UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Support for Health and Medical Research in Western Australia

Report No 8 - October 2004

What the examination is about…

This examination reviewed how well the State manages its funding and support for health and medical research, including research in teaching hospitals, funding and in-kind support to research organisations and cooperative research arrangements with non-government organisations.

The examination focused on funding and support arrangements and did not assess the value or outcomes of the funded research.

What the examination found...

Extensive health and medical research is carried out in both the public and private sectors in this State, contributing to scientific knowledge at an international level and to improved health outcomes. The State is a significant contributor, but as its involvement has evolved over time, funding and support is now provided through at least 16 agencies. The examination found that the State is unable to demonstrate that it has maximised the benefi ts available from its investment as:

• there is no overall framework to guide and coordinate its health and medical research support
• while teaching hospitals are important contributors to health and medical research, it is not evident that they are managing the costs and benefits of their research effectively
• greater awareness among researchers, and more effective identifi cation and management of, intellectual property rights needs to be promoted
• collaborative research arrangements with nongovernment research organisations generally lack adequate agreements to underpin respective rights and obligations
• in approving and monitoring research projects, agencies need to make the extent and reasons for funding clearer and better assure that funds are spent appropriately.

What the examination recommended...

The examination proposed that support for health and medical research should be better structured and coordinated, with clearer guidance on overall priorities.

It also recommended that teaching hospitals should better manage the costs and benefi ts of research done on their premises by assessing the impact of research proposals on hospital costs and better protecting their rights to intellectual property. Additionally, when entering into arrangements with independent organisations, hospitals should ensure that respective rights and obligations are identified and managed under documented agreements.

The examination further proposed that when agencies provide funds and other support to non-government research organisations, they should more clearly demonstrate the basis for allocating the funds and monitor progress and research outcomes against funding agreements.

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