NQ health services and JCU sign landmark collaboration agreement to establish the Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre
Representatives from northern Queensland’s Hospital and Health Services, James Cook University and the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network met in Cairns on 19 April to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to underpin a historic collaboration.
The landmark agreement signals commitment of the member organisations to establish the Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre (TAAHC), and recognises the unique opportunity to create a world-leading Academic Health Centre with a focus on tropical health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and the provision of services in regional, rural and remote settings.
While unique in content, TAAHC reflects well established models of Academic Health Centres overseas, which are recognised leaders in developing innovative and high quality health care.
By embedding research into health service delivery, TAAHC aims to improve quality and efficiency of care, enhance recruitment and retention of professionals in the region and encourage greater investment in the north.
The MOU follows two years of discussion between the partners, two investigative reviews and significant joint investment towards initial establishment. It also follows the recent establishment of the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine at James Cook University, the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network, and of locally-governed Hospital and Health Services across the region.
These developments, combined with a policy context that includes commitments to tropical health in the Northern Australia White Paper, the formation of the Medical Research Future Fund and investments in innovation by both State and Federal Governments, have set a strong foundation for the establishment of TAAHC.
Mr Terry Mehan, appointed as the Interim Independent Chair of TAAHC, is one of the 15 members of a representative Steering Committee set up in September last year to drive forward establishment.
“TAAHC will be unique – arguably the world’s first tropically-oriented Academic Health Centre.
It will significantly enhance the ability of northern Queensland to compete with other parts of Australia for funding that will benefit the health of our local populations.
A number of projects are already underway to deliver early wins to the member organisations and the community,” Mr Mehan said.
TAAHC will develop a region-wide strategy for patient-centred research that identifies existing gaps in service delivery, as well as opportunities to improve quality and safety of care and to develop new therapeutics and interventions. It will also commence a series of projects to embed research capacity and a culture of innovation within the northern Queensland health system – though research training initiatives, access to scientific and research design expertise at JCU and linking of both personnel and data.
With governance and operational structures still in their infancy, the TAAHC MOU outlines the intention of the parties to work towards future governance structures that facilitate a ‘decentralised model of operations’ and that reflect balanced input from each member organisation.
The signatories to the MOU, and founding members of TAAHC, are the Cairns and Hinterland, Mackay, North West, Torres and Cape, and Townsville Hospital and Health Services; the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network; and James Cook University, including the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine.
Contact: Alex Edelman (07) 4781 4150
