery, organisation, funding and access to health services.
Eight innovative research projects will be supported by diverse funding partners, contributing a further $11.2 million in leveraged investments, bringing the total funding to over $20 million.
Successful recipients, together with partners across government, industry and the non-profit sectors, will be supported to undertake collaborative research across a range of topics including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, child health and mental health.
Among those receiving funding through the NHMRC 2024 Partnership Projects Peer Review Cycle 2 scheme include:
- Professor David Preen of the University of Western Australia will investigate the health service pathways and outcomes of people seeking urgent care for mental illness, deliberate self-harm and suicidal behaviour. Working with key mental health agencies, results from this study will inform targeted, evidence-based strategies to improve outcomes.
- University of Melbourne researcher, Dr Sarah Lensen will develop a new website that promotes evidence-informed decisions about IVF add-ons. IVF patients and doctors will help Dr Lensen to design the website, and experts will review the evidence.
- Associate Professor Heather Shepherd of the University of Sydney will lead a project aiming to support shared decision-making practice through the implementation and evaluation of the 'Finding Your Way model for Mob'. With Aboriginal governance and leadership, this research will validate a culturally safe measure of shared decision making and develop a framework for implementation.
- Professor Amanda Ullman from the University of Queensland, together with Australian hospitals, researchers and policy makers, will put in to practice a new medical device that will reduce pain, and improve the ability to give therapies to children undergoing hospital procedures. This also includes a toolkit to enable other hospitals across Australia to do the same.
NHMRC's Partnership Project scheme allows applicants to apply at any time during the year through a continuous application process to help researchers and partner organisations develop timely collaborations.
Details of all grants are available to download on NHMRC's Outcomes of funding rounds webpage.
Quotes attributable to NHMRC CEO, Professor Steve Wesselingh:
- "NHMRC's Partnership Project scheme is unique in that it fosters research collaborations across the health system and academia.
- "These partnerships are crucial for producing research that is multi-faceted and has the ability to impact the health of individuals and communities.
- "NHMRC welcomes the participation and funding support of our partners that enables our researchers to transform their ideas into breakthrough treatments, programs, policies and much more."
