Thanks to the responses of all who took part in our priority-setting consultation process last year, New Zealand is moving closer to its first set of health research priorities.
The results of that consultation will be available on this consultation page within a couple of weeks.
Based on the submissions received and feedback heard at public meetings with Māori, Pacific people and members of the disabled community, the independent Development Group overseeing the prioritisation process met in November to establish a set of revised priority areas.
The group is due to meet again at the end of this week to further revise these priorities before another consultation takes place in March this year. This will be the final opportunity for input on the priority areas that will guide New Zealand research up until 2027.
In the meantime, the Health Research Council will be contacting all those who attended, or registered for, our public meetings to provide them with a summary of the input they gave and how it has been incorporated in the Development Group's revised priority areas.
Many thanks again to all who took part in this important exercise. It has helped clarify what is critical for us to focus on in New Zealand, and has helped inform the level at which priorities should be set in order to balance the needs of New Zealanders, families and communities.