Background
The Health Services Research Association of Australia and New Zealand (HSRAANZ) made a submission to the consultation on the Medical Research Future Fund's (MRFF) Cardiovascular Health Mission review in 2024.
Our Contribution
HSRAANZ participated in the consultation process to advocate for the inclusion and recognition of health services research within cardiovascular disease and stroke research funding priorities. Our submission emphasized the critical role that health services research plays in translating cardiovascular research into improved patient outcomes and more effective healthcare delivery.
Review Outcomes and Our Impact
The final review report, completed in March 2025, acknowledged stakeholder input including our submission. We are pleased to see that our advocacy for health services research has had a measurable impact - the importance of health services research is mentioned several times throughout the review report.
Key findings relevant to our advocacy include:
- The MRFF has invested $441.7 million in 172 cardiovascular disease and stroke research projects between 2015 and February 2024
- The review identified opportunities for improvement, including "better refinement of funding objectives" for the remainder of the Cardiovascular Health Mission
- Recommendations include strengthening focus on implementation and translation of research findings
- Multiple references to the importance of health services research in improving cardiovascular health outcomes
Looking Forward
We are encouraged that our engagement with the MRFF review process has contributed meaningfully to discussions about refining funding objectives. The multiple mentions of health services research importance in the final report demonstrate that our voice was heard and valued in the consultation process.
We hope this recognition will lead to health services research being more explicitly considered and prioritized in future MRFF cardiovascular health funding rounds. The review's emphasis on implementation challenges and the need for better translation of research into practice aligns perfectly with HSRAANZ's mission to promote health services research that improves healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
Resources
- Final Review Report - MRFF Cardiovascular Health Mission
- For questions about the review: MRFF.Evaluations@health.gov.au
HSRAANZ continues to advocate for the recognition and support of health services research across all areas of healthcare policy and funding.