An approach to building research capacity for health practitioners in a public health environment: an organisational perspective.
A unique opportunity to engage in research capacity-building strategies for health practitioners arose within public sector health services during the negotiations for an industrial agreement. A research capacity-building initiative for health practitioners that is allied health, oral health and scientist practitioners was funded and the components of this initiative are described. The initiative was implemented using a research capacity-building framework developed from a review of the literature and stakeholder consultations. The framework included leadership and governance, support to researchers and translation of evidence into practice and was contextualised to public health environments. There were several phases of implementation. An evaluation of the preliminary phase of establishing research positions and research activity was conducted and several successes of the capacity-building strategies were identified. These successes (e.g. solid partnerships with universities) are discussed, as are future concerns, such as sustainability of the initiative in a tighter fiscal context.
Allied Health Professions Office of Queensland, Department of Health, Queensland Government, 15 Butterfield Street, Herston, Qld 4006, Australia. Email:
Julie
J
Hulcombe
531 Mt Crosby Road, Anstead, Brisbane, Qld 4070, Australia. Email:
Jennifer
J
Sturgess
healthindustry.com.au Pty Ltd, PO Box 478, New Farm, Qld 4005, Australia. Email:
Tina
T
Souvlis
Allied Health Services, Metro South Hospital and Health Service, Princess Alexandra Hospital, 199 Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, Qld 4102, Australia.
Cate
C
Fitzgerald
D001315:Australia; D057191:Capacity Building / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005381:Financing, Organized; D006801:Humans; D015980:Public Health Practice; D012106:Research