Health Research Council told to focus on …. health research

Shane Reti announced:

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says updated guidance provided to the Health Research Council (HRC) means future projects will have an increased focus on Government priorities and improved health for New Zealanders when being considered for funding. …

“What that means is a sharper focus on real-world projects leading to improved health and/or health system outcomes, such as improving timely access to quality healthcare for New Zealanders.

Basically the HRC has been told to focus on those with high health needs, health system goals, achieving health gains and strengthening the health research workforce.

Hopefully this will mean less of projects such as these which were funded last year:

• Mō ngā uri whakatipu: Women leaders paving a pathway for future generations
• Modelling the health and equity impacts of a range of dietary policies in NZ
• Health Benefits of Fagatua Indigenous Tokelau Wrestling for Tokelauan Youth
• Utilising Mātauranga to Guide Biomedical Research
• Pathways to health for Maori meatworkers and their whanau
• Cultural Intelligence and Cultural Safety for Tokelau Young People in Aotearoa
• Transforming crisis communication for linguistic minority communities
• Affirming cognitive behaviour therapy for Rainbow youth and whānau in Aotearoa
• The therapeutic potential of kava in the treatment of psychological trauma