Health research advocate, New Zealanders for Health Research (NZHR) says that it is extremely disappointed that the Interim Report of the Health and Disability System Review makes no mention of the role of health research in contributing to a redesigned health and disability system

NZHR Chief Executive, Chris Higgins, said that its submission to the review panel recommended that health research be enshrined as a key enabler of best possible health outcomes and that the government’s Health Research Strategy be fully resourced to achieve this.

“We’re disappointed that the interim report hasn’t identified health research as an enabler” said Mr Higgins “and we’re astonished that of the report’s 468 citations not one of them refers to the government’s own Health Research Strategy”

“The Health Research Strategy specifically requires the health and disability system to take ownership of translating the results of health research into policy and practice, and we find the interim report’s silence extraordinary” said Mr Higgins.

“Our 2019 Roy Morgan opinion poll shows that improving hospitals and the health care system continues to be New Zealanders’ top priority, more funding for health and medical research is ranked ninth out of 27 issues, 83% of respondents agreed that it is important to do research to make our system more effective and efficient and 69% said that health research is part of the solution to reducing health care costs”

“This information was available to the review panel as part of NZHR’s submission, and ignoring it demonstrates that the interim report is out of touch with New Zealanders’ expectations” said Mr Higgins

NZHR is an independent member funded advocacy organisation pressing for increased investment in health research from government, industry and philanthropy, and is chaired by Graham Malaghan, of the Wellington-based Malaghan Institute of Medical Research.

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