NMHS Research Strategy

We are proud of our outstanding history of clinical research and innovation.

Our achievements include highly acclaimed researchers such as Professor Peter Eastwood, whose sleep apnoea research in 2009 was named one in ten of the Best Research Projects by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) was also home to Nobel Laureate, Professor Barry Marshall (retired), whose revolutionary work demonstrated that stomach ulcers are caused by bacteria and not stress, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2005.

More recently, heading a patient-focused translational research program in NMHS, Professor Y C Gary Lee has revolutionised clinical care for patients with various pleural diseases from cancer to infection and pneumothorax in WA and worldwide. His work has led to new state-of-the-art pleural disease treatment and management that significantly reduces morbidity, hospitalisation costs and invasive interventions.

However, there is always more to be done to respond to the changing demographics and healthcare needs of our community and to address inequities in health outcomes.

To this end, we are in the process of developing the NMHS Strategic Intent for Research.

Our strategic approach

As part of our commitment to intellectual curiosity, the NMHS Strategic Intent for Research being developed to cultivate research in NMHS by:

• making it a part of our day to day business, removing barriers to research and increasing research capacity
• translating knowledge gained through research into evidence-based practices and technologies that improve patient outcomes and deliver outstanding care.

Research capacity pillars

The NMHS Strategic Intent for Research will focus on four Goals around growing, raising, building and strengthening our research capacity by:

Goal 1. Growing research capacity by:

• optimising research opportunities that align with capabilities, strategic priorities and patient outcomes
• integrating research, clinical practice and education
• growing leadership in research and creating an education and mentorship framework for staff to develop confidence and competence in research skills.

Goal 2. Raising the profile of research by:

• articulating the value and promoting the contribution of research in improving patient outcomes
• enhancing consumer engagement and perspectives in informing research
• leading and supporting the translation of research evidence into practice.

Goal 3. Building cohesive inter-professional research teams by:

• investing in internal and external relationships to support research
• building networks to enhance professional capacities and building processes to enable collaboration.

Goal 4. Building infrastructure to support research sustainability by:

• influencing the development of a secure and reliable data management system
• strengthening sustainability of funding, expertise and management of workload.

NMHS aspires to engage with the Research community to review and validate our objectives and inform the actions which will sit under each objective to bring the NMHS Strategic Intent for Research to life.