The Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) is delighted to announce the results of its latest Health Delivery Research investment rounds, designed to improve patient care and healthcare systems in Aotearoa New Zealand.
This month, the HRC awarded 7 Health Delivery Research Project Grants, 38 Health Delivery Research Activation Grants, and 4 Health Delivery Research Career Development Awards, to a combined value of $11.3 million. A further $915,000 will support 7 DHBs across Aotearoa to undertake research that adequately responds to health sector, patient and community needs. Details of the research to be carried out as part of these Health Sector Research Collaboration Grants will be announced in February 2022.
This combined funding supports research that will directly contribute to improved healthcare delivery by informing decisions or changes to policy, practice or systems in the New Zealand health and disability sector. The HRC has a strong tradition of supporting clinical trials and clinical research development, but its redesigned Health Delivery Research investment portfolio, now in its second year, has attracted a new level of research engagement from the healthcare sector and those keen to improve it.
“The health sector has a critical role in connecting research with its end-users, speeding up translation, and ensuring research addresses the most important questions,” says HRC Chief Executive Professor Sunny Collings.
Collaborating with some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s district health boards helps upskill and empower hospitals to conduct more research, she says. “And the HRC will continue to work alongside the Ministry of Health to embed a research and innovation culture within the changing health service sector.”
See below for the full list of recipients announced today.
2021 Health Delivery Research Project Grants
These grants provide support for health delivery research that is connected to healthcare delivery at a practice, policy, or system level. Research should help address a health sector need, a demonstrated evidence gap, and consider knowledge translation.
Professor Nicola Kayes
Optimising telerehabilitation practice in Aotearoa
AUT
$1,388,974
Professor Jackie Benschop
Enhancing leptospirosis diagnosis and outcomes for rural and Māori communities
Massey University
$1,399,858
Professor J. Abbott
MOBILIZE Aotearoa
University of Otago
$1,399,924
Dr Tagonei Mharapara
Sustainable LMC midwifery: Balancing work and whānau responsibilities
AUT
$1,364,660
Professor Beverley Lawton
Hapū Whānau: Implementing iwi-owned service hubs to improve health outcomes
Victoria University of Wellington
$1,385,762
Associate Professor Benjamin Darlow
Reducing the burden of knee osteoarthritis through community pharmacy
University of Otago
$1,399,704
Dr Lynne Chepulis
Health-system factors contributing to inequity in diabetes medication use
University of Waikato
$1,394,675
2021 Health Delivery Research Activation Grants (2nd tranche)
These grants were established to address a key gap in health sector readiness to engage in and undertake research. This funding helps researchers establish evidence needs or research opportunities, or develop research capacity, before applying for further health delivery funding.
Dr Ema Tokolahi
Setting Occupational Therapy Research Priorities in the Waikato
Otago Polytechnic
$30,000
Dr Emily Cooney
DBT skills groups in Te Whānau ō te Maungārongo
University of Otago
$29,453
Ms Christine Barthow
Improving pre-diabetes/Type 2 diabetes care in high needs populations
University of Otago
$29,957
Dr Barbara Cormack
Analysing vitamin status and early Intravenous Nutrition in the NICU
The University of Auckland
$29,929
Dr Gavin Harris
Computer Assisted Diagnosis in Pathology: Guiding a pathway to translation
Canterbury DHB
$28,400
Associate Professor Haizal Hussaini
Feasibility of oral pathology tissue bank for Māori & Pasifika
University of Otago
$26,630
Dr Natalie Anderson
Emergency ambulance care in the event of a death: What matters?
The University of Auckland
$29,596
Ms Deborah Raphael
Psychosocial interventions for post-treatment haematological cancer survivors
The University of Auckland
$28,745
Dr Jackie Robinson
Palliative care for people who are homeless and vulnerably housed
The University of Auckland
$29,890
Professor Pamela Von Hurst
Making nutrition support accessible and applicable for New Zealand communities
Massey University
$30,000
Mr Nicholas Bowden
Exploring educational outcomes among young people with diabetes
University of Otago
$29,404
Dr Rebekah Graham
Tāngata kāpō Māori and health service (non) delivery
Independent Researcher
$29,600
Professor Bridget Dicker
Kaiāwhina Hauora Hapori (Community Health Helpers)
Auckland University of Technology
$29,927
Dr Dean Mahuta
Ngā Toronga o Te Kukunetanga: The branches of the Te Kukunetanga family
Auckland University of Technology
$29,971
Dr Jessica Young
A new research agenda to support safe and accessible assisted dying in Aotearoa
Victoria University of Wellington
$29,996
Dr Liesje Donkin
A technology-based intervention for early detection of post-natal depression
Auckland University of Technology
$29,998
Dr George Parker
Gaps analysis of mental health and addiction services for rainbow communities
Victoria University of Wellington
$29,793
Dr Sue Adams
Improving access to primary health care: Integrating nurse practitioner roles
The University of Auckland
$30,000
Ms Joanna Hikaka
Indigenous health services development – tools and networks for pro-equity care
Independent Researcher
$30,000
Dr Jane Girling
Menstrual health information delivery for Aotearoa New Zealand
University of Otago
$28,351
Associate Professor Catherine Byrnes
Intravenous antibiotic duration for children with bronchiectasis
Middlemore Clinical Trials
$29,528
Dr Radilaite Cammock
Creating food havens in South Auckland
Auckland University of Technology
$29,897
Dr Susan Gee
Preparing to meet the challenge of fitness to drive assessments
Independent Researcher
$29,282
Dr Felicity Ware
Māmā aroha: A digital breastfeeding resource to improve support for māmā
Massey University
$29,600
Dr Kesava Kovanur Sampath
Te Rourou Iti ā-Haere – Improving health outcomes for diabetic kaumātua
Waikato Institute of Technology
$30,000
Dr Alison Leversha
School absence and stand down: Preventive trauma and tikanga-informed approach
Auckland DHB
$28,410
Dr Jessica McCormack
Investigation of services and programmes available in Aotearoa for FASD
The University of Auckland
$29,956
Dr Katherine Bloomfield
Co-design of core outcome measures for a multidisciplinary frailty intervention
The University of Auckland
$29,198
Dr Rhys Ponton
Exploration of inherited propensity for codeine misuse and dependence
The University of Auckland
$29,889
Professor Jonathan Koea
Te Matahourua: Charting the course of Rongoa and Medical Collaboration
Waitemata DHB
$29,910
Mr Timothy Ryan
Supportive self-management for new medications in type 2 diabetes
Lakes DHB
$30,000
Associate Professor Jacqueline Ramke
Models of diabetic retinopathy screening across Aotearoa
The University of Auckland
$30,000
Dr Sarah Fortune
Maximising the evidence-based management of self-harm in schools
The University of Auckland
$29,799
Dr Joanne Deely
Investigating navigational support for people living with stroke
Burwood Academy of Independent Living
$29,811
Dr Paulo Silva Pelicioni
Investigating Parkinson’s disease among Māori and Pacific peoples
University of Otago
$29,227
Associate Professor Kirsten Coppell
Integrating exercise and nutrition therapy to equitably address multi-morbidity
University of Otago
$28,692
Associate Professor Katie Groom
Whakapiri: nationally prioritised Māori māmā and pēpi health clinical trials
The University of Auckland
$25,613
Dr Matthew Hobbs
Generating evidence to improve uptake and equity in maternal immunisation
University of Canterbury
$29,999
Health Delivery Research Career Development Awards (2nd tranche)
These grants provide an opportunity for a funded placement in a health delivery research team or health sector setting. They offer an alternative pathway into health delivery research aimed at attracting more people with relevant skills into this discipline.
Dr Sarvnaz Taherian
Understanding the enablers of innovation in the hospital environment
Auckland DHB
$110,000
Mrs Zeina Al Naasan
Tooth Wisdom: Integrating refugee cultural competency into dental practice
University of Otago
$52,448
Dr Gavin Harris
Developing momentum for Computer Assisted Diagnosis in Pathology
Canterbury DHB
$153,299
Mr Christopher Higgs
Realising the potential of the Primary Care Allied Health Workforce
University of Otago
$132,346
Health Sector Research Collaboration Grants
These grants are a direct effort to facilitate more research that adequately responds to health sector, patient, and community needs. Below are the successful DHBs in the 2021 negotiated funding round.
Auckland DHB
Capital and Coast DHB
Nelson Marlborough DHB
Northland DHB
Southern DHB
Waitemata DHB
Whanganui DHB