Development of the Health and Research Collaborative
Equity strengths-based research collaborative in Whanganui Primary Health Care
This Research Collaborative has developed as part of the response to health disparities in the region. It is the result of health and research organisations working together to form a collaborative that will focus on equity-based health research. We are focusing on health disparities because differences in health status are unfair and unjust, and because they are also the result of differential access to the resources necessary for people to lead healthy lives. Research helps us know which initiatives are most helpful to address health inequity and test out approaches that will help with changes the way the health system responds to differences in health for different groups.
An Equity Snapshot looked at health in the Whanganui region by ethnicity, which confirmed different health outcomes, especially for Māori. Therefore, our research is based in primary health care but pays particular attention to ensuring there is a voice for whānau included. Our research includes anonymised data from the general practice network and from the experience of patients in the health system.
The Research Collaborative development was funded by an Activation Grant from the Health Research Council and, as a result, Primary Health Care research in our region now has an agreed structure and framework involving the Whanganui Regional Health Network, primary and iwi health organisations and practices, the local faculty of the College of General Practitioners, and an iwi research group. General Practice health professionals are involved in research meetings and are supported in research training.
Several priorities have been identified from the Equity Snapshot and a programme of work is unfolding. Projects will engage researchers and health professionals and will be supported by a research hub, hosted by a charitable health trust, Health and Research Collaborative (HARC) formerly known as Health Solutions Trust (HST). The research hub includes experienced clinicians and researchers, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and other emergent researchers.
The strength of this model of research lies in its regional development and use of local people, organisations, and resources, as well as its focus on primary health systems and its response to improving differences in health for our Whanganui communities.
HARC is involved in research into a number of areas of primary health care which are reported on this website.
Mission
The Mission of the Health and Research Collaborative is to provide a structure and framework to facilitate research in primary health and community care both within Whanganui local and regional communities, and more widely as needed, including identifying research priorities, seeking research opportunities and research funding, supporting research career development, and fostering research education and implentation.
Values
- An equity focus
- A collaborative approach
- A voice for whānau
- Best clinical practice
- Implementation of new knowledge
Vision
The Vision of the Health and Research Collaborative is to be a partnership between health and research organisations that adds value to primary and community health care by facilitating health research.
Goals
- To provide an operational framework that supports research in primary health and community care
- To identify and encourage awareness of areas in primary and community health that need research.
- To facilitate, develop, encourage and guide active participation in health research for the region.
- To respond to national and local calls for research
- To facilitate a prioritisation of research demands
- To endorse research requests on behalf of the partners and to facilitate the locality processes
- To provide a means of early and responsive evaluation of health projects within the region
- To provide evidence-based solutions for challenges facing the provision of equitable and quality health care services.
- To support the translation, uptake and implementation of research outcomes
- To capture the 'voice' of the community with clear and transparent representation.
