Action Plan 2018–2021 Triennium to implement Road Map 3

Introduction

Road Map 3 is the National Health and Medical Research Council's (NHMRC) strategic framework for improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health through research. Action plans will be published each triennium, based on the strategies outlined in Road Map 3, which will set out specific commitments by NHMRC relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and researchers. This is the Action Plan for the 2018–2021 triennium. See also the Action Plan for the 2021–2024 triennium.

The Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus (PCIC) will help direct, provide advice and assist with actioning the commitments below. 

Actions address all three focus areas of Road Map 3:

• strengthen the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and medical research workforce
• engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• support research in high priority areas

Annual report cards will be published to monitor performance and impacts of the Action Plan and Road Map 3.

Actions for the 2018–2021 Triennium to implement Road Map 3

NHMRC will continue to:

1. Spend 5% or more of the Medical Research Endowment Account on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and medical research.
2. Maintain an advisory group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (the Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus), reporting to the CEO.
3. Maintain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation on Council of NHMRC and Principal Committees.
4. Actively participate in the Tripartite Agreement to improve Indigenous peoples' health, with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Health Research Council of New Zealand.
5. Profile the diverse pathways into research taken by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers and outcomes of research to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
6. Maintain and actively address an organisational Reconciliation Action Plan.

Over the 2018–2021 Triennium, NHMRC will:

7. Conduct up to two calls for research annually into priority areas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health:
   1. The Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus will guide the process for determining the priority areas for these research calls
   2. Where these calls are Targeted Calls for Research, the application time will be increased to ensure sufficient time for community consultation.
8. Actively monitor the implementation of NHMRC's New Grant Program to identify beneficial outcomes and any unintended detrimental effects on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research and researchers, and take appropriate action if needed.
9. Take follow-up action on the workshop with stakeholders on strengthening capacity amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers.
10. Fund the establishment of a national network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers through the Centres of Research Excellence scheme, to further strengthen capacity and capability through developing cohorts of postgraduate and early career Indigenous health researchers.
11. Implement peer review that will better assess the impact and leadership aspects of track records for researchers working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, and review the effects of these changes.
12. Align the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research, 2007 with the revised NHMRC ethical guidelines for research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
13. Review the NHMRC Indigenous Research Excellence Criteria and their use, with the advice& of the Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus.
14. Consider ways to reinforce the need for health research to meet Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community needs, including community-initiated research.
15. Introduce a new target, for the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers who are lead Chief Investigators on NHMRC grants, that is based on the capacity of the sector and can increase as capacity grows.
16. Examine strategies to foster the development and uptake of innovative technologies and practices to improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
17. Hold at least one workshop, consultation or event relating to a priority area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and/or researchers.

To monitor and evaluate progress, NHMRC will:

18. Publish a new Action Plan each triennium over the life of Road Map 3, identifying specific actions relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and researchers.
19. Publish an annual report of achievements against the Action Plan, including reporting against key performance indicators such as:
    • achievement of the 5% target
    • achievement of the new target for the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers who are lead Chief Investigators on NHMRC grants
    • the number and value of grants funded each year that address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
    • the number and value of grants funded each year that include and are led by Chief Investigators of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent.
20. Evaluate Road Map 3 and the impact of the Action Plans at the end of Road Map 3's life.