Research

Primary Care Research & Education Network

The General Practice Academic Unit at UOW has launched the Primary Care Research and Education Network (PCREN) to support medical student education and practice-based research in primary care.

PCREN provides access to research updates, medical education resources, events, and opportunities for collaboration via its Microsoft Teams platform and regular email updates.

Replacing the Illawarra Southern Practice Research Network (ISPRN), PCREN continues to build research capacity in primary care and support clinicians supervising students in practice settings.

If you are interested in becoming a member or would like further information, please contact gsm-research@uow.edu.au.

Supporting Healthy Futures research trial

Supporting Healthy Futures research trial to improve the implementation of annual Health Checks for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients in mainstream general practices.

The research trial is now open for recruitment. 

They are seeking to recruit mainstream general practices who meet the eligibility criteria below:

• Located in NSW
• Currently using or willing to use CAT4 (aka PenCAT) to enable research data collection
• Have at least 40 active clients recorded as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

Feedback sought on draft Multi-Purpose Services (MPS) Strategy 2025-2028

A Multi-Purpose Service (MPS) combines hospital, health care and residential aged care services under one roof. MPS are in small rural and remote towns, providing high quality health and aged care for the local community. We value your feedback on the draft MPS Strategy, to help us learn what matters most about your local MPS.

The MPS Strategy will guide decisions about planning, services, investment and best practice for MPS now and in the future.

Visit the webpage to review the draft Strategy or a two-page summary version and provide feedback via our online survey here.

You can also contact the Regional Health Division at MOH-ODS-Regional@health.nsw.gov.au to provide feedback or request a virtual (online) feedback session.

Please provide your survey or written response by 30 June 2025.

Is your practice interested in quality improvement for antimicrobial stewardship?

General practices and doctors are invited to join the OPTIMAS-GP implementation trial of an intervention targeting the quality use of antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections, funded by the Medical Research Futures Fund (ID: MRF2029531). Participation in all study aspects is reimbursed and GP training is CPD accredited. For details, click here to express interest and access the Participant Information Sheet (PIS). COORDINARE is supporting the University of Wollongong with this research project. Access the Medcast promotional video here.  

Movember Healthcare Practitioner Survey

Movember is seeking GPs, nurses and pharmacists to complete an online survey that seeks to understand healthcare practitioner’s receptivity and preferences for continuing professional development (CPD) education on gender responsive healthcare for men.

Movember is also interested in the experiences of practitioners in other health fields as they plan to develop content across the health workforce in the future.

The survey is part of a program of work Movember is undertaking as an initiative of the Australian Government’s National Men’s Health Strategy. 

Seeking GP Practice Managers to participate in a national research program

Study to better understand the experiences of health professionals who use IAR-DST

Researchers at InsideOut are conducting a study hoping to gain a better understanding of how people with mental health concerns are directed quickly to the care they need.

The study invites practitioners to provide detailed information about their experience using the Initial Assessment and Referral Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST) in primary care. Knowing this will help provide clear recommendations to government on how to improve access to treatment.

Who can participate?

• Practitioners who have experience with the IAR-DST.
• GPs, commissioned service providers or anyone else who uses the IAR-DST in their clinical practice for any type of mental health illness or concern.

To complete the survey, click here.

National survey on cancer care in general practice

This study aims to assess GP and GP trainee comfort with providing cancer survivorship care in adult cancer survivors.

The survey has been developed by a team of Australian and international GPs together with allied health and nursing researchers, including A/Prof Joel Rhee, A/Prof Kylie Vuong, and Dr Elysia Thornton-Benko.

The survey should take no more than 12-15 minutes to complete. All participants are offered the chance to win one of three $100 gift vouchers of their choice.

To complete the survey, click here.

Study on childhood obesity prevention strategies in primary health care policy and practice

Sydney University is seeking primary health care practitioners to undertake an online interview on obesity prevention strategies in early childhood (birth to 5 years) in primary health care policy and practice. 

Participants will be compensated for their time with a shopping voucher.

Please contact Dr Emalie Rosewarne, Research Fellow, Faculty of Medicine and Health, emalie.rosewarne@sydney.edu.au if you would like to participate in this study or if you would like further information about the study.

NCIRS Genomics Study

The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) is seeking participants for a study that will investigate the role certain genes may have in predicting which individuals might experience adverse events of special interest (AESI) after COVID-19 vaccination.

Participants who have had a COVID-19 vaccination and did not experience any serious adverse events are invited to submit a saliva sample via a self-collection kit for genetic analysis. The kits will be posted to participants at home and can be returned via reply-paid postage. Contact NCIRS for more information.

Building public confidence in the secondary use of GP data

Researchers at the University of Wollongong are seeking GPs from across Australia to participate in a study investigating General Practitioner (GP) views of the use of information from general practice records for research in Australia. This project is part of a larger study examining how we can use general practice data for research in ways that the public, GPs and other stakeholders will find ethically justifiable and acceptable. 

If you would like to take part in this study, please email Dr Heidi Green hgreen@uow.edu.au to register your interest.

Wearables integrated technology to support healthy behaviours in people with Type 2 Diabetes

Researchers from Bond University and the University of Newcastle as seeking General Practices to participate in a MRFF funded research project to improve health outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes. The project seeks to test integrating wearable devices within a diabetes self-care management plan. Wearable devices will measure blood glucose, blood pressure, and physical activity.

For more information and to register for the project click here.

PANDA trial

Cardiometabolic diseases are among the most commonly managed conditions in primary care, affecting around a quarter of Australians 45+. Physical activity, including walking, aerobic and resistance training, is key. However, current physical activity prescriptions and programs can be undermined by low uptake and adherence.

The Physical Activity in Nature for Cardiometabolic Diseases in People Aged 45+ (PANDA) trial is seeking volunteers to take part in a focus group interview about your experiences of nearby natural settings and their capacity, opportunity and motivation to spend time there and reflect on barriers and potential remedies.