Funding boosts health research in WSLHD and beyond

A medical research partnership which includes Western Sydney Local Health District has been given more than $6 million.

Sydney Health Partners (SHP) will use money over three years to speed the translation of research findings into hospital wards and health clinics.

Announcing the funding in Sydney this morning, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said it would give world-class researchers the opportunity to undertake further innovative projects to improve the lives of patients.

The SHP network includes researchers across the WSLHD and also the Westmead Institute, the Childrens Medical Research Institute and the Sydney Childrens Hospital Westmead.

Research currently funded by SHP includes a project by Westmead Hospital’s Professor Jacob George to improve the hepatitis C cure rate in marginalised communities.

Another project at Westmead, led by Professor Clara Chow, which is trialling a better way to rapidly assess chest pain patients, has been so successful it is now being tried in other hospitals.

“The projects we are supporting show strong prospects of improving clinical outcomes and can be readily translated into clinical practice,” said SHP Executive Director, Professor Garry Jennings.

“By doing so we aim to deliver the benefits of health research and innovation to our patients and communities faster and more consistently.”