Research
Our research helps us drive innovative solutions that improve health service delivery and lead to better health outcomes for country patients.
Researchers, study coordinators and industry sponsors should contact the WA Country Health Service Research and Innovation team as early as possible when planning a new research project or when considering adding a WA Country Health Service site to an existing project.
Our Research Governance Office (RGO) supports and guides internal researchers and external research partners in gaining institutional approval to conduct safe, high quality and ethically sound research to help improve clinical practices and health outcomes across country WA.
All research projects require ethical approval and site authorisation before research activities commence at our sites.
Human research conducted within WA Health must undergo an institutional site authorisation review which is the mechanism for professional, legal, and financial accountability and transparency. RGO activities will include a review of research project documentation, research staff qualification, intellectual property, insurance, indemnity, study agreements and monitoring of research projects to ensure the project complies with the guidelines set out in the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research and WA Health Research Governance Procedures and Policy.
All research projects seeking access to a WA Country Health Service site, staff, patients, data or biospecimens require ethics approval from WA Health Central Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) or a certified HREC under the NHMRC National Mutual Acceptance (NMA) scheme for multi-jurisdictional projects. This ensures compliance with the NHMRC National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2023.
More information
WA Health Central HREC Contacts
Indigenous Peoples Research
Education
In principle support form
Research projects conducted at WA Country Health Service sites must receive in principle support from regional and executive approvers.
As an initial step to site authorisation, researchers must submit an in principle support form along with a finalised protocol to the Research Governance Office (RGO). Please email the RGO team for a copy of the form and to discuss your proposed research project.
Site authorisation (institutional approval) is required before commencing research activities at WA Country Health Service sites. The governance review is a separate process to the ethical review, however, it can be conducted simultaneously. Evidence of lead and specialist ethical approvals will be required prior to site authorisation being provided.
Applications for site authorisation must be submitted through WA Health’s Research Governance Service (RGS) online system. If support is required, please email the RGS support team.
Site authorisation (governance) application forms
Site authorisation applications involve the submission of project specific documents and completion of a Site Specific Assessment and Budget Form or an Access Request form. These are online forms completed within the applications section of RGS. If you are unsure which form to use for your project or you are conducting your project across multiple sites, please reach out to out the RGO team for assistance.
- Site specific access form and budget form
- These forms must be completed for research activities occurring at a site.
- Access request form
Our Research and Innovation team offer specialised support to internal researchers as well as our external partners in the development and implementation of effective research across our health service.
The team provides expert advice about the necessary resources and contacts to plan and undertake high quality research, including:
- General advice and queries relating to research at WA Country Health Service.
- Grant partnership requests.
- Early project development advice on key organisational health priorities.
- Linking WA Country Health Service researchers to relevant grant opportunities, training, and education.