NHMRC opened a Targeted Call for Research (TCR) into Frailty in Hospital Care: Complex Health Care on 31 October 2018 and closed on 30 January 2019. Due to an administrative issue at the close of minimum data which disadvantaged some applications, NHMRC elected to reopen this call in the interests of equity and fairness. The re-opened call closed on 21 March 2019.

This TCR was prioritised by the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council (AHMAC) Working Committee. The TCR aims to encourage research that addresses how frail persons can be supported to avoid hospitalisations, receive optimal care when admitted, and achieve the best health recovery outcomes, through integrated and coordinated in- and post-hospital interventions.

The Council of Australian Governments agreed that AHMAC work with the NHMRC to identify areas of priority research that could be funded, possibly jointly with States and Territories, through the TCR programme.

Applications for this TCR seek to address one or more of the following:

  • How should frailty (physical and/or cognitive) shape assessment, decision-making, treatment, and restorative strategies for people at different levels of, and conditions predisposing to, frailty within the home, community and/or hospital setting?
  • What strategies and interventions are effective in managing frail people at home or in the community, to avoid hospitalisations?
  • What strategies and interventions are effective in minimising/limiting the development of frailty within the home, community and/or hospital setting?
  • What is the impact of interventions on outcomes that matter to frail and pre-frail patients when they suffer from an acute illness, accident or trauma, or require a significant intervention such as surgery?
  • What integrated and coordinated in- and post-hospital interventions can support frail persons to achieve the best possible health recovery outcomes?
  • What are the barriers and enablers to good care for frail people within the home, community and/or hospital setting?

It is expected that one or more of the following outcomes will be achieved by each of the funded grants:

  • To support best practice and novel patient-centred models of care that support frail people to remain at home and avoid hospitalisations and/or facilitate/support a return to independent living.
  • To provide evidence that improves hospital outcomes and well-being of patients with frailty within elderly or other affected age groups.
  • To provide innovative and evidence-based ways to support cost effective, scalable and pragmatic community-based programs that reduce the medical, social and financial burden of frailty on the hospital, primary health and community sectors.