The Population Health Research Network at The University of Western Australia will receive an additional $11.88 million through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy, announced today by the Federal Government's Department of Education.
The funding will strengthen Australia's national health data linkage capability, supporting research that improves healthcare, informs policy and delivers better outcomes for Australians.
The investment includes:
- $10 million to enhance national data linkage capabilities through the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare-led National Health Data Hub and National Master Linkage Key, and
- $1.88 million to maintain Population Health Research Network (PHRN) critical national data linkage infrastructure.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare-led data linkage system securely connects diverse datasets within a nationally coordinated and ethically governed environment, supported by the National Master Linkage Key.
Together, these capabilities enable researchers to generate deeper insights into health trends, healthcare use, equity, access and outcomes across Australia.
PHRN Chief Executive Professor Rebecca Glauert said the funding would accelerate the use of linked data to tackle major health and research challenges.
"This national system enables unprecedented insights into health trends, equity, access and outcomes – particularly for vulnerable populations," Professor Glauert said.
The PHRN has been hosted by UWA since its inception in 2009, with UWA the lead agent for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) capability.
For more information, visit the PHRN website.
