The National Institute of Clinical Studies (NICS) is an institute of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). As part of NHMRC, NICS works to improve health care by helping close important gaps between best available evidence (what we know) and current clinical practice (what we do).
Since we were established in 2000, NICS has achieved both national and international recognition for our contribution to health care delivery.
While we are justifiably proud of our achievements, we also recognise that our real strength lies in our partnerships. Clinicians, policy makers and health care professionals from across the health care spectrum have enthusiastically lent their time and skills to help us develop projects that make a real difference in clinical care.
Our structure
NICS became an institute of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NMHRC) on 1 April 2007.
Our Chief Executive Officer is Professor Warwick Anderson and the Executive Director of NICS is Rosie Forster.
NICS delivers our knowledge in evidence translation to our stakeholders through four major program areas:
- Effective Practice
- Guidelines Research
- Leadership
- Research Implementation
For information on the goals and current activities of these programs, please refer to the Program section.
Our history
NICS was established by the Australian Government in December 2000. In April 2007, NICS became an Institute of NHMRC.
Why NICS was established
The initial terms of reference for NICS were to:
- Map current activity around improving quality and clinical care, and provide a focus for the consolidation and dissemination of that work;
- Support research to assess and evaluate aspects of the system within which care is provided — including the processes, interactions and relationships — to identify mechanisms to improve care delivery and the most effective means to influence their implementation;
- Identify the best mechanisms to influence and improve clinical practice, in concert with the profession;
- Establish working groups and advisory structures to report and advise on a wide range of matters relating to clinical improvement in the Australian healthcare system;
- Champion best practice within the healthcare system through education and training;
- Build links between professionals, consumers and other stakeholders to improve exchange of information and experience about the operation of the healthcare system and minimise duplication of effort;
- In collaboration with the relevant agencies and bodies, promote the collection and analysis of data and the development of effective data systems;
- Build links both nationally and internationally with organisations with similar objectives, and identify and assess relevant overseas approaches to clinical practice improvement.
For more background on the establishment of NICS see this Medical Journal of Australia editorial written by the Institute's inaugural Chair, the late Professor Chris Silagy AO.
In April 2007, NICS became an institute of the National Health and Medical Research Council.
View the NICS annual reports of 2002 to 2006 for further information on our activities during those years.
Our achievements
NICS has made significant contributions to health care in Australia through collaboration, developing guidelines and other materials, the provision of training, and helping policy development.
- Australian access to the Cochrane Library
- Collaboration
- Materials & resources
- Partnerships
- Policy development
- Training
- Read more...