Overview

Note that PHC RED funding concluded at the end of 2011 and this program is no longer active.
The Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation & Development Strategy (PHC RED) is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) that aims to increase research capacity, embed a research culture and increase high quality research in Australian general practice and primary health care.

The Discipline of General Practice was one of the first tertiary institutions to participate in the Strategy when it was launched in 2000.

Today, under Phase II of the Strategy, 26 Australian University Departments of General Practice and Rural Health receive funding to provide training and support in primary health care research under the Strategy’s Research Capacity Building Initiative (RCBI).

Within NSW, 7 University Departments of General Practice and Rural Health participate in the RCBI and collaborate in the delivery of research training courses and other research events as the NSW Primary Health Care Research Capacity Building Program (NSW PHC).

In addition to the Research Capacity Building Initiative, there are three further components of the PHC RED Strategy:

• The Primary Health Care Research & Information Service (PHC RIS)
  Operating from Flinders University (South Australia), PHC RIS is the premier information service for research into Australian general practice and primary health care. Its website provides support in the areas of dissemination and knowledge exchange. PHC RIS convenes the annual General Practice & Primary Health Care Research Conference, the major Australian event of its kind.
• The Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI)
  Established in 2003 and located within the ANU College of Medicine & Health Sciences, APHCRI provides leadership in Australian primary health care research. It also commissions priority driven research.
• A program of Training Awards and investigator-driven and priority-driven clinical grants
  These awards and grants are administered by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).