Partnerships tackle the health issues of our age
Exercise programs to prevent falls for older Australians, and clot-busting drugs to treat stroke are among 16 health and medical research projects to receive $14 million in funding.
Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, said the Gillard Government, through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), would support these new Partnership Projects for up to five years.
“Partnership Projects bring together researchers, non government organisations such as the Royal Society for the Blind and National Stroke Foundation, state health departments and health care providers to find ways of filling gaps in information and putting this knowledge into practice.”
Clot-busting (thrombolysis) is widely used in the treatment of stroke, when indicated by a CT scan. Different applications of CT scans can lead to variations in the use of clot-busting drugs, meaning some patients may miss out on the best care.
Associate Professor Mark Parsons from the University of Newcastle will work with neurologists and medical imaging specialists in NSW and Victoria to develop and implement standardised CT scans for all acute stroke patients.
Falls and fractures have a major impact on older individuals and the organisations that provide their health services. Dr Catherine Sherrington and colleagues at the George Institute for International Health, University of Sydney and University of NSW, will use funding of $1.5million to assess the effectiveness of preventative education and exercise programs being introduced by the NSW Department of Health.
This research will influence clinical and public health practises in Australia and internationally. Additional funding will come from the NSW Department of Health.
The Partnership Program grants are an innovative funding model where the NHMRC provides part of the funding, and it is supplemented by contributions from other partners. In this grant, the NHMRC will provide $1.075million, which is augmented by financial support from the National Stroke Foundation, medical imaging providers and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.
