Australian Rural Health Research Collaboration (ARHRC)
As part of the University of Sydney's Faculty of Medicine, the NRUDRH has formal links to the Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health and to the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety at Moree. In 2003, these centres developed formal partnerships with their local Area Health Services and sucessfully bid for funding ($1.5 million over 3 years) under the New South Wales Department of Health's Capacity Building Infrastructure Grants Program to establish the Australian Rural Health Research Collaboration (ARHRC). This is underpinned by a series of memoranda of understanding which ensures that each party to the collaboration has clear expectations regarding the operation of the partnership, the contribution they may be called upon to make and the process by which decisions will be made. Funding under this program was highly competitive and this group's success recognises the significant track record of the three research teams.
The goals of the collaboration are to undertake research that leads to sustainable improvement in the health of rural communities and informs a national and international audience through established links.
The Collaboration is governed by an advisory committee with representation from the universities involved, local area health services and industry and community representatives.
It has five main research streams:
- Agricultural health and safety;
- Remote health;
- Environmental health;
- Mental health; and
- Clinical and health services research.
It is envisaged that in practice the research collaboration will work in a number of ways, which could include the following (not exhaustive):
- One site becomes the lead for certain project topics;
- One site could be a control and another the intervention;
- All sites could implement the same program; and
- Sites share ideas and research interest to develop a common research project.
Contact:Ms Debbie Payne on 61 2 6752 8210.
Reports 2006
ARHRC Impact of Research on policy and practice
2005 4th Annual Report of ARHRC - Final vers 7 Mar 2006
Copyright © 2006 Northern Rivers University Department of Rural Health
Authorised by UDRH | Page last updated: Jul 14, 2006
Website Administration