Researcher Development Program

Project Coordinator

Nicholas Zwar

Chief Investigators

Associate Investigators

Other Team Members

Melanie Marshall, Sarah Dennis, Suzan Mehmet

Rationale

The Researcher Development Program (RDP) is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing through the Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation & Development (PHC RED) Strategy. The UNSW Research Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, through its Primary Health Care Research Capacity Building Program, has been allocated funding under this Scheme in 2006 to support research placements within the Centre and associated units.

Aims

The aim of the RDP is to enhance research capacity in primary health care by providing financial and infrastructure support to primary care professionals interested in undertaking relevant research.

Design and Method

The intention of the placement is to give people with limited research experience an opportunity to develop a range of skills by working on an existing research program within the CPHCE and / or associated research units. Areas of research supported include:

• Health System Development (including Health Services Integration, Information Systems for Primary Health Care, Development and Evaluation of new models of Primary Health Care, Early Childhood Interventions, Primary Health Care Workforce Development)

• Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease (including Quality improvement, Organisational Development in General Practice, Prevention of Chronic Disease)

• Understanding and Intervening to Reduce Health Inequalities (including Aboriginal Health, Unemployment and Health, Place and Health, Access to Quality Health Care)
• Improving the Links Between Research and Policy/Practice in Primary Health Care

Key Publications

Dunbar N, Comino E, Mehmet S, Harris .F. Research capacity in general practice: Opinions from the field. Australian Family Physician, 2002. 31(2): 205-207.
Zwar NA, Comino EJ, Hasan I, Harris MF. General Practitioner views on barriers and facilitators to implementation of the Asthma 3+ Visit Plan. Medical Journal of Australia. 2005
Zwar NA, Weller D, McCloughan, Traynor V. Supporting research in primary care: are practice-based research networks the missing link? MJA. 17 July 2006; 185 (2):110-113