Libby Kalucy, PHC RIS
Experts in primary health care and primary health care research are among the appointees for new NHMRC committees that were announced recently for the triennium 2009-12. This is very encouraging for the future as limited primary health care representation in research governance has been one of the barriers to effective research in this field in Australia, as pointed out in the report accompanying the draft National Primary Health Care Strategy (p76).
Professor Jane Gunn will represent Primary Care/Rural Health on the Research Committee which covers the spectrum of health and medical research, including public health. <www.nhmrc.gov.au/about/committees/rc/index.htm#a3>
The former functions of the National Health Committee of the NHMRC in the 2006-09 triennium have been divided between the Health Care Committee and the Prevention and Community Health Committee for the new triennium 2009-12.
The Health Care Committee was established to provide advice to NHMRC Council on a range of clinical matters in hospital and primary care settings. Familiar names from primary health care research include Professors Chris Del Mar, John Wakerman and Doris Young. Dr Tamara McKean and Dr Mark Wenitong are well known as experts in indigenous health, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal as a prominent general practitioner, and Professor Leonie Segal as a health economist familiar with primary health care. A number of members have been part of working groups set up for the major reform processes in 2008 and 2009. <www.nhmrc.gov.au/about/committees/hcc/index.htm#a3>
The Prevention and Community Health Committee (PCHC) was established to provide advice on issues in community and public health, as well as prevention of illness. PCHC has a strong public health focus. The most familiar name from primary health care is Dr Tony Hobbs. Professor Kerin O’Dea is the Chair of this committee. <www.nhmrc.gov.au/about/committees/pchc/index.htm#a3>
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