In the latest round of NHMRC Investigator Grant funding announced on 26 February 2025, HSR representation has fallen to a record low.
- Only 3.4% success rate for Health Services Research applications in 2025 (compared to 15.7% for Basic Science)
- Just 2.6% of all grants awarded went to Health Services Research (down from 8.7% in 2024)
- Only 6 investigator grants awarded from 176 applications
- Health Services Research funding to $10.6M (down from $37.1M in 2024)
The Health Services Research Association of Australia and New Zealand (HSRAANZ) has formally written to the NHMRC, raising serious concerns about the underfunding of HSR.
In our letter, we highlighted:
- The significant disparity in success rates for HSR applications.
- The critical role of HSR in ensuring effective, equitable, and sustainable healthcare.
- Various factors contributing to the low proportion of funding and success rates for
We have requested an urgent meeting with NHMRC leadership to discuss these concerns and explore solutions to ensure fair and sustainable funding for Health Services Research in future rounds.
The NHMRC must address this imbalance before we lose a generation of health services researchers.