Issues Paper - South Western Sydney Local Health District - NSW ...

A Research Strategy for South Western Sydney Local Health District – Paper No.1 Issues Final April 2012A culture where research was not supported by managers or by other staffA lack of skills, interest or desire to do research2. Specialist Research SupportThere is a range of expertise which is fundamental to effective research design,development and evaluation. The District has pockets of research expertise provided byresearch units such as the General Practice Unit at Fairfield; the Centre for Research,Evidence Management and Surveillance; the Centre for Applied Nursing Research; Centrefor Health Equity Training Research and Evaluation; and Centre for Population Mental HealthResearch. In addition to their research, these units foster and support research initiated orundertaken by staff and students. Local medical libraries also provide advice and supportto researchers in literature searches, and in some cases actually undertake a search.Other research services essential to the conduct of research are either not available or oflimited availability. For example, many researchers and staff welcomed the recentappointment through the Ingham Institute of a part-time biostatistician but indicated that theposition only partially meets local requirements. There is no expertise in the District fortelephone and written survey design and researchers frequently need to outsource theirstatistical work to universities knowing that this work is not a priority and will take longer.A number of clinicians, services and staff indicated that there was a need for generalresearch support such as data managers and research coordinators. The provision of smallgrants in the past was seen by some researchers as a very useful strategy for buildingresearch however for others it produced variable outcomes. The recent award of largerinfrastructure grants by the Ingham Institute has allowed some clinicians to significantlyincrease their research capacity. The availability of large scale funding in the future from theIngham Institute is questionable given ongoing research projects.A major gap identified is the lack of a single coordination function within the District forproviding information and advice about research supports, priorities, expertise and outputs.The Ingham Institute has been fulfilling some of this role e.g. producing an annual reporthowever the broader coordination and information role is outside of its mandate.Summary of issuesThe lack of research supports such as data management, IT and statisticsFunding for small grants, early career research support and support for mid-careerresearchersNeed for a single coordination office within LHD to provide advice and report onresearch activity3. Clinical TrialsA clinical trial is research in which a therapeutic, preventive or diagnostic intervention istested on human subjects. Although primarily used in the evaluation of drugs or medicaldevices, this methodology can also be used in health service delivery evaluation and result inimproved health care and population health outcomes and longer term benefitseconomically. The size and diversity of its population make SWSLHD a prime area for clinicaltrials and there are an increasing number of services conducting trials (including multicentreSWSLHD| 14