Critique of current health research funding models in Australia

Commissioning of research under the Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development (PHCRED) strategy is undertaken by the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI). Commissioned research is target driven based on the current needs of policymakers, service providers and consumers. Research projects that embed stakeholders rate highly. PHCRED seeks to build research capacity through a mix of grant funding, individual and team initiatives, knowledge exchange and national and international links and collaborations. In the decade to 2013, over 800 authors contributed to over 500 peer-reviewed publications supported by APHCRI. Similarly, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (PHCRIS), also funded through the PHCRED strategy, have provided considerable capacity-building support to researchers through information and knowledge exchange services. Furthermore, APHCRI is establishing a model to set up wide networks across broad stakeholder groups and systems to better drive the successful implementation of research into the future.