SAX INSTITUTE

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Monthly e-newsletter. October 2015

Four researchers whose work has changed the way we design and deliver healthcare have been honoured in our inaugural Research Action Awards

Dr Anne Cust and Associate Professor Julie Leask from The University of Sydney, Associate Professor Farah Magrabi from Macquarie University and Dr Santosh Khanal from the NSW Ministry of Health were presented with their awards last month by NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer Professor Mary O'Kane. They have made an impact on areas ranging from having sunbeds banned in several states to changing the way we communicate about vaccines to parents. The Sax Institute established the annual awards to recognise research that supports policy decisions that make a real-world difference to people’s health and wellbeing. Read about the Awards and watch our short videos on the research projects.

news and opinion

Video and news wrap: The challenge of evaluating integrated care

Healthcare systems globally are forging ahead with integrated care initiatives, but complex programs pose a host of challenges for researchers who evaluate them, visiting UK expert Professor Nicholas Mays told a HARC Forum this month. Read about the forum or watch our Five Questions video with Professor Mays, Director of the UK Policy Innovation Research Unit.

Events

Increasing use of research evidence workshop − limited tickets available

Join international knowledge exchange expert Professor John Lavis for this small group workshop: Increasing the use of evidence from research − dismantling barriers, building solutions. The two-hour workshop will be held on Tuesday 27 October from
4-6pm at the Sax Institute. Places are limited to 15.

news and opinion

Video: Professor Dame Valerie Beral reflects on public health advances

Our latest INSIGHTS video features Professor Dame Valerie Beral, an epidemiologist at Oxford University and the Principal Investigator of the UK’s Million Women Study, who reflects on the growth in public health knowledge since beginning her career in 1970. She talks about improvements in how governments use evidence and the pitfalls of superficial appraisals.

research, reports and publications

Public Health Research & Practice call for papers

The latest issue of our Public Health Research & Practice journal is out now, with a theme of 'Getting the most from routinely collected data'. We are also calling for papers from policy makers, practitioners and researchers for four themed issues planned for 2016. Proposed themes include: Environmental health; Routinely collected data (part 2); Drug and alcohol; and Infectious diseases.

news & opinion

Six top tips for commissioning better evaluations

What are the ingredients for commissioning a successful evaluation? The Sax Institute's Dr Carmen Huckel-Schneider joined with the Department of Education's Mr Duncan Rintoul at the recent NSW Government Evaluation Conference in Sydney to offer advice to policy makers on this growing area. It may sound simple, but being able to explain your program to an outsider is one key to success.

news and opinion

45 & Up Study at centre of world-first dementia research

A $6.5 million world-first trial into modifiable risk factors for dementia is planning to use data from participants in the Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study to investigate whether an internet coaching tool can reduce the risk of the condition.

events

NHMRC Symposium on Research Translation, jointly with CIPHER

There is still time to register for this annual NHMRC Symposium in Sydney on 27-28 October, which will be opened by NSW Minister for Health Jillian Skinner. The conference theme is Policy and Research: Working together to improve the health of Australians, and it will feature presentations from international guests Professor Chris Ham from The Kings Fund and Professor John Lavis from McMaster University.