The Australian Government has committed over $22 million for primary care research to ensure Australians get the best possible care for decades to come.
Across Australia’s leading universities 7 different projects have been funded through the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) to transform primary care in Australia and improve access, efficiency and equity for people across the country.
Successful projects include investigating how to improve primary care for older people and those in remote and regional areas and realising the promise and potential of digital health.
Through one grant, former Australian Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd has been provided more than $5 million to form a national Multidisciplinary Primary Care Research, Policy and Advocacy Consortium to ensure improvements across the sector for years to come.
Together with six research groups, a consumer group and 100 investigators, Professor Kidd will look at new and better ways to deliver primary care and improve outcomes for patients. The grants are funded under the $50 million Primary Health Research Plan which was a recommendation from an expert advisory panel to further strengthen Medicare.
MRFF is a $22 billion long-term investment to ensure Australia remains at the forefront of healthcare.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
“Improving primary care in Australia is something we should always be doing. So we are funding this research to make the system more accessible, equitable and efficient.
“Doing this research today means we are keeping up with improvements in technology and a changing world. It means an Australian healthcare system that will continue to be the gold standard across the world.
“The more technology changes the more exciting projects we can undertake to ensure Australians receive quality healthcare, no matter where they live.”