Capital & Coast DHB establishing Research Centre

19 December 2005

Capital & Coast DHB establishing Research Centre - to promote and coordinate research projects

Capital & Coast DHB has unveiled plans for a new Research Centre, which will promote, develop and manage research in its public hospitals and health services.

“Research is already a major area of activity within our hospitals and health services,” says Tim Maling Clinical Director of Medical Services for C&C DHB.

“But research is currently co-ordinated on a department-by-department basis, and we don’t have a centralised process for ensuring consistency of quality, appropriate use of resources and consistency in the way the research is managed. Nor do we currently have someone available to assist health professionals who were undertaking research activity for the first time.”

The solution comes in the form of a Clinical Services Research Centre, which has been announced today. The CSRC will see representatives from all departments working together to co-ordinate research and proposed research.

“This isn’t just a process issue, it’s actually about making things easier and of a higher standard for all research within our organisation. It’s a bit like a think tank - a repository for expertise which can be used to help guide any clinician who is thinking of embarking on research.”

Prof Maling says bringing all research under one umbrella was first proposed in 2002, and a lot of careful thought and discussion with clinicians occurred, culminating in today’s launch of the policy to establish the centre. “We’re now working to have the CSRC up and running by the middle of next year,” Tim Maling says.

Cheyne Chalmers is the DHB’s Director of Nursing and Midwifery, and will play a key role in implementing the policy. “One of the real benefits of this approach, which will become evident over time, is its potential to expand the range of research which is occurring – especially in areas such as nursing research and allied health research,” Cheyne Chalmers says.

“The Research Centre will co-ordinate many of the major aspects of getting research off the ground. It will help ensure that each proposed piece of research meets ethical requirements, that it will use DHB resources in an appropriate way, and that it meets our expectations of quality.

“That will be a real help to clinicians, who in some cases shy away from research because it often requires a large amount of organising. The Centre will provide a resource which can help those clinicians work through the processes required to start, and conduct, a successful research project.

“The creation of this Research Centre will enable us to pool data about all of the research work which is going on, or which is proposed, and to ensure those research projects are carried out in consistent, high-quality and appropriate ways,” Cheyne Chalmers says.

ENDS

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