News & Events CHeReL Research Partnerships 2008-09

Each year, the CEC provides significant funds to support the work of the Centre for Health Record Linkage (CHeReL). This is a co-operative venture established by NSW Health, Cancer Institute NSW, Clinical Excellence Commission, University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, University of Newcastle, ACT Health and The Sax Institute. Record linkage enables large population-based data sets to be examined and used in a way that improves population health care.

As a member of the CHeReL, the CEC has accumulated significant linkage credits and it is happy to allocate those to worthwhile projects that have a safety and quality focus. CEC anticipates allocating up to $30,000 worth of linkage credits per project, although larger projects will be considered.

Research Partnerships

The CEC is a small organisation with no in-house research group. Rather, it partners with universities and other health research organisations to achieve research outcomes. The CEC wishes to partner with such organisations to examine population-based aspects of safety and quality in health care. A significant opportunity exists for organisations to contribute to a body of knowledge in safety and quality in health care.

Accessing CEC Data Linkage Credits

Similar opportunities for accessing CHeReL linkage credits currently exist through the universities of Sydney, New South Wales and Newcastle. The CEC is setting up a complimentary process to permit members of those three universities and importantly, other tertiary institutions and research facilities to access linkage credits and support research.

Proposed projects will need to have both ethics approval and a quote for linkage services from CHeReL before being considered by the CEC.

CEC expects that there will be joint recognition on publications based on data linkage made available through this partnership program.

Application Form and Guidelines

Access to the CEC's data linkage credits, is via application using the following form and guidelines:

• CEC Data Linkage Application Form - PDF ~32kb
• CEC Data Linkage Guidelines - PDF ~24kb

Key dates

The second round of applications for access will close at 1600 on Thursday, 19 February 2009.

Please circulate information about this research opportunity to researchers in your organisation.

The Research Committee of the CEC Board will determine which projects are funded under this program. Following an independent review, they will convene to assess the second round in late February. CEC expects applicants will be advised by early March.

Assessment Criteria

Applications will be assessed for priority for funding according to four broad criteria:

• The scientific merit of the proposed project or concept;
• The project's relevance to safety and quality inn healthare;
• Whether the investigators have the skills and experience needed to do what they have proposed; and
• The feasibility of the proposed project or concept.

Independent experts will assess the grant applications. They will use their own expertise to evaluate the research project. In determining the level of support for a project, the committee will take into account any external funding received by the applicant for this project. The committee reserves the right not to allocate all the CHeReL funds available if there are insufficient fundable applications, as judged by the independent experts.

Alternative Access to CHeReL's Linkage Credits

Access to linkage credits is also currently available through the CHeReL's three member universities. The CEC process is designed to compliment the processes in place at the three universities, while also making linkage credits available to the wider research community. Applicants are expected to declare if they are applying for linkage credits through these or similar programs. Information about university access to linkage credits is available here:

• University of Sydney
• University of New South Wales
• University of Newcastle

Results of the First Round

The First Round closed in September 2008. Prior to the cut-off date, CEC received enquiries from six research groups, of who two submitted an application. Both applications were independently reviewed before endorsement by the Research Committee of the CEC Board. The successful applicants and the amounts awarded were:

1. Gattellari M, Worthington JM, and Jalaludin B, Transient Ischaemic Attack and the risk of stroke: evaluating the effects of health service characteristics on patient death, disability and readmission. Amount awarded: $25,500
2. Basic D, Conforti DA, Khoo, AK, Shanley CG and Whitmore EA, Post-discharge outcomes of older patients hospitalized with acute illness. Amount awarded: $11,800

CEC looks forward to the output of this research and will publish progress updates as they are received.