About

Dr Sarah Larkins is an experienced research leader, academic general practitioner and Professor of Health Systems Strengthening in the College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, and Director, Research Development.  She has spent the past 12 months seconded as Dean, College of Medicine and Dentistry.  Sarah has particular skills and experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research and health services and workforce research and is an internationally recognised expert in social accountability in health professional education. Sarah is also Co-Director of the Anton Breinl Research Centre for Health Systems Strengthening, a centre of the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine.

To date, Sarah has over 150 published peer-reviewed journal articles and several book chapters, with an h-index of 31, more than 3100 citations and well over $95m in grant funding.  This includes seven current NHMRC grants as a CI (3 as CI A), investigating participatory strategies to strengthen quality improvement in Indigenous primary health care centres and a DFAT grant on strengthening implementation research capacity for surveillance and response in the Pacific. She currently supervises 10 students at HDR level with 18 PhD completions. Other recent funding is from the CRC-NA, the Commonwealth Department of Health and the Department of Education. 

Sarah's particular focus is on collaborating to improve equity in health care services for underserved populations, particularly rural, remote, Indigenous and tropical populations, and on training a health workforce with appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skills for this purpose.  She is a current member of the NHMRC Research Committee and a past Director, Townsville Mackay Medicare Local and past member of the World Health Organisation Technical Working Group on Health Workforce Education Assessment Tools and the National Technical Advisory Group for Health Workforce Australia. 

She currently serves as the Convenor, Clinical Leadership Group for the NHMRC-recognised Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre, and Co-Chair of the Primary and Chronic Care Panel and Guideline Leadership Group Member of the Living Evidence Guidelines for COVID-19.  

Teaching
  • MD1020: Introduction to Integrated Medical Studies Part 2 of 2 (Level 1; TSV)
  • MD2011: Integrated Human System Pathophysiology Part 1 of 2 (Level 2; TSV)
  • MD4011: Integrated Pathology and Clinical Medicine Part 1 of 3 (Level 4; TSV)
  • MD4012: Integrated Pathology and Clinical Medicine Part 2 of 3 (Level 4; TSV)
  • MD4013: Integrated Pathology and Clinical Medicine Part 3 of 3 (Level 4; TSV)
  • MD5010: Integrated Clinical Practice Part 1 of 3 (Level 5; TSV)
  • MD5020: Integrated Clinical Practice Part 2 of 3 (Level 5; TSV)
  • MD5030: Integrated Clinical Practice Part 3 of 3 (Level 5; TSV)
  • MD6010: Advanced Clinical Medicine Part 1 of 3 (Level 6; TSV)
  • MD6020: Advanced Clinical Medicine Part 2 of 3 (Level 6; TSV)
  • MD6030: Advanced Clinical Medicine Part 3 of 3 (Level 6; TSV)
  • MD8001: Foundations of Rural and Remote Medicine (Level 8; TSV)
Interests
Research
  • Health systems strengthening
  • Rural health workforce
  • Socially accountable health professional education
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
  • Primary health care
  • Maternal and child health
  • Research capacity strengthening
Teaching
  • Research methods
  • General Practice
  • Sociology of health care and social determinants of health
Experience
  • 2022 to 2024 - Research Committee, National Health and Medical Research Council (Canberra)
  • 2020 to 2022 - Director, Research Development, James Cook University (Townsville)
  • 2019 to 2021 - General Practitioner, Gidgee Healing (Mt Isa)
  • 2014 to 2019 - Associate Dean, Research, College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University (Townsville)
  • 2007 to 2019 - General Practitioner, Health and Wellbeing North Ward (Townsville)
  • 2011 to 2015 - Associate Professor, James Cook University (Townsville)
  • 2012 to 2014 - Director of Research and Postgraduate Education, School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University (Townsville)
  • 2010 to 2012 - School of Medicine and Dentistry Honours coordinator, James Cook University (Townsville)
  • 2008 to 2010 - Senior Lecturer, James Cook University (Townsville)
  • 1998 to 2007 - General Practitioner, Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Services (Townsville)
Research Disciplines
Socio-Economic Objectives
Honours
Awards
  • 2013 - Office of Learning and Teaching National Program Award. JCU MBBS Program in the category "Widening Participation"
  • 2012 - Finalist, Ron Harden Innovation in Medical Education International Award – Presented for THEnet on development and piloting of the common evaluation framework
  • 2011 - Co-author of Australian Family Physician best research paper for 2011. Cheffins T, Spillman M, Larkins S Heal C (2011) “Recommending vaccination: General practice intervention with new parents” Australian Family Physician 40 (6) 437-439
  • 2003 - Royal Australian College of General Practitioners National Registrar Research Prize
  • 2003 - MBBS (Dean's Honour List)
  • 1989 - Bachelor of Medical Science Prize, University of Melbourne, BMedSci
  • 2009 to 2011 - 2009 Brisbane Initiative – 8 emerging Primary Health Care Research Leaders selected from around the world for 3 year program of mentoring and support with residential periods in Oxford, UK.
  • 2003 to 2007 - National Health and Medical Research Council Public Health Postgraduate PhD Scholarship
Fellowships
  • 2012 - Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors course
  • 2004 - FARGP
  • 2004 - Fellow, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Memberships
  • 2013 - Queensland Representative , Australian Association of Academic Primary Care Executive
  • 2012 - Health Workforce Australia, National Technical Advisory Group
  • 2003 to 2005 - National Research Advisory Board, Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute
Other
  • 2013 - "Strength of Mind: 125 years of women in medicine". Invited to be one of 60 women graduates of University of Melbourne Medical School over the last 125 years featured in exhibition and book.
  • 2011 - Board Member, Townsville Mackay Medicare Local
  • 2008 - PhD
  • 2000 - MPH&TM
Publications

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles
More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 160+ research outputs authored by Prof Sarah Larkins from 1990 onwards.

Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

National Health & Medical Research Council - Special Initiative in Mental Health Grant

ALIVE A National Research Translation Centre To Implement Mental Health Care At Scale

Indicative Funding
$41,831 over 5 years (administered by University of Melbourne)
Summary
ALIVE is a national research translation Centre to implement mental health care at scale. Our vision is to reduce the individual, social and economic impacts of mental illness burden and health inequities by transforming the primary care and community settings to: 1) embed novel preventive life course models; 2) implement mental-physical health tailored models of care with priority populations; 3) be informed by lived-experience models and leadership. Collaborations with researchers across population health, primary care and community mental and hospital-based specialist care will embed co-designed care to improve mental health outcomes and address the mortality gap. We will scale-up a Co-Design Living Labs research model (an existing registry of 2225+ members of people with lived-experience of mental health conditions) to embed co-design activities across research, design and translation into our 14 university partner sites. We will be guided by the co-design of a national road map for translation that will involve all Centre members, partners, government and community stakeholders in its formation.
Investigators
Vicki Palmer, Jane Gunn, Lena Sanci, Sandra Eades, Michael Wright, Amanda Wheeler, Sarah Larkins, Lisa Brophy, Darryl Maybery, George Patton, Harriet Hiscock, Michelle Lim, Cherrie Galletly, Emma Baker, Jill Bennett, Jenny Bowman, Steve Kisely, Meredith Harris, Cameron Parsell, Jim Lagopoulos, Amanda Neil, Osvaldo Almeida, Vera Morgan, David Preen and Michelle Banfield (The University of Melbourne, Curtin University of Technology, Griffith University, College of Medicine & Dentistry, La Trobe University, Monash University, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, University of Adelaide, University of NSW, The University of Newcastle, The University of Queensland, University of the Sunshine Coast, University of Tasmania, The University of Western Australia and Australian National University)
Keywords
MENTAL HEALTH; Health systems; Primary health care; Mental health care provision; Rural health; Indigenous health

Commonwealth Department of Health - Medical Research Future Fund - Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care

METformin for treating peripheral artery disease Related walking Impairment Trial (MERIT)

Indicative Funding
$1,215,182 over 3 years
Summary
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a very common chronic cardiovascular disease of ageing affecting approximately 1 million older Australians and causing substantial leg pain on walking (intermittent claudication), marked functional impairment, reduced quality of life (QOL) and very high risk of major adverse cardiovascular and limb events. Vulnerable populations (e.g. regional or remote, lower income and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations) have much greater PAD-related burden. Our past consultations with patients indicate that improvements in walking is their number one priority. The only widely available PAD treatment in Australia is revascularisation but this does not improve walking distance and has substantial safety concerns. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that metformin safely improves leg blood supply. MERIT is a placebo-controlled randomised trial performed across 7 sites. The importance of the trial has been endorsed by patients, Heart Foundation, Queensland Health and Australian and New Zealand Society for Vascular Surgery and Alliance for Cardiovascular Trials. If positive, MERIT will identify a cheap, safe and widely available drug to improve the function and QOL of millions of older adults worldwide who have PAD.
Investigators
Jon Golledge, Clare Arnott, Edward Strivens, Belinda Parmenter, Clare Heal, Christopher Reid, Aaron Drovandi, Joseph Moxon, Jenna Pinchbeck, Richard Norman, Dylan Morris, Christopher Askew, Sarah Larkins, Rachel Quigley and Yvonne Cadet-James (College of Medicine & Dentistry, The George Institute for Global Health, The University of New South Wales, Curtin University of Technology, Townsville Hospital and Health Services, University of the Sunshine Coast and Indigenous Education & Research Centre)
Keywords
Prevention; Complications; Peripheral artery disease; Risk Factors

National Health & Medical Research Council - Partnership Projects

Working it Out Together! Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led co-design for a strong and deadly health workforce

Indicative Funding
$904,772 over 5 years, in partnership with North Queensland Primary Health Network ($36,000) and Queensland Health ($50,000)
Summary
Building a stable, well-trained and culturally safe health workforce is a crucial part of delivering high quality primary health care (PHC) services. Previous attempts to strengthen rural/remote health workforce have failed, partly because they have not integrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and lived experience with necessary policy and systems support. There has been little research into culturally safe strategies to improve workforce stability in complex PHC context. This project will bridge these gaps through a community-led, place-based planning approach, engaging service providers, policy-makers and funders to co-design workforce strategies and models of care that are locally relevant, successful and sustainable. This community-based participatory project uses a mixed methods quasi-experimental pre-post design to implement co-designed actions to explore: How do we systematically embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into place-based planning and action for a stable and effective workforce that engenders community trust in local PHC delivery? Working with key sector partners in four service-based rural/remote clusters across Qld, NT and NSW, we will co-design and trial strategies to strengthen workforce competency and stability (by strengthening local career pathways for Indigenous people and strengthening cultural competency of non-Indigenous staff), and use community-centred impact and economic evaluation. Our team is majority Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and builds on relationships and learnings developed through our ongoing PHC system improvement work. Each jurisdictional team comprises a local Indigenous PHC service, community-controlled peak body, primary health network, government health department and university partner. This optimal mix will ensure successful implementation of sustainable strategies and translation into policy and practice for improved community access to quality PHC and health outcomes.
Investigators
Sarah Larkins, Veronica Matthews, Emma Walke, Catrina Felton-Busch, Sean Taylor, Paul Burgess, Marni Tuala, Renee Blackman, Karen Carlisle and Lynore Geia in collaboration with Nishila Moodley, Payden Samuelsson, Sinon Cooney, Leisa Fraser, Bevan Ah Kee, Michelle Redman-MacLaren, Warren Locke and Cameron Johnson (College of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Sydney, JCU Murtupuni Centre for Rural & Remote Health, Menzies School of Health Research, Department of Health (NT), Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives, Gidgee Healing Mount Isa Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Ltd, Queensland Health, Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service, Katherine West Health Board, Western Queensland Primary Health Network, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council, New South Wales Health and College of Healthcare Sciences)
Keywords
Primary care; Rural Workforce; Community Participation; Indigenous Health; Rsual and Remote Health Services; Cultural Safety

National Health & Medical Research Council - Boosting Dementia Research Grant

Reducing Dementia Risk in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities

Indicative Funding
$1,515,145 over 6 years
Summary
The aim of the project is to address these issues through the development of a range of interventions to specifically target the high rates of dementia in Indigenous communities. This project will use a Participatory Action Research approach to enable communities to identify and prioritise dementia risk reduction strategies/potential risk and protective factors. Using a Continuous Quality Improvement Framework, primary health care centries will address modifiable dementia risk factors to change practice and systems through the development of culturally appropriate interventions. The outcome will be a culturally appropriate framework that incorporates evidence-based best-practice guidelines for delivering community specific interventions for risk reduction and prevention of dementia.
Investigators
Edward Strivens, Sarah G Russell, Rachel Quigley, Sarah Larkins, Robyn McDermott, Venessa Curnow, Kate Smith, Prabha Lakhan and Veronica Matthews in collaboration with Alan Cass, Yvonne Hornby-Turner, Desley Harvey, Leon Flicker, Dina LoGiudice, Frankie Clive, Gavin Miller, Dallas McKeown and Gail Garvey (College of Medicine & Dentistry, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, Queensland Health, The University of Western Australia, University of Sydney, Menzies School of Health Research, The University of Queensland, The University of Melbourne and North Queensland Primary Health Network)
Keywords
Indgenous Health; Healthy Ageing; Dementia; Chronic Disease

National Health & Medical Research Council - Targeted Call for Research into Healthy Ageing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

A framework for healthy ageing in the Torres Strait

Indicative Funding
$1,100,540 over 6 years
Summary
The aim of this project is to develop a culturally appropriate framework of healthy ageing for Torres Strait Comjmunities to enable older persons to remain living well at hme and on Country for as long as possible. Participatory Action Research (PAR) within a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) framework will be the overarching lmethodology for this project. The scope of the framework will be guided by the World Health organisation Framework of Healthy Ageing encompassing both intrinsic capacity and environmental characteristics that influence health outcomes.
Investigators
Edward Strivens, Sarah G Russell, Leon Flicker, Dina LoGiudice, Kate Smith, Rachel Quigley, Robyn McDermott, Sean Taylor, Venessa Curnow and Sarah Larkins in collaboration with Betty Sagigi, Desley Harvey, Dympna Leonard, Elizabeth Beattie, Gavin Miller, Jennifer Mann, Nancy Pachana and Yvonne Hornby-Turner (College of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Australia, Melbourne Health, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences, Cairns & Hinterland Hospital & Health Service, Queensland Health, Queensland University of Technology and The University of Queensland)
Keywords
Indigenous Health; Chronic Disease; healthy ageing; Dementia

Commonwealth Department of Health - Medical Research Futures Fund - Indigenous Health

Strong community, strong health: Exploring opportunities for chronic disease prevention in the Torres Strait

Indicative Funding
$473,642 over 2 years
Summary
Despite a decrease in mortality rates from chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease since 2006, they still represent significant risk to the health and wellbeing of Australia?s First Nations peoples. This project will partner with First Nations people living in the Torres Strait to support their chronic disease outcomes by: 1) co-developing diet and physical activity (PA) tools; and 2) mapping social and environmental impacts on health in each partner community. This project will provide essential information about dietary and PA practices of people living in the Torres Strait.
Investigators
Edward Strivens, Ray Mahoney, Karla Canuto, Sean Taylor, Valda Wallace, Gavin Miller, Betty Sagigi, Sarah G Russell, Rachel Quigley, Kathryn Meldrum, Yvonne Hornby-Turner, Torres Webb, Melissa Kilburn, Sarah Larkins and Dympna Leonard (College of Medicine & Dentistry, Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation, Flinders University, College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences, Queensland Health and Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine)
Keywords
Chronic Disease; Diet; Physical Activity; Torres Strait; Partnership

CRC for Developing Northern Australia Scheme - Projects

Integrating Health Care Planning for Health and Prosperity in North Queensland.

Indicative Funding
$750,000 over 3 years, in partnership with Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre Limited ($330,000)
Summary
Improving health and prosperity across Northern Australia is constrained by planning silos and limited creativity in models-of-care. North Queensland (NQ) has a unique opportunity to unite health industry partners and improve efficiencies and effectiveness in service delivery. Building on findings from our Health Situational Analysis we will co-create integrated systems for mapping population need, health services and workforce, prioritising areas for action. This work brings together key public and private health system partners across North Queensland, including Hospital and Health Services, Primary Health Networks and the Community Controlled Health Sector to take a regional approach to strengthening the integration of care and place-based planning of workforce and service implementation in North Queensland. The organizational recognition of the Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre (TAAHC) streamlines these relationships. We will work with all TAAHC partners, plus QAIHC and WQPHN to take a regional approach in NQ, whilst working with expert technical reference group members from NT and WA to ensure shared learning across the north. Then, working closely with service providers and consumers we will facilitate place-based planning and design, implement and evaluate new models-of-care that will optimise health and economic outcomes, consumer and workforce satisfaction.
Investigators
Sarah Larkins, Stephanie Topp, Alex Edelman, Nishila Moodley, Edward Strivens and Maxine Whittaker (College of Medicine & Dentistry, College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences and Cairns & Hinterland Hospital & Health Service)
Keywords
place -based planning; Rural Health Services; Health Workforce; integrated care; rural and remote; Health Equity

National Health & Medical Research Council - Centres of Research Excellence

STRengthening Systems for Indigenous Health Equity (CRE-STRIDE)

Indicative Funding
$115,197 over 5 years (administered by University of Sydney)
Summary
Growing international evidence places community-led comprehensive primary health care (PHC) systems as a central driver in improving health equity, and intersectoral action to address the social and cultural determinants of health (SCDH) mostly responsible for health inequities including racism and social exclusion, connection to family, community and culture, education and housing. Participatory Quality Improvement (QI) methods have led to substantial progress in many aspects of Indigenous PHC. Yet some of the most significant areas for improvement cannot be adequately addressed solely through the current strong clinical focus of QI. Indigenous health systems are characterised by fragmentation and detached from the priorities and leadership of communities. Further, performance between PHCs and different aspects of clinical care continues to be variable. The CRE-STRIDE co-produces novel research with Indigenous community and other PHC stakeholders to address these gaps by further embedding QI knowledge into policy and practice; enhancing the involvement of Indigenous communities in QI, and expanding QI processes to address the SCDH. Our specific strategies include: i) Indigenous research leadership and two-way mentoring and learning; ii) strengthening QI processes within PHC systems and enhancing community linkages; and iii) extending QI processes and collaborations across sectors to promote health and strengthen determinants of wellbeing.
Investigators
Veronica Matthews, Ross Bailie, Roxanne Bainbridge, Sarah Larkins, Megan Passey, Janya McCalman, Megan Williams, Nikki Percival, Catrina Felton-Busch and Yvonne Cadet-James (University of Sydney, Central Queensland University, College of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Technology, Sydney, JCU Murtupuni Centre for Rural & Remote Health and Indigenous Education & Research Centre)
Keywords
Indigenous Health; Primary Health Care; Quality improvement; Participatory Action Research; Health Equity

Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC) - Consultancy 2

Proposed development of revised framework for operational and implementation research in health and disease control programmes.

Indicative Funding
$51,762 over 1 year
Summary
The overall goal of the QAIHC Sexual Health and Wellbeing Project is to improve Sexually transmissible infection (STI) and blood borne virus (BBVs) services in QAIHC Member Services and to work towards reducing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander positive notifications. To help achieve this, support is provided for Member Services to implement models of care aimed to increase client engagement, education opportunities, as well as improve screening, notification and treatment rates. Tools, resources and support are provided to participant health services to implement sexual health and wellbeing activities that are culturally safe, led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and tailored to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander model of care. The aim of this work is to evaluate the implementation, impact and outcomes of the QAIHC Sexual Health and Wellbeing Project.
Investigators
Karen Carlisle, Rebecca Evans, Sarah Larkins, Alice Cairns, Shaun Solomon, Kris Vine, Talah Laurie and Nishila Moodley (College of Medicine & Dentistry and JCU Murtupuni Centre for Rural & Remote Health)
Keywords
Sexual Health; Atsi Health; Quality improvement

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) - ASEAN-Pacific Infectious Disease Detection and Response (APIDDaR) Program

Securing the frontline for health secure communities

Indicative Funding
$795,776 over 3 years (administered by Red Cross Australia)
Summary
The aim is to build capacity to detect/respond to infectious disease outbreaks through frontline public health (human and animal) workforce which includes community members, volunteers, community health workers, environmental health workers, biosecurity and environmental officers and primary health care staff. This will be achieved through: Strengthened capability at community/primary care levels to anticipate outbreaks; Improved response at early stages of potential outbreaks; A quality timely and thorough response to outbreaks at the frontline level ; An operational learning and feedback process for continued improvement and currency of detection of and response to infectious diseases outbreaks.
Investigators
Maxine Whittaker, Lisa Natoli, Allen Ross, Effie Espino, Lars Henning, Sarah Larkins, Sarah-Jane Wilson, Sandra Downing, Tammy Allen, Mahmudur Rahman, Sayera Banu, Nadia Ali Rima, Asharul Islam, Sukanta Chowdhury, Syed Moinuddin Satter and Veronica Bell (College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences, Red Cross Australia, Icddr,b, Research Institute of Tropical Medicine, College of Medicine & Dentistry and Australian Research Centre for Medical Engineering (UWA))
Keywords
Health security; Infectious Diseases; Surveillance Systems; Community Engagement; One Health; Health workforce development

National Health & Medical Research Council - Project Grant

Women's Action for Mums and Bubs (WOMB): A pragmatic trial of participatory women's groups to improve Indigenous maternal and child health

Indicative Funding
$1,786,415 over 6 years
Summary
There is strong evidence elsewhere that involving community women in decision-making about strategies to improve the health of mothers and babies is a cheap and effective way of improving health. The WOMB study tests whether community women's groups improve the quality of maternal and child health care and outcomes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the cost-effectiveness and mechanism of action.
Investigators
Sarah Larkins, Catrina Felton-Busch, Yvonne Cadet-James, Ross Baille, Jane Farmer, N Passey, Judy Taylor, V Matthews, Emily Callander and Rebecca Evans in collaboration with Priscilla Page, J Kelly, Adrian Esterman, Merrick Zwarenstein, Robyn Preston, Karen Carlisle, Lynore Geia, Elaine Williams and N Turner (College of Medicine & Dentistry, JCU Murtupuni Centre for Rural & Remote Health, Indigenous Education & Research Centre, University of Sydney, Swinburne University of Technology, Monash University, University of Adelaide, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, The University of Western Ontario, College of Healthcare Sciences, NT Department of Health & Community Services and Menzies School of Health Research)
Keywords
Aboriginal Health; Torres Strait Islander health; Maternal & Child Health; Primary Health Care; Quality Improvement; Participatory women's groups; Community Participation

National Health & Medical Research Council - Partnership Projects

Implementation of quality improvement in Indigenous primary health care: Leveraging Effective Ambulatory Practices (LEAP)

Indicative Funding
$1,144,570 over 4 years, in partnership with North Queensland Primary Health Network ($315,000); Northern Territory Department of Health, Top End Health ($20,000); Northern Territory Primary Health Network (NTPHN) ($38,700) and Western Queensland Primary Care Collaborative Limited ($210,000)
Summary
Despite increased policy attention and funding, not all primary healthcare (PHC) services for Indigenous Australians show the desired improvements in quality of care. Practices which provide PHC services are complex systems and emerging evidence indicates many things affect quality improvement. There remains a knowledge gap regarding what is required for Indigenous PHCs to succeed in improving the quality of their services and, subsequently, health outcomes for their patients. This project will capitalise on emerging research and existing strong partnerships to provide a solid evidence base for interventions to improve quality of priority health services in Indigenous PHC settings.
Investigators
Sarah Larkins, Ross Baille, Catrina Felton-Busch, Paul Burgess, Emma McBryde, Kerry Copley, Rebecca Evans, V Matthews and Karen Carlisle in collaboration with Judy Taylor, Karla Canuto, Donald Whaleboat, S Thompson, Christine Connors and Roderick Wright (College of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Sydney, JCU Murtupuni Centre for Rural & Remote Health, Department of Health (NT), Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, Aboriginal Medical Service, Apunipima Cape York Health Council, The University of Western Australia and Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council)
Keywords
Learning community; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; Primary Health Care; Quality Improvement
Supervision

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current
  • What is the economic and social impacts of Monash University, School of Rural Health - Bairnsdale, on the East Gippsland Community - Victoria (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
  • Enhancing Current International Human Research Ethics Guidelines by Including Indigenous Principles of Human Research Ethics. The Cases of the Pacific Island Nations of Fiji and Tonga. (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
  • An exploration of the academic and early career professional practice for James Cook University medical students who have experienced academic difficulty (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
  • Implementation and evaluation of referral pathways for people with Lung Cancer in Townsville Health Service District (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
  • International Approaches to Rural Medical Generalism (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
  • Healthy Ageing in the Torres Strait: Developing and Implementing a Framework for Best-Practice Aged Care within Primary Health Care Centres (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
  • Improving Rural, Regional and Remote (RRR) access and cultural diversity in clinical trials in Australia: What role does the Australasian Teletrial Model play in Northern Australia (PhD , Primary Advisor)
  • Development and Implementation of a Breast Cancer Care Pathway in Townsville Region - A Study Looking into Feasibility, Governance, Patient Centred Outcomes and Economics (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
  • Birthing on Mornington Island: Culture, Identity and our Aspirations for the Future. (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
  • Family planning service provision in Solomon Islands: A Case Study Approach (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
Completed
Collaboration

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.

  • 5+ collaborations
  • 4 collaborations
  • 3 collaborations
  • 2 collaborations
  • 1 collaboration
  • Indicates the Tropics (Torrid Zone)

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