In January 2024, the Academy responded to the Federal Government’s call for Pre-Budget submissions.

AAHMS’ submission encouraged the Government to maximise the value of health and medical research investments, drawing on recommendations from the Academy’s 2022 report,  Research and innovation as core functions in transforming the health system: A vision for the future of health in Australia.

AAHMS welcomes the Government’s investment – through the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) – in developing a national health and medical research strategy (Strategy). Health and medical research and innovation are essential to improving health outcomes for Australian communities, and the Strategy has the potential to drive and maximise these outcomes. However, for its potential benefits to be realised, the implementation of the Strategy will require adequate, targeted and sustained funding. The 2024-25 Federal Budget is an excellent opportunity for the Government to invest in measures that will allow it to capitalise on its upcoming Strategy and ensure that the benefits can be felt by all Australians – ultimately leading to better health and economic outcomes.

The Academy’s submission had four key recommendations.

1. The Australian Government, through the Department of Health and Aged Care, should establish an inclusive, continuing mechanism that is empowered to develop and implement strategies for embedding research and innovation as core functions of the health system. An Alliance for transforming health through research would bring together key partners to work collectively towards this aim.
2. The Australian Government should develop a national strategy and implementation plan for sustainably building a world-class clinician researcher workforce. This should include a formal, cost-effective and harmonised clinician researcher training and career pathway that should be developed in partnership with state and territory health departments.
3. The Australian Government should increase the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) funding beyond indexation over the next five years to offset the real terms decrease that it has seen to its funding since 2010.
4. The Australian Government should continue to invest in nurturing and supporting Australia’s early- and mid-career researchers, who represent the future of Australian health and medical research innovation.

Read the full response below.