DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL PRACTICE
 UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
Assoc Prof Meredith Temple-Smith
PHCRED Co-ordinator
P: 03 8344 3371
E: m.temple-smith@unimelb.edu.au
Eight Novice Researchers for the University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne has eight novice researchers commencing in 2010 - four new PHCRED funded participants in the Researcher Development Program, and four Academic General Practice Registrars - a sizeable cohort which offers excellent opportunities for group learning. We hope that some, if not all, will go on next year to join the growing number of research higher degree students who started on their research journey with the support of PHCRED.
Taking up the PHCRED fellowship this year are GPs Dr Lisa Derigo, who will be investigating sexually transmissible infections in young people, and Dr Amanda Fraser who is undertaking a study which examines young people’s views on acquiring their own Medicare card. Divisions Program Consultant Soenke Tremper will examine models of shared care for hepatitis C treatment. Nutritionist Susannah Summons works in Utopia, an Indigenous community in Central Australia, and will examine the issues involved in establishing a community garden, with the aim of improving the diet amongst residents with diabetes.
Academic General Practice Registrars work half-time in clinical practice and half-time in the Department of General Practice, where they are involved in both teaching and research. Dr Deepa Daniel will conduct a literature review on the links between Vitamin D and cancer, and is also spending some of her year learning how to become a medical editor at the Australian Family Physician. Dr Andrew Harewood will examine the provision of mental health plans for people with depression and co-morbid illness. Dr Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis is undertaking a research project in medical education and Dr Edward Vergara is keen to examine young men’s views on chlamydia testing in the primary care setting.
All of these budding researchers are looking forward to attending the Primary Health Care Research Conference and the opportunity to network with researchers with similar interests.
 VicPHCRED
Anna Chapman
VicPHCRED State Coordinator
P: 03 8575 2246
E: anna.chapman@med.monash.edu.au
The 2010 Victorian PHCRED fellows recently met in Melbourne for an orientation to the PHCRED program. Fellows from Monash University Department of General Practice (DGP) and Department of Rural & Indigenous Health (MUDRIH), and The University of Melbourne DGP were involved. The day proved to be a great networking and research capacity building experience for everyone.
2010 PHCRED Fellows present at the orientation day include:
Monash University DGP
- Dr Ruth Leibowitz – Patients’ attitudes to and practice around taking antibiotics
- Frances Cieslak - Is hepatitis B recognised and understood as a chronic disease requiring ‘chronic disease management’ in the general practice setting?
- Wendy Thomas - Pandemic Flu Plans in General Practice – A study of the Responsiveness of General Practice to the 2009 H1N1 Influenza pandemic
- Karina Gardner – Data management quality of General Practices with and without a practice nurse
The University of Melbourne DGP
- Dr Lisa Derigo - Knowledge of sexually transmitted infections and their risk factors in overseas and local students studying at The University of Melbourne
- Soenke Tremper - Victorian Models Of Care in Hepatitis C Evaluation (VicMODE)- A comparison of hospital and community based care for people living with hepatitis C
- Susannah Summons - Diabetes in Utopia: What’s changed?
MUDRIH
- Bruce Campbell - Inter-professional Collaborative Practice in a Regional Hospital in the Sub Acute Ambulatory Care Services
- Alma Ries - Double Dutch in Australia - A Research Proposal
- Helen Page - Impact of Teaching Mother Goose Skills to Parents/Carers/Guardians of Babies and Young Children in a Variety of Settings
- Simon Jones - Finding God in the Bush: An Exploration of the Relationship Between Spirituality and Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Natural Environment
- Nicole Kellow - Development of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: are Dietary and Exercise Factors Protective?
- Dr Joy Hussain - A Study of Acute Medical Evacuation Patterns in Central Australian Remote Communities
- Rouve Jan Forbes - After Black Saturday: Screening the Key Health Issues for Bushfire Affected Persons.
UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF RURAL HEALTH
 UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE
Joy Harrison
RDP Fellow
P: 02 6776 1205
E: joy.harrison@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
I am a Registered Nurse with Hunter New England Area Health (HNEAH) Service based in Uralla NSW. My current role includes initial contact with newly arrived refugees to facilitate health screening and immunisation update. In my role as multicultural liaison and resource for clients and staff within HNEAH, I provide education to health workers on the use of interpreters and cultural awareness for health equity and legal compliance. Previously I worked at Armidale hospital mainly in medical and palliative care for 20 years. My interest shifted to community health and in February 2007 I embarked on the adventure of refugee health part time, a privilege for me and a cultural experience every day without leaving home.
My keen interest in equity of access to health services for all community members has prompted me to consider undertaking research. I am particularly interested in looking at new workers and families who have recently relocated to the Tamworth area who face many difficulties gaining access to primary health care in an appropriate timeframe. New workers and families have added issues around language, transport and a lack of understanding of the processes involved in accessing the local health system. Moreover, anecdotal reports suggest that new community members are told to access health care in neighbouring towns creating further barriers to family health. The different levels of health entitlements by visa category further complicate the use of health services. My research aims to explore how recently relocated workers’ and families’ perceptions of the health system in Tamworth influence the way they access services.
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL AND INDIGENOUS HEALTH
 MONASH UNIVERSITY
Clare McHugh
Research Fellow
P: 03 5128 1033
E: clare.mchugh@med.monash.edu.au
With a background in Occupational Therapy and Health Promotion, I have long had a strong interest in research. When the opportunity came to apply for a Research Development Program (RDP) Fellowship with Monash University Department of Rural & Indigenous Health (MUDRIH) in Moe in 2008, I sought it keenly. At the time I was working in health promotion in a health promoting health service, so I decided to investigate this area further, with the aim of conducting a literature review on the topic.
My participation in the PHCRED program helped me gain a deeper understanding of research as well as develop many research skills. The RDP workshop calendar included presentations from MUDRIH Academic staff, covering Qualitative & Quantitative Research, Presentations and PowerPoint, Indigenous Health and Cultural Competency, and Publishing in Peer Reviewed Journals.
At the end of the program, I presented my findings at the 2008 VicPHCRED Conference in Melbourne. My presentation was entitled Health Promoting Hospitals – A setting for promoting good health. A systematic review. I have since completed a paper with my RDP supervisors, Dr Anske Robinson and Assoc Prof Janice Chesters, Health Promoting Health Services: A Review of the Evidence, which has been accepted for publication by the journal, Health Promotion International.
The RDP has been instrumental in allowing me to develop a career in research – something that I have long wanted to pursue. At the end of 2009 I was successful in applying for an Australian Postgraduate Award. This certainly would not have been possible if I had not participated in the PHCRED program and had such amazing support and encouragement from my supervisors. In March 2010 I commenced a PhD, with the topic addressing the wellbeing, or positive psychology, of stroke patients and their carers who live in the community in a rural and regional area.
NORTHERN RIVERS UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF RURAL HEALTH
 UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
Tania Lienert
PHCRED Coordinator
P: 02 6620 7382
E: tania.lienert@ncahs.health.nsw.gov.au
The Northern Rivers University Department of Rural Health (NRUDRH) is committed to improving Indigenous health and building research and evaluation skills in Indigenous health workers and researchers.
In 2009, NRUDRH appointed Darlene Rotumah to an Aboriginal-identified Researcher Development Program position. As a counsellor in an Aboriginal health service, Darlene was interested in learning about research to take back to her local Indigenous community, and to enhance her clinical practice.
 Darlene worked as a research assistant on the NRUDRH’s (non-Indigenous) Pharmacist Academic Lindy Swain’s project, Strategies to Increase Home Medicines Review in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities. She also received training in research methods and supervision, mentoring and support from NRUDRH Indigenous Academics, Associate Professor Janelle Stirling and Dr Shawn Wilson.
Darlene assisted with ethics applications, a literature review, data collection and background information for the research sites comprising of 11 Indigenous communities around Australia. This included information on the traditional owners, the history of each Aboriginal health service and other key Aboriginal organisations in the area.
“The RDP training has really enhanced my clinical practice”, Darlene reflected. “I can now find, read, understand and talk with colleagues about research publications. Time in academia also helped me to reflect on my work. And from the research project, I now have more knowledge of medication issues and I can recommend the Home Medications Review service to community members”, she said.
Lindy Swain reported that Darlene made valuable and insightful contributions to her project and that she learnt a great deal about Aboriginal culture and communication from Darlene. “Through the focus groups Aboriginal patients have expressed their desire to learn more about their medicines and any potential side effects”, Lindy said. “The majority have embraced the concept of reviews as they would help improve medication concordance and empower them to ask questions”.
DISCIPLINE OF GENERAL PRACTICE
UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE
Georgina Cotter
NRGP Project Officer
P: 02 4968 6735
E: georgina.cotter@newcastle.edu.au
The PHCRED program at the Discipline of General Practice has three RDP fellows for 2010.
Se Ok Ohr is continuing her RDP placement from last year and is enrolled in a Research Masters looking at the experiences of Korean nurses and Australian nurses working together within an Australian health care system.
 Paula Convery: An outback-change led me from Sydney to Katherine in the NT in 1996. A registered nurse, I completed a Master of Public Health through The University of Sydney and a career focused on Indigenous health promotion ensued. I completed a Graduate Diploma in Health Economics and became more interested in the effectiveness of health promotion service delivery. Following a two year stint in Ireland I joined colleagues at Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin investigating the application of continuous quality improvement methods to health promotion based on the Audit and Best practice in Chronic Disease (ABCD) framework.
I work as a Project Officer with the Discipline of General Practice investigating how a specialist memory nurse role might increase early detection of dementia in general practice. The RDP will provide an opportunity to enhance my qualitative research skills which I can then apply through this project.
Mark Adamski: I am a GP working in Shoal Bay and Anna Bay in Port Stephens. Doing the RDP is a great opportunity for me to work with a group of generous, experienced and motivated professionals who are hopefully going to share their knowledge with me! After years of trying to fix people one at a time, I came to appreciate that there might be different ways of approaching health and started my Master of Public Health at James Cook University (JCU). The RDP will help put some meat to the bones of some of what I'm learning at JCU. As someone who learns best by asking lots of questions, having so many resourceful people about is an ideal environment. Let the fun begin.
CENTRE FOR REMOTE HEALTH
 FLINDERS UNIVERSITY
John Reid
Indigenous Research Fellow
P: 08 8951 4775
E: john.reid@flinders.edu.au
Thoughts on Indigenous thought in PHC Research
John Binda Reid is an Aboriginal man who is a member of the Kokotha nation, whose traditional country lies in the north west of the state of South Australia. During the last 25 years, he has been intimately involved in the education and training of Indigenous peoples in a variety of employment roles and contexts. In that time, he has become increasingly interested in the nexus between education outcomes, equating to improved health outcomes for Indigenous Australians; particularly the diverse linguistic and cultural groups of the Central Australian regions. A place he has called home for the last 21 years.
Being an adult educator for almost 24 years, he has had the opportunity to analyse policy developed specifically for implementation by government, and their agents for the so called betterment of Indigenous Australians. This process has enabled him to see the historic role that research had played in informing the development of social/public policy, for use by government bureaucracies and service agencies to improve the living conditions of his people. He maintains that education and health policy has not improved equitable or positive outcomes for Indigenous Australians in these fields.
Policy failure in these areas became the inspiration for him to enrol in the Masters of Arts in Indigenous Social Policy (MAISP) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). It was while studying this course that he became familiar with a number of different research methodologies, which he believed could be applied to many Indigenous social and cultural contexts. However the ethical and moral dimensions that informed the application of these methodologies in the research process, he believes, needs to be constructed, monitored and evaluated by Indigenous communities. This is the type of philosophy, psychology and practice, he hopes to instil into the work he does as the Indigenous Research Fellow working within PHCRED.
Since John was employed as an Indigenous Research Fellow at the Centre for Remote Health under the PHCRED program, he has pursued his interest in incorporating Indigenous worldviews, particularly Indigenous Mind into the capacity building of Indigenous people in research and evaluation within the PHC fields.
CENTRE FOR PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AND EQUITY
 UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES
Melanie Marshall
PHCRED Program Coordinator
P: 02 9385 8401
E: m.marshall@unsw.edu.au
and
DISCIPLINE OF GENERAL PRACTICE
 UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE
Susan Goode
PHCRED Program Coordinator
P: 02 4968 6737
E: susan.goode@newcastle.edu.au
With the conclusion of phase two of the Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development (PHCRED) Strategy and Research Capacity Building Initiative (RCBI) at the end of 2010; and the future direction of both the PHCRED and RCBI 2011-2014 (phase three) currently under consideration, it is an appropriate time to reflect on past achievements, outcomes and future opportunities of these programs.
PHCRED and RCBI funding has been instrumental in the development of Practiced Based Research Networks (PBRN) nation-wide. With PBRN as one of the recommended priorities in phase three, the Universities of New South Wales (UNSW) and Newcastle (UoN) have taken the opportunity to investigate the potential to provide a collaborative research program engaging both PBRNs; Primary Health Research and Evaluation Network-GP (PHReNet-GP) and the Network of Research General Practices (NRGP).
Launched in 2007 PHReNet-GP and NRGP are well-established PBRNs and are a crucial resource for the respective university departments to produce high-quality, relevant Primary Health Care research. 2010 marks the fourth year since the conception of both PHReNet-GP and NRGP with plans to further develop both networks in the foreseeable future.
In 2010, to advance PHReNet-GP, an electronic PBRN (ePBRN) will be developed. This will provide a unique IT system and the first of its kind in Australia to link practices to support research into integrated health services, clinical translational research, clinical trials, cohort studies, association studies and longitudinal studies. It is also hoped that after successful implementation of the UNSW ePBRN this can be extended to include UoN.
PHReNet-GP and NRGP will also broaden their respective capacities in 2010 by undertaking collaborative research projects and exploring opportunities to include joint supervision/mentoring and co-hosting research forums. Whilst each PBRN will continue to exist as its own entity, it is envisaged that the collaboration between PBRNs will enhance and expand research outputs.
It is extremely encouraging that PBRNs are one of the suggested priorities for phase three of the PHCRED program which will build on the fundamental work already undertaken and enhance PBRN development as an essential framework for future research.
UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF RURAL HEALTH
UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE
Sarah Massey
RDP Fellow
P: 02 6767 8350
E: sarah.massey@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
I am a Paediatric Rehabilitation Coordinator working with the New England Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service in Hunter New England Area Health Service. I work in the community with children who have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI). My role encompasses supporting and educating families and coordinating allied health therapy services for children with a TBI. The client group is characterised by cognitive, behavioural, psycho-social and physical needs. I provide a consultative role to allied health staff and other service providers who work with children with TBI as well as teachers and aides in schools. I am involved in raising awareness and community education regarding preventative strategies and health promotion.
My research interest lies in collaborating with teachers and school staff in providing effective cognitive therapy strategies for children with TBI. After a TBI there may be difficulty in attention, concentration, memory and self-regulation, leading to challenges in the learning environment. Children need ongoing cognitive and behavioural support at school. In order to provide this support rehabilitation services and education staff need to collaborate closely to ensure effective processes and common objectives. However I have found that these processes and objectives often appear to be fragmented and ineffective. My research aims to explore the need to create a ‘shared vision’ between school staff and rehabilitation services. I hope to identify barriers and pathways that teachers experience in working with rehabilitation services in educating children with TBI. I hope that my research will contribute to establishing more effective interagency collaboration to achieve positive outcomes for children.
DISCIPLINE OF GENERAL PRACTICE
UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
Carolyn Donaghey
RDP Fellow
P: 08 8303 5013
E: carolyn.donaghey@adelaide.edu.au
 Carolyn Donaghey commenced her RDP Fellowship in February 2009 at the University of Adelaide. Carolyn comes to research in primary health with a background as an Anthropology graduate and 10 years involvement in health care as a consumer representative with a strong focus on maternal health. She is a founding member of a peer-support volunteer organisation CARES SA Inc <www.cares-sa.org.au> and through this she has counselled many women seeking support and information around birthing options.
Carolyn’s research project is looking at women’s and General Practitioner’s (GPs) awareness of the many different models of maternity care now available to women and their families. It will explore what information is shared, how information is gained and what is needed to improve the dissemination of information. This mixed method project has almost finalised the evaluation of data from a survey of 100 women and 100 GPs and will move on to a qualitative interview process with five GPs and five women. Carolyn is actively pursuing ways of disseminating research information to policy makers and service providers, to enable effective use of the knowledge gained.
The chance to conduct her own research with the support and guidance of supervisor Dr Karin Ried and staff at the Discipline of General Practice, has given Carolyn valuable experience which will have long term benefits to any future research. She has been supported through writing groups and information days which have expanded her knowledge and experience applicable to her research. Carolyn has found the research challenging at times, but of great professional satisfaction. She hopes to pursue further research through a PhD in the future.
In July 2009 at the GP & PHC Research Conference in Melbourne, Carolyn won best poster of the Conference for her first ever poster. She has presented her poster in September 2009 at the PHCRED Tri-State Conference in Alice Springs and at the Johanna Briggs Conference in November 2009 in Adelaide.
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY
 JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY
Sharon Barnwell
Communications and
PA to Head of School
P: 07 4781 5025
E: sharon.barnwell@jcu.edu.au
 Dr Amanda Torkington is no stranger to a life ‘split’ between different locations and careers. As a GP Academic Registrar, her time is divided between working as a GP in Charters Towers and research and teaching work at James Cook University. After observations of other workers with similarly hectic schedules, namely fly-in/fly-out miners at her practice in Charters Towers, Amanda decided it was time to ask about miners’ psychosocial health and wellbeing to better inform primary health care practices.
“The idea for my project came from my clinical practice, where I noticed particular challenges such as the care of children, behavioural issues of children and comments about Dad coming and going, things like depression and relationship issues,” said Amanda. “I started to wonder whether the miners themselves had any problems.”
Amanda received a grant from General Practice Education and Training (GPET) to fund a qualitative study into the health of miners. She started by placing advertisements in local media, but found there was resistance in her potential recruits. “I would have liked more participants, it took a long time to get my volunteers,” Amanda said. Qualitative research is less dependent on numbers, so while the sample group consisted of 11 miners, the results provided an interesting snapshot of their health. “I wondered whether I might have got richer information from including partners or having more participants,” said Amanda.
Qualitative research itself was new for Amanda. “I found it was a really interesting process in discovering information. Rather than designing a survey to pre-empt people’s problems, I have to figure out their views first,” she said.
Amanda says she has a “bigger appreciation of qualitative research and its relevance to primary health care”. “My research question sprung from my work in primary health care and I think exploring the ways people seek help will help primary health providers to target their research and think about qualitative research as clinicians,” she said.
GENERAL PRACTICE AND PRIMARY HEALTH CARE RESEARCH UNIT
 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
Tom Brett
Professor and Director
P: 08 9433 0571
E: tbrett@nd.edu.au
New Fremantle doctors have primary care research experience
The second cohort of new doctors from The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle included a number who were active primary care researchers with the General Practice and Primary Health Care Research Unit during their student days.
Dr Joanne Baker was awarded the medal for the most outstanding honours research project for her study into the attitudes of general practice patients towards discussing sexually transmitted infections with their medical practitioner. She has been awarded an RDP Fellowship in 2010 to further develop the study for a peer-reviewed journal publication. In addition, she will be presenting a talk at the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Public Health Applied Research and Evaluation Meeting (WA State Health) in March.
Drs Alison Philpott and Jessica Stewart received research bursaries under the PHCRED Research Capacity Building Initiative for their contributions to the Fremantle Primary Prevention Study into risk factor modification for cardiovascular disease among 40-80 year old patients attending three Western Australian general practices. Dr Ari Kantzides received a research bursary for his contribution to our research into general practice as career aspiration for graduate-entry medical students at Notre Dame.
All of the new doctors were very positive about their involvement in primary health care research and the benefits to their professional development through a hands-on approach in the research process.
COMBINED UNIVERSITIES CENTRE FOR RURAL HEALTH
 UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Lyn Brun
WA Statewide PHCRED Coordinator
P: 08 9956 0200
E: lynb@cucrh.uwa.edu.au
Framework to meet the need of Aboriginal health services
The University of Western Australia, through PHCRED funding, has awarded a Researcher Development Program (RDP) fellowship and two bursaries to quarantine time for three early to mid-career researchers to undertake projects in 2010.
Dr Tim Leahy, a public health medical officer, has accepted an RDP in the area of clinical governance in Aboriginal primary health care. The funding will assist Dr Leahy in developing a framework for clinical governance which meets the needs of Aboriginal health services and community members. In addition, through the RDP he will clarify and field test the framework for useability, acceptability and validity within a Western Australian context.
Mrs Suzie Leavesley, CEO of the Great Southern Division of General Practice, will use her bursary to conduct a needs assessment of accommodating undergraduate students in health related courses in a regional/remote area of Western Australia. The project aims to identify and improve the range and suitability of accommodation options for undergraduate medical, allied health and nursing students in this location.
Dr Greg Glazov, a GP with 18 years of experience in medical acupuncture, has received a bursary to further explore the topic of his PhD which is to examine the effectiveness of laser acupuncture on lower back pain using a randomised controlled trial design.
Applications for the 2010 Researcher Development Program have been received and recipients will be announced shortly from the two other institutions within Western Australia that receive PHCRED funding.
NOSSAL INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL HEALTH
UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
Grant Blashki
Associate Professor
P: 0407 662 771
E: gblashki@unimelb.edu.au
The PHCRED fellowship has been a wonderful opportunity to build collaborations, undertake research and publish in two research areas; primary mental health care, and climate change and health.
In the area of mental health, I have been privileged to be working with colleagues at the School of Population Health, University of Melbourne (UoM) research team to evaluate major mental health reforms in Australia including the Better Outcomes program, the Better Access program and the Mental Health Practitioners Network. With colleagues from the United Kingdom (Kings College London) and Canada (Université d'Ottawa), I have been conducting international comparisons as they face many of the same policy challenges we do in Australia. At the same time, with colleagues from the Department of General Practice (UoM), I continue to be involved in clinical research including the DIAMOND and reorder studies. I have had a fruitful collaboration with the Department of Social Work (UoM) and we have just completed a randomised controlled trial of social worker training in cognitive behavioral strategies, funded by the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI). Our study will help social workers work more closely with GPs as part of the mental health workforce. At a community level, I continue to work closely with beyondblue as a clinical advisor and member of the Victorian Centre of Excellence in Depression advisory group.
Concurrently, I have been involved in the emerging field of climate change and health, and in particular exploring the role of primary health care. As a Visiting Fellow at ANU’s National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH), I have been a contributing author to the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan on Human Health. In collaboration with WONCA, I am supervising an international survey of doctors’ perspectives on climate change and health (Dr Claudio Villella). I am also co-supervising research into medical student education about climate change (Dr Graame Horton). At the Nossal Institute for Global Health we are undertaking work on climate change in the Asia Pacific region funded by UNICEF focusing in particular on children.
On a clinical level I have been collaborating with colleagues working on green clinics and separately on the development of green hospitals (Dr Forbes McGain).
DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL PRACTICE
MONASH UNIVERSITY
Chris Anderson
PHCRED Coordinator
P: 03 8575 2248
E: christopher.anderson@med.monash.edu.au
 We welcome Grant Russell, Monash University’s new Professor of General Practice Research and the Director of a new Academic Research Unit that has been established in the southern suburbs of Melbourne.
The Academic Unit has been formed from collaboration between Monash University’s School of Primary Health Care; Southern Health; (Victoria’s largest regional health authority) and the Dandenong Casey General Practice Association (DCGGPA). The three partners have come together to improve linkage and exchange between academia, policy and practice in one of Victoria’s most disadvantaged urban regions.
Although Grant is a medical graduate of the University of Western Australia, he comes to us after having spent the majority of the last decade in Canada, most recently working as a clinician investigator at the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Ottawa.
Since his time in full time general practice, he has been intrigued by the interplay between structure, process and performance in health care. He was able to refine some of those approaches when working as part of a research group in Ottawa that used mixed methods to measure and understand numerous dimensions of performance in Ontario primary care practices. Recent publications have helped clarify some of the potential impact of nurse practitioners and clarified the potential impact of larger practice size and increased primary care workload. The findings have additional relevance in light of the changes currently sweeping primary health care in Canada.
Grant received a 2008 President’s Award from the North American Primary Care Research Group for leading a pan-Canadian investigation of primary care research capacity. His group’s report, Mapping the future of primary health care research in Canada has helped shape new policies in research capacity development in Canada.
Reference
Russell G, Geneau R, et al. (2007). Mapping the future of primary health care research in Canada: A report to the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation. Ottawa, Canadian Health Services Research Foundation: 1-52.
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