Tracker - 28 August 2023

Over $9 million for collaborative research projects to improve health care access and equity

NHMRC Partnership Project grants totalling over $9 million were announced by the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Ged Kearney MP on 21 August 2023.

This grant scheme supports researchers to partner with policy makers and health service providers to design and deliver research that addresses health needs in Australia. Researchers collaborate with partners to co-design and undertake research that partners then translate into improved health services.

Funded projects are supported by more than 40 funding partners, which together, bring the total investment in the collaborative research to over $24.8 million.

Find out more about the projects funded in NHMRC's media release.

Indigenous Research Excellence Criteria review – national consultation webinar

NHMRC and the Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus (PCIC) invite you to contribute to the review of the NHMRC Indigenous Research Excellence Criteria (IREC).

A webinar (via Zoom) has been scheduled on Thursday 31 August 2023 14:00 AEST to explain the IREC review.

Please register online to attend the webinar.

Your contributions will inform recommendations for the improvement of IREC, to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research is of the highest scientific merit and is beneficial and acceptable to their communities.

Online consultations are now open and will close Friday 8 September 2023 17:00 AEST.

For more information, to read the discussion paper or make a submission visit NHMRC’s consultation page.

Contribute to the review of the Australian Dietary Guidelines – public call for systematic reviews extension

To support the revision of the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines, and recognising the importance of stakeholder input, NHMRC is undertaking a public call for high-quality systematic reviews.

This public call for evidence will supplement contracted literature scoping and evidence mapping work.

We invite stakeholders and members of the public to submit evidence for high-quality systematic reviews for selected diet and nutrition-related topics.

Submissions have been extended until Monday 11 September 2023 17:00 AEST.

For more information or to make a submission, visit the Dietary Guidelines review webpage.

Invitation for public submissions: Care Around Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Clinical Practice Guideline

Under Section 14A of the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992, the following clinical practice guidelines are seeking NHMRC approval:

NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth and the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand: Care Around Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Clinical Practice Guideline.

• Consultation has opened on Monday 21 August 2023 until Tuesday 19 September 2023.
• View the guideline and make a submission online.

Invitation for public submissions: Follow-up Care for Young Children Born Very Preterm

Under Section 14A of the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992, the following clinical practice guidelines are seeking NHMRC approval:

NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Newborn Medicine: Follow-up Care for Young Children Born Very Preterm.

• Consultation has opened on Monday 21 August 2023 until Sunday 24 September 2023.
• View the guideline and make a submission online.

Update to NHMRC’s Grantee Variations Policy

The updated NHMRC Grantee Variations Policy takes effect from today, Monday 28 August 2023 and includes updates to:

• Reflect terminology used in Sapphire
• Grant variation types specific to the Investigator Grant scheme
• Provide guidance on consideration of exceptional circumstances.

Researchers are encouraged to review the updated NHMRC Grantee Variations Policy available on NHMRC’s website and seek advice from their Research Administration Officer prior to submitting grantee variation requests.

Peer Review Analysis Committee – report now available

NHMRC formed the Peer Review Analysis Committee (PRAC) in 2020 to analyse and advise on the peer review processes used in the first two rounds of the Investigator and Ideas Grant schemes, particularly the impact of divergent scores between independent reviewers.

NHMRC, in consultation with PRAC members, has compiled a report based on the Committee’s findings and considerations. The report also notes changes to our peer review processes to increase quality, transparency and accountability in response to PRAC’s discussions and other feedback.

Further information about PRAC and the report are available on NHMRC’s website.

Key NHMRC grant program dates

Please see the funding schemes and calendar page.

Tracker

See previous editions of Tracker

Visit NHMRC's Newsletter sign up page to be subscribed to the fortnightly Tracker 

Do you have comments, suggestions, questions about Tracker, then—please email communications@nhmrc.gov.au.