Oh my, this year has flown, but what a year it’s been. With new partners, new programs of work and new funding to support accredited Research Translation Centres, we’ve plenty to celebrate.
We also have a couple of new faces at NSW Regional Health Partners (NSWRH) and more to come. Dr Ian Skinner has been appointed as our new Research Director and will be working one day a week with us from December. Ian is a physiotherapist by trade, and Assistant Dean (Research Training) at Charles Sturt University (CSU). Julia Hannaford started in November as our new Consumer Engagement Officer. Read more about Julia and her plans in this month’s profile.
With Julia on board, we will have lots of new opportunities for consumer and community involvement including on our Consumer Advisory Committee. Keep an eye on our website for these opportunities.
The recruitment of Rural Innovation and Research Coordinators (RIRCs) for Mid North Coast, Hunter New England and Western NSW LHDs is progressing well and we hope to be advertising for these roles early in the new year. The RIRCs will be embedded in the health services to support health care workers to undertake research translation, innovation and quality improvement projects.
Another of our projects is an extension of the Indigenous pain Management Project in Armidale we initiated in 2024. The project team is co-designing a holistic and culturally responsive pain management pathway for Aboriginal people living with chronic pain in the Armidale region. The project is being led by the University of New England in partnership with Armajun Aboriginal Health Service and local Aboriginal community members.
I can also share that the Australian Health Research Alliance’s Health Research Hub was officially launched on Monday 1 December. This is a collaboration between AHRA and the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation. The Hub will provide curated resources for consumers and researchers, and opportunities to connect and engage with both consumers and researchers.
Our refocus on regional and rural health is going well and we’ve got some great projects underway that will make a real and positive difference to people living in our region.
With more regional, state and national projects on the horizon, 2026 looks like being another great year.
My very best wishes for a happy, joyous and safe Christmas.
Cheers
Lisa
Lisa McFayden
General Manager | NSW Regional Health Partners
2025 in review
It’s always satisfying to look back and see how much this partnership, and our small team, has achieved.
Meet Julia Hannaford, Consumer Engagement Officer, NSW Regional Health Partners
You have recently started working at NSWRHP as our new Consumer Engagement Officer. What professional and personal experiences led you to this role?
Yes, I am a fresh face at NSWRHP and am thrilled to be a part of the team and supporting the aims of the partnership. I have a background in psychology and worked for many years in mental health and wellbeing. This has included Government-funded community mental health initiatives and workplace wellbeing programs, including initiatives targeting individuals and communities in regional and rural parts of Australia. These experiences really emphasised for me the importance of evidence-based, best practice approaches to health care, and I see the consumer as being directly central to this.
Our office will be closed over Christmas and re-open on Monday 5th January 2026.
We’re grateful for your support this year and excited about what we’ll achieve together in the year ahead.
Warmest wishes for a happy holiday season filled with good company, good food and memorable moments.
Lisa, Karen, Julia and Ian
We know good research leads to better outcomes and health services. To make sure this research addresses the needs of those living and working in regional and rural communities, it is important that you can have a say.
Here’s how you can help and get involved:
• Participate in developing research projects and grant applications: This will help ensure the real health needs of our communities are addressed. Support is available to help develop your ideas. For help or advice, please get in touch. To find an MRFF grant to support your work, go to the MRFF grant opportunities calendar.
• Nominate yourself to be a member of grant review panels: This will make sure the research that gets funded makes a significant impact on improving healthcare services and health outcomes in regional and rural locations. You can nominate here.
• Subscribe to the MRFF newsletter: This will keep you informed about new and upcoming grant opportunities. Subscribe here.
• Share your thoughts and ideas: By communicating your insights, we can better understand the support and investment required to address the needs of your regional and rural community.
If you would like more information or to discuss any of the above, please get in touch.
hnelhd-nswregionalhealthpartners@health.nsw.gov.au | nswregionalhealthpartners.org.au
James Fletcher Hospital, Wisteria Lodge, 72 Watt Street, Newcastle, NSW, 2300
We respectfully acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the traditional custodians of the land and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We support action on climate change and advocate for research on how to protect and support the health of communities most vulnerable to climate change, those in regional and rural Australia.
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