The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners has awarded $11,410 to research that benefits general practice. The funding is awarded three times a year by the Research and Education Committee (REC).
The College received four applications for the second funding round. There was one successful applicant:
Dr Katharina (Kati) Blattner
Research title: Defining catchment boundaries/areas and their populations for New Zealand’s rural hospitals
Amount awarded: $11,410
Summary: In New Zealand, it is known that residents of rural towns have poorer health outcomes than those living in urban areas and that this is accentuated for Māori. It is estimated that around 19 percent of New Zealanders rely on rural health services and at least 10 percent use rural hospitals for healthcare. Rural hospitals matter to rural communities, this is best demonstrated by the consistent community responses to threats of rural hospital closures or downgrades. This research aims to define and describe a catchment population for each of New Zealand’s hospitals. This will allow for wider research to be undertaken in New Zealand’s rural hospitals and help to inform the delivery of high quality, cost effective and equitable health care for people living in these rural communities.
The final REC funding round for 2021 is currently open. Applications close on 15 September 2021.
More information can be found here.