Chronic disease management at the policy research interface

Primary Research Stream

Primary Health Care

Full Project Title

Chronic disease management at the policy research interface.

Project Period

2007 - 2008

Rationale / Background

A greater understanding of the linkage and exchange process in the area of chronic disease management in the UK coupled with the experience from APHCRI Stream 4 will lead to an enhanced and sustainable model for future relationships between policy makers and researchers. It is also anticipated that given the three centres have an interest in the organisation and management of chronic disease in primary care that this will lead to future collaborations.

Aim and Objectives

To understand how the key findings from the APHCRI 4 chronic disease management review might be interpreted within the context of UK primary health care system.
To understand how the process of linkage and exchange between researchers and policy makers operates and is sustained in the UK. What are the components necessary for a successful and sustainable model?
To understand how this differs from the model used in APHCRI Stream 4 and how the results might be applied to the Australian context.

Method and Study Design

A series of semi-structured interviews and discussions will be undertaken with key researchers from the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre at the University of Manchester and the Centre for Health Service Management at the University of Birmingham. The purpose of the interviews will be to discuss the relevance of the results of the APHCRI 4 chronic disease management review to the UK health system and to draw on their experiences conducting priority driven research, such as the evaluation of the Evercare Program and Expert Patients (National Primary Care Research and Development Centre) and Transforming Chronic Care (Centre for Health Service Management).

In addition to this there will be semi-structured interviews with policy makers and stakeholders who have been actively engaged in the linkage and exchange process with the two institutions. The policy makers will be identified through the researchers at the two Centres and will be individuals who have been involved directly in the linkage and exchange process with the centers.

Key Findings (to Date)

Many organizations in UK invest a great deal of time and money on linkage and exchange.

Publications and Resources

http://www.anu.edu.au/aphcri/Spokes_Research_Program/Documents/Dennis_final_bookextract.pdf
http://www.anu.edu.au/aphcri/Spokes_Research_Program/Documents/Dennis_APCRI7_Report_30308.pdf
Workshop at GP & PHC conference in Hobart
Linkage and exchange: researchers and policy makers working together to improve health http://www.phcris.org.au/conference/2008/workshops.php