NATIONAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN 2007-2009

STRATEGIC PLAN 2007-2009

N H M R C

www.nhmrc.gov.au

W O R K I N G T O B U I L D A H E A L T H Y A U S T R A L I A

NATIONAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCILSTRATEGIC PLAN 2007-2009

STRATEGIC PLANSTRATEGIC PLANSTRATEGIC PLAN

© Australian Government 2007

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N H M R C

www.nhmrc.gov.au

NHMRC Strategic Plan 2007-2009 3

CONTENTS

Message from the Minister 5

NHMRC – THE NEW ERA 6

Challenges for Australian Health and Medical Research 6

Our Structure 8

Major National Health Issues 9

How NHMRC will Address these Health Issues 14

NHMRC STRATEGIC PLAN 15

Mission 16

Values 16

Strategic Objectives 16

Meeting Tomorrow’s Health Challenges 23

EXCELLENCEEXCELLENCEEXCELLENCE

In all we do.


Message from the Minister

The National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) strategic plan for

2007-2009 should help to keep Australia at the forefront of health and medical discovery.

Our ability to use these discoveries to address the health issues impacting on our community

has been built on an internationally recognised research sector, which includes six Nobel

Prize winners for Physiology and Medicine. Now, more than ever, we need to support our

researchers and health professionals as they strive to tackle the unseen and emerging health

challenges of tomorrow.

This strategic plan outlines the major objectives of the NHMRC over the next three years, the

major health issues that may emerge in the coming years and the steps needed to address

them. To ensure Australia is well placed to meet emerging health challenges, the NHMRC

has developed five key objectives to:

Support the best research;

Produce the highest quality evidence and advice;

Pursue research at the highest of ethical standards;

Encourage new avenues of investment; and

Build a better NHMRC.

The Government is committed to the ongoing support of the NHMRC, and in strengthening

Australia’s health and medical research capacity. This was confirmed in May 2006 with

a $905 million increase in spending towards health and medical research, including

$500 million over four years to increase support for medical research, $170 million over nine

years for the prestigious Australia Fellowship to support Australia’s best researchers, and

$235 million to support our medical research institutions.

I look forward to receiving reports on progress against the initiatives in the current plan and

wish the NHMRC success in its ambitious endeavours.

The Honourable Tony Abbott MP

Federal Minister for Health

19 February 2007

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RESEARCHRESEARCHADVICE

6 nHMrc Strategic Plan 2007-2009

NHMRC – THE NEW ERA

Challenges for Australian Health and Medical Research

Good health and wellbeing is something we

wish for. If we do become ill, we want the

health system to provide us with the best

possible care.

Overall, Australians experience good health,

but we still suffer from the major health

burdens of the developed world (e.g. cancer,

heart and vascular disease, mental illness,

bone and muscular diseases, obesity and

diabetes), and in some communities, most

notably many Indigenous communities,

diseases of the developing world.

Our health system is unique and often faces

unique challenges. It is a combination

of public, private and community-based

health care and relies on many different

professions. It extends from primary care

to tertiary hospitals, from dense inner

urban to remote low

density locations.

It needs to provide

care to all members

of our community

from the very young

to the very old, address the health needs

of both sexes, the chronically ill, and

people from diverse backgrounds and

places of origin. Individuals have widely

differing expectations of the system. It is

understandable then that the health care

system, perhaps our single largest industry,

also relies on health research to develop,

expand and improve. Research provides

the evidence base to improve prevention,

treatment and the effectiveness of health

care. It leads to innovations that transform

diagnosis and treatment, and generates

the growth of new industries. It helps us

understand ourselves as human beings.

Internationally, health and medical research

delivers new insights into the human

condition and the processes that lead to ill

health. Australia has contributed strongly

to this international effort, and this has

benefited both individual and community

health here at home. Our health faces many

challenges, both old foes and new and

emerging threats.

NHMRC is the leading health research

agency for the country and so to meet the

health challenges facing Australia, NHMRC

must:

Fund the best and most relevant

research to improve the health of all

Australians and adopt the outcomes of

health research conducted elsewhere

around the world;

Influence and support the infusion of

evidence from research into improving

the actions of health professionals and

the health care system, and into public

health policies;

Provide leadership in the ethical

framework in which Australian health

is delivered and research is conducted;

and

Work to ensure the discoveries of health

and medical research contribute to

growth of an innovative industry

sector.

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The NHMRC is the leading health research agency for the country

nHMrc Strategic Plan 2007-2009 7

This Strategic Plan casts NHMRC’s triennial strategies within a longer term context, sets

a series of objectives that challenge and stretch our organisation, and drives health and

medical research and innovation into the future.

NHMRC will serve Australia through the support of excellence in all we do. This Strategic

Plan emphasises the translation of research into policy and practice, by supporting research

ideas that improve clinical and public health policies and practices, clinical applications, and

national wealth, via the Virtuous Cycle1.

Figure 1 – The Virtuous Cycle

Advances in health research make possible new treatments not dreamed of until now,

but also produce new ethical dilemmas previously not thought of. NHMRC is the only

organisation charged with national responsibilities in health ethics and this plan presents

a stronger commitment to action in promoting and ensuring the best ethical behaviour in

Australian health and medical research.

We work for the Australian community, accountable to the Government. We aim to improve

the health and wellbeing of Australians and people around the world, now and into the

future.

Professor Warwick Anderson AM Professor Michael Good

Chief Executive Officer Chairman

THE VIRTUOUS CYCLE

Research Investment

Knowledge Creation

Healthier Australians

Improved Health Care

National WealthGeneration

GOVERNMENT

RESEARCH

OUTCOMES

1 Commonwealth of Australia (2004) Sustaining the Virtuous Cycle – for a healthy, competitive Australia – Investment Review of Health and Medical Research, Canberra.


Our Structure

NHMRC is Australia’s peak body for supporting health and medical research; for developing

health advice for the Australian community, health professionals and government; and

for providing advice on ethical behaviour in health care and in the conduct of health and

medical research.

NHMRC became an independent statutory agency within the Health and Ageing Portfolio on

1 July 2006. This change brought with it an amended National Health and Medical Research

Act 1992 (the NHMRC Act), which defines the NHMRC as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO),

the Council and Committees, and the staff of the NHMRC (see figure 2). 1 July also brought

with it new members of Principal Committees and Council, and a new CEO.

Figure 2 – Structure of the National Health and Medical Research Council

The NHMRC Act requires the CEO to develop a strategic plan setting out:

The CEO’s assessment of the major national health issues that are likely to arise during

the period; and

The manner in which the CEO proposes to perform his or her functions in dealing with

those issues during the period.

Each NHMRC strategic plan must contain a national strategy for medical research and

public health research.

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CEO

MINISTER for Health & Ageing

Council

Staff

Research Committee

Australian Health Ethics Committee

National Health Committee

Human Genetics Advisory Committee

Embryo ResearchLicensing Committee


RELEVANCERELEVANCEIn meeting the needs of all Australians.

Major National Health Issues

The NHMRC Act requires an assessment of the major national

health issues likely to arise during the triennium. In developing this

assessment the CEO has consulted with the Council, each Principal

Committee of NHMRC and the staff. These issues are considered in

developing NHMRC’s work plans to implement this Strategic Plan,

through coordination of activities in research, research synthesis and

guidelines, and health advice.

NATIONAL HEALTH ISSUES: Australian governments have identified the following as major health issues:

Arthritis and

musculoskeletal conditions;

Asthma;

Cancer and cancer

prevention;

Cardiovascular health;

Diabetes;

Health workforce;

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Human influenza

pandemic;

Indigenous health;

Injury prevention;

Mental illness;

Stem cell research; and

Water quality.

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These issues will continue to receive strong research attention

from NHMRC, and will be a major focus of activities where

NHMRC provides evidence–based advice to governments and the

community.


2 http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/research_sector/policies_issues_reviews/key_issues/national_research_priorities/default.htm).

In particular, NHMRC will concentrate on

health inequalities in Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander communities, with a focus on

prevention, delivery of care and governance,

and will consider the social, cultural and

economic factors which contribute strongly

to the health of individuals and communities.

NHMRC remains committed to achieving

five per cent funding from the Medical

Research Endowment Account for research

relevant to Indigenous people.

NATIONAL RESEARCH PRIORITIES:

The Australian Government has adopted the

following four National Research Priorities2:

An environmentally sustainable

Australia;

Promoting and maintaining good

health;

Frontier technologies for building and

transforming Australian industries;

and

Safeguarding Australia.

NHMRC has a particular responsibility for the

National Research Priority, Promoting and

maintaining good health, and the priority

goals of:

A healthy start to life;

Ageing well, ageing productively;

Preventive health care; and

Strengthening Australia's social and

economic fabric.

NHMRC will support the Government’s

efforts under the National Research Priorities.

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CURRENT HEALTH ISSUES

There are other health issues in Australia in

addition to those identified above. Some of

these issues are outlined in Table 1. NHMRC

anticipates that these issues will be subject

to ongoing consideration by governments,

non-government organisations, research

organisations, and the community over the

period of this Strategic Plan.

NHMRC will assist government and

community consideration of these issues

in a variety of ways, including the

development of research activities.

In particular, NHMRC will work closely

with the Australian Government Department

of Health and Ageing, and the State and

Territory governments to develop the

research program and present the evidence

required in advising governments.

EMERGING HEALTH ISSUES

In addition to the current issues identified

above, there are issues of emerging

importance that NHMRC will consider during

the current triennium. Some of these are

outlined in Table 2.

NHMRC will direct its research activities

and advice to inform government and

community consideration of these issues.

nHMrc Strategic Plan 2007-2009 11

3 Complementary Medicines in the Australian Health System, Expert Committee on Complementary Medicines in the Health System - Report to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing; September 2003

Table 1 – Major health issues during this triennium

ISSUES COMMENT

Effective health care Changing demographics, quality care and the impacts of new therapies

and diagnostics will increase the pressure on Australia’s health care system,

particularly resulting from increasing numbers of very elderly people

requiring health care, the growing incidence of chronic illness, health

inequalities in Indigenous communities, and the need for continuity of care

and community support.

There is a need for the health workforce, including allied health workers,

to be skilled and experienced to be able to introduce research evidence

into practice and policy. There is concern about a decline in research

trained health professionals.

Advances in research will impact on the cost of health care. There is

pressure for taxpayers to subsidise an increasing range of new therapies,

bolstered by an increasingly health literate population.

NHMRC will support activities, with the Department of Health and Ageing,

to provide the research base for dealing with the major issues, including

quality of care, and through the National Institute of Clinical Studies

and partnerships, develop strategies for the implementation of research-

informed approaches in health practices and policy development.

Obesity This represent a serious and growing national health concern and an

increasing burden on the health care system. There is a need to examine

the key risk factors that lead to obesity, and actively pursue opportunities

to provide the scientific support for holistic national strategies to reduce

the individual and community health burdens. NHMRC will make obesity

prevention and treatment a major focus for the triennium to support a

comprehensive national strategy.

Complementary and

alternative medicines

One in two Australians3 regularly use complementary and alternative

medicines with Australians spending more on complementary and

alternative medicines than prescription drugs. NHMRC will initiate new

approaches to research and the provision of evidence based advice

in complementary and alternative medicines during this triennium.

Depression, dementia

and addiction

These are major health issues which, over recent years, have reached

increasing prominence. There is national interest in depression (e.g. the

establishment of beyondblue and other initiatives), dementia (in an ageing

population) and addiction (including to newer “recreational drugs”).

NHMRC will target research to develop the evidence base in this area

during the triennium.

Social and

environmental effects

on health

Research shows that strong cohesive societies have better health than

dysfunctional communities with the health of the individual inextricably

linked to the health of their community. Community and individual

health is affected by local social and lifestyle factors and the physical

environment, including food and nutrition, alcohol, smoking, recreational

drug use, exposure to environmental extremes, isolation and loneliness,

sexual health, access to and knowledge of health information, and many

others. Of particular significance, disadvantage in the first years of life,

including in foetal life, may have long lasting effects and directly influence

health in adulthood. NHMRC will support research and evidence building

in this important area.

12 NHMRC Strategic Plan 2007-2009

Table 2 Emerging Health Issues

ISSUES COMMENT

Genetic testing The rapid growth in knowledge about human genetics has lead to the

widespread introduction of genetic testing in medicine and in everyday

life. NHMRC will address major issues in this area during the triennium,

including:

- The need for new guidelines and standards (e.g. disclosure of

genetic information; ethical aspects of genetic testing; and genetic

registers);

- Ethical issues;

- Implications for business; and

- The possibilities of individualised medicine (e.g. pharmacogenetics,

nutrigenetics, etc).

Health disasters It is not possible to predict fully the disasters in health that we might

face. However, the threats include new infectious diseases (especially

the possibility of avian influenza pandemic), the possible impact of

terrorism (e.g. biological, radiological and physical) and the effects of

heat extremes (especially in the elderly).

Water quality Australia is focussing on the water shortages that many urban and rural

communities are facing. Public trust in the safety – immediate and long

term – of their water supply is essential, and unsafe water supplies

can and do cause much ill health and death worldwide. For Australia,

it seems inevitable that the safety of recycled water (direct, through

treated, or indirect through discharge from upstream towns and cities)

will be important over this period.

Regenerative

medicine

Research over the past several decades is providing us increasingly with

the ability to manipulate cells for therapeutic purposes, to repair and

regenerate diseased and degenerated tissues. A wide range of new

possibilities has arisen, including the use of adult and embryonic stem

cells. During the next few years, the aspects of this area that seem

destined to dominate are:

- The immense challenges that face research in this new cell biology

area;

- Regulation of new research endeavours; and

- The ethical debate around the use of stem cells derived from human

embryos. There are deep and sincere views held for and against the

use of human embryos in research, and this debate seems set

to continue and grow.

RESPONSIVENESSRESPONSIVENESSRESPONSIVENESSAddressing Australia’s immediate and

longer term health challenges.


ISSUES COMMENT

Public confidence in

research

Public support for health and medical research demands that we

maintain the highest possible transparency and standards in all we

do. Recent events internationally (e.g. failures in clinical trials in

UK, fraud in Korea, reports of ethical transgressions in Australia) put

public confidence at risk. NHMRC will continue to strengthen ethical

oversight in Australian health and medical research, and to promote high

standards, including:

- External, transparent review of all our processes and achievements;

- Timely reviews where ethical guidelines have been breached in the

conduct of health and medical research in Australia;

- Better coordination and surveillance of human experimentation;

- A strong code against research misconduct and fraud;

- A coordinated national approach to multi-centre research;

- Diligent and transparent regulation of stem cell research; and

- Educational initiatives.

Nanotechnology New nanotechnologies are ready to transform many aspects of

manufacturing, and provide many advances in health diagnostics and

treatments.

New food

technologies

Good nutrition is the cornerstone of good health and there are many

new issues that have arisen in recent times, such as;

- Concerns about foods from genetically modified crops and animals;

- The benefits and risks of nutriceuticals; and

- Professional concerns about dietary and nutrition advice and

advertising.

Global health Australian researchers accept a responsibility to contribute to the

improvement of health throughout the world, and to contribute to

growing activities to address the health burdens of the developing world.

LEADERSHIPLEADERSHIPLEADERSHIP

Leading Australia’s national health and medical research efforts, setting authoritative advice, supported by high ethical standards.


BALANCEBALANCEBALANCE

How NHMRC will Address these Health Issues

The issues listed above are broad and dealing with them successfully

will involve cooperation and effort from all sectors of the Australian

community, including governments, the private sector, research

sector, non-government organisations including professional

colleges, and the community.

Having identified these major issues, NHMRC will target through its

research, ethics, regulatory and advisory functions where it can add

most value to the country in meeting these challenges. NHMRC will

seek to work and make partnerships with relevant organisations

as required.

To help Australia meet tomorrow’s health challenges, NHMRC will

give priority to addressing the challenges identified in the preceding

section.

NHMRC will not be limited to these identified issues and will

continue to monitor and address major issues as they arise.

NHMRC will develop a detailed business plan, outlining the role

of the Council, Committees and staff, to address issues outlined

above and NHMRC’s strategic objectives outlined in the Strategic

Plan below.

Supporting all forms of research including molecular, cellular, and clinical research targeted at individual health.


BALANCE

NHMRCSTRATEGIC PLAN

NHMRC will only support excellence in

research, because the best outcomes flow

from the best research.

NHMRC is committed to all research relevant

to health - including biomedical, clinical,

public health and health services research.

NHMRC recognises that multidisciplinary

approaches are needed to solve the complex

problems of health.

NHMRC has developed and will implement

a series of realistic and achievable strategies

to meet the expectations of all levels

of government, the health and medical

research sector, and the community.

To achieve these goals NHMRC will:

Continue to support excellence

in health and medical research,

including

- Supporting robust project and

program grant research built on the

best ideas of Australian researchers.

- Developing strategic approaches

to the major health issues likely to

arise and other emerging issues.

Support the best researchers in

all research approaches, through

competitive research fellowships

schemes including for early and mid-

career researchers.

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Support key national assets needed

for research, such as gene and tissue

banks, national animal welfare

initiatives and access to large scale

research facilities.

Work to further implement the

recommendations of the Investment

Review of Health and Medical

Research (the Grant Review)

on policy and practice focused

research, and to provide more active

assistance in research to inform

policy development in health.

Continue its commitment to

improving Indigenous health

through building capacity and

implementing the Road Map: a

strategic framework for improving

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

health through research.

Increase its commitment to

supporting the best ethical conduct

in health care and in research.

Provide evidence and informed

advice to governments and the

community.

Ensure diligent and transparent

administration of the regulatory

framework established by the

Prohibition of Human Cloning

Act 2002 and the Research

Involving Human Embryos Act

2002, including implementing the

amendments to those Acts passed

by the Federal Parliament.

Improve communications with

all our stakeholders through

a comprehensive communications

strategy.

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Mission

Working to build a healthy Australia.

Values

The NHMRC adheres to and promotes the following values:

Excellence: In all we do.

Relevance: Meeting the needs of all Australians.

Responsiveness: Addressing Australia’s immediate and longer term health

challenges.

Leadership: Leading Australia’s national health and medical research

efforts, setting authoritative advice, supported by high ethical

standards.

Balance: Supporting all forms of research including molecular, cellular,

and clinical research targeted at individual health.

Working with others: Supporting research across in a wide range of research

organisations.

Impact: Promoting policy, practice and commercial impacts.

Engagement: Collaborating nationally and internationally.

Accountability: Operating at the highest professional, and transparent

standards.

Diversity: Embracing a richly diverse workforce, operating in a

collaborative, open and sharing environment.

Strategic Objectives

This Strategic Plan covers the period 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2009 and has five

strategic objectives:

OBJECTIVE 1 tHe BeSt anD MOSt releVant reSearcH

OBJECTIVE 2 eViDence BaSe FOr HealtH POlicY anD Practice

OBJECTIVE 3 HigH etHical StanDarDS

OBJECTIVE 4 increaSeD inVeStMent (tHe VirtUOUS cYcle)

OBJECTIVE 5 tO BUilD a Better nHMrc


These objectives have been established to meet the challenges of the current and future

health environment. Achievement of these objectives is the combined responsibility of the

CEO, the Council, the Committees and the staff of NHMRC.

To ensure NHMRC achieves the targets established by the vision for the next decade, it will

be essential to set, monitor and report against key quantifiable and achievable Performance

Indicators that also significantly stretch the organisation. During the 2003-2006 Triennium,

NHMRC developed its Performance Measurement Framework4. NHMRC’s Performance

Measurement Framework will be revised to align with the five objectives outlined in the

new Strategic Plan.

NHMRC will help Australia deal successfully with health issues as they arise. These include

emerging issues for the health system or individuals, or new health and medical research

developments. Some of these developments may arise as new ethical issues. NHMRC,

therefore, needs to be flexible to meet unforeseen challenges that may arise during the

period covered by this Strategic Plan. In addition to this Strategic Plan, the NHMRC is

required to provide an annual Statement of Intent in response to the Minister’s annual

Statement of Expectation. NHMRC’s annual Statements of Intent will be made publicly

available on NHMRC’s website (www.nhmrc.gov.au) and should be read in conjunction with

this Strategic Plan.

To achieve all the objectives, NHMRC will encourage and promote involvement of

Australians in getting skills, experiences and careers in research, policy development,

evidence-based health practice and ethics.

4 see http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/pmf2006.htm

WORKING WITH OTHERSWORKING WITH OTHERSWORKING WITH OTHERSSupporting research

across in a wide range of research organisations.


OBJECTIVE 1 THE BEST AND MOST RELEVANT RESEARCH

KEY STRATEGIES MECHANISMS

• Identify and support the best research and

researchers.

• Peer reviewed, open, transparent and

contestable processes.

• Short and long term research support.

• Funding across approaches relevant to health.

• Fellowships in the best research approaches.

• Improve research funding processes. • International review.

• Match research outcomes with Australia’s

needs.• A robust Request for Application process

targeting major health issues.

• Policy and practice focused research

initiatives.

• Commercialisation development support.

• Increase support for Indigenous health

research.

• Build Indigenous research capacity and

increase research support.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Objective evidence of excellence, transparency and quality, such as peer review of

final reports and bibliometric analysis, as outlined in the NHMRC’s Performance

Measurement Framework5.

International review completed by 31 December 2007.

Growth in all research approaches relevant to health.

Five per cent funding from Medical Research Endowment Account for research relevant

to Indigenous people.

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5 see: http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/pmf2006.htm

IMPACTIMPACT

Promoting policy, practice and commercial impacts.


OBJECTIVE 2 EVIDENCE BASE FOR HEALTH POLICY AND PRACTICE


• Increase access to best research evidence. • Systems to develop the best advice on current

and emerging health issues relevant to the

Australian community.

• Processes to rapidly identify evidence gaps.

• Facilitate the utilisation of health advice. • Interactions with relevant Australian, State and

Territory governments, and non-government

organisations.

• Promote effective uptake of evidence into

practice.

• Implement the NHMRC’s policy and practice

plan.

• Integrate the National Institute for Clinical

Studies within the NHMRC.

• Programs to evaluate uptake methodologies.


Relevance and usefulness of health advice.

Partnerships with relevant organisations.

National Institute for Clinical Studies integrated by the end of March 2007.

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ENGAGEMENTENGAGEMENTENGAGEMENTCollaborating nationally

and internationally.


OBJECTIVE 3 HIGH ETHICAL STANDARDS


Address important ethical issues. Develop a workplan to address the ethical

aspects of NHMRC’s priority health issues.

Address ethical dimensions of relevant current

and emerging health issues.

Drive best practice ethical review of

research.

Promote the National Statement on Ethical

Conduct in Research Involving Humans

and the roles of Humans Research Ethics

Committees and Animal Ethics Committees.

Streamline multi-centre research.

Promote responsible conduct and

governance of research.

Promote the Australian Code for the

Responsible Conduct of Research, the National

Statement on Ethical Conduct in Research

Involving Human and the Australian code of

practice for the care and use of animals for

scientific purposes.

Ensure compliance with Australian ethical

standards.

Propose a national systematic approach to

promote compliance with national research

ethics guidelines following a review of

existing processes.

Investigate alleged breaches in conduct of

health and medical research.

Perform our functions under the Research

Involving Human Embryos Act 2002 and the

Prohibition of Human Cloning Act 2002 with

diligence and transparency.


Relevance and usefulness of ethical guidelines and advice.

Completion of an implementation plan for national harmonised system of ethical

review of multi-centre research by August 2007.

Development of a framework for a national systematic approach to promote compliance

with national research ethics guidelines.

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ACCOUNTABILITYACCOUNTABILITYACCOUNTABILITYACCOUNTABILITYACCOUNTABILITYACCOUNTABILITYACCOUNTABILITY

Operating at the highest professional and transparent standards.


OBJECTIVE 4 INCREASED INVESTMENT (THE VIRTUOUS CYCLE)


• Work with government to support the

best investment in health and medical

research.

• Engage with relevant government and non-

government agencies.

• Encourage industry investment in research

and development.

• Undertake a review to identify where the

NHMRC can provide the greatest impact.

• Seek to promote researcher/industry/business

sector interaction.

• Encourage philanthropic investment in

health and medical research.

• Develop and expand relationships with

private sector.

• Working in regional and global

partnerships.

• Establish agreements to support multi-national

research, and implementation of advice and

ethics.


Total levered research support in Australia.

Interaction between researchers and the private sector.

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ACCOUNTABILITY

DIVERSITYDIVERSITYDIVERSITYEmbracing a rich,

diverse workforce, operating in a collaborative, open and sharing environment.


OBJECTIVE 5 tO BUilD a Better nHMrc


• Develop more responsive NHMRC. • Staff profile to better align with NHMRC’s new

vision.

• Implement Investment Review

recommendations by recruiting additional staff

experienced in health and medical research.

• NHMRC Principal Committees to bring to

the attention of NHMRC issues of national

importance.

• Coordinate internal strategic functions. • Integrate research, advisory, regulatory and

ethics functions.

• Improve NHMRC’s internal expertise and

capacity.

• Strengthen NHMRC’s internal scientific

capacity.

• Communicate effectively. • Improve communications with government,

health professionals and the community.

• Improve national and international

cooperation and collaboration.

• Develop broad ranging national and

international multidisciplinary partnerships.


Improved community and government recognition and trust in the NHMRC as an

authoritative health body.

Greater recognition of the NHMRC as a value to the Australian community.

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nHMrc Strategic Plan 2007-2009 2�

Meeting Tomorrow’s Health Challenges

There has never been a time when health research has been better poised to tackle

human health problems and to stimulate the creation of new industries. We understand

the fundamental biological mechanisms of life at a depth much more profound than even

a decade ago, we understand the influence of the social and physical environment

on health much better. We have many new and powerful potential diagnostic and

therapeutic approaches opening up and a very able and flexible, internationally

oriented research workforce.

The challenges now are to continue to expand the frontier of knowledge across all

research approaches – biomedical, clinical, public health and health services research –

and maintain globally leading positions in the most important areas for the future. An

even bigger challenge, is to ensure that new knowledge is captured for the benefit of

health, through new diagnostics, new products, new therapies, evidence informed policy

development, and evidence based best practice in care delivery.

NHMRC will help Australia meet these opportunities because of our unique research, advice

and ethics framework, but to do this the NHMRC will need to continue to evolve.

We need to make sure that we can identify and support the best and most important

research and researchers, build excellence in all research approaches, develop a more

robust means of supporting priorities, and ensure that the gaps between knowledge

generation and better health and national wealth are bridged more efficiently and effectively.

We face many challenges, particularly the poor health of Indigenous Australians.

We have also unique opportunities, not least of which will come from research and health

engagement with the countries of south-eastern Asia.

Its an ideal time then to seize these opportunities and build a stronger NHMRC for the

future. A major task for the triennium will be to work with government to build a new

vision for NHMRC as Australia’s peak health and research body. We will critically examine

what Australia needs from the NHMRC in the future.

We have an ambition to be the benchmark internationally for supporting research, providing

evidence based advice to the community and setting ethical standards.


the national Health and Medical research council

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health • Aged Care • Blood and Blood Products • Cancer • Cardiovascular Health • Child Health • Clinical Practice Guidelines – Standards for Developers – Topics • Communicable Diseases, Vaccinations and Infection Control • Diabetes • Drug and Substance Abuse • Environmental Health • Ethics in Research–Animal • Ethics in Research–Human • Genetics and Gene Technology

• Health Procedures • Health Promotion • Human Cloning and Embryo Research • Indigenous Health • Injury including Sports Injury • Men’s Health • Mental Health • Musculoskeletal • NHMRC Corporate documents • NHMRC Session Reports • Nutrition and Diet • Oral Health • Organ Donation • Poisons, Chemicals and Radiation Health • Research • Women’s Health

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) was established in 1936 and is now a statutory body within the portfolio of the Australian Government Minister for Health and Ageing, operating under the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992 (NHMRC Act). The NHMRC advises the Australian community, the Australian Government, and State and Territory Governments on standards of individual and public health, and supports research to improve those standards.

The NHMRC Act provides four statutory obligations:

• to raise the standard of individual and public health throughout Australia;

• to foster development of consistent health standards between the States and Territories;

• to foster medical research and training and public health research and training throughout Australia; and

• to foster consideration of ethical issues relating to health.

The NHMRC also has statutory obligations under the Prohibition of Human Cloning Act 2002 (PHC Act) and the Research Involving Human Embryos Act 2002 (RIHE Act).

The activities of the NHMRC translate into four major outputs: health and medical research; health policy and advice; health ethics; and the regulation of research involving donated IVF embryos, including monitoring compliance with the ban on human cloning and certain other activities. A regular publishing program ensures that Council’s recommendations are widely available to governments, the community, scientific, industrial and education groups. The Council publishes in the following areas:

NHMRC publications contact: Email: [email protected] Internet: http://www.nhmrc.gov.au Free Call: 13 000 NHMRC (13 000 64672)

or 02 6217 9000

To Order Publications: National Mailing and Marketing PO Box 7077 Canberra BC 2610 Email: [email protected] Phone: (02) 6269 1000 Fax: (02) 6260 2770

STRATEGIC PLAN 2007-2009

N H M R C

www.nhmrc.gov.au

W O R K I N G T O B U I L D A H E A L T H Y A U S T R A L I A

NATIONAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN 2007-2009

Health & Medicine

Transcript of NATIONAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN 2007-2009