About Western Alliance
What is Western Alliance?
Western Alliance is the first Australian academic health science centre to focus on regional health outcomes.
We are a collaborative of 11 member organisations located across the Barwon/Southwest and Grampians regions of western Victoria. Members include regional and sub-regional public health services and hospitals, the Western Victoria Primary Health Network and Deakin and Federation Universities.
Our purpose is to improve community health and wellbeing by supporting our members to generate translational research and apply research evidence in their practice.
In recognition of our expertise in translating health and medical research into improved health care in regional and rural areas, the Western Alliance Academic Health Science Centre has been fully accredited as a Research Translation Centre by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
About Academic Health Science Centres
Academic health science centres are formal partnerships of universities and health care service providers to collaborate in research, clinical services, education and training. They work to ensure that evidence from research is translated into clinical practice, policy, administrative decision making and benefits for patients and communities.
Academic health science centres currently operate around the world, including in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Singapore, Sweden and the Netherlands.
In Australia, academic health science centres are a relatively new phenomenon. In 2010, the National Health and Medical Research Council signalled an interest in encouraging stronger links between clinical care and translational research. A national review of health and medical research in Australia by the Department of Health and Ageing in 2013 recommended the establishment of integrated health research centres to synergise the efforts of hospital and community care networks, universities and research organisation.
Today, several academic health science centres are established in Australia, including Western Alliance:
- Melbourne Academic Centre for Health (AHRTC, recognised in 2015)
- Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre (AHRTC, recognised in 2015)
- Health Translation SA (AHRTC, recognised in 2015)
- Sydney Health Partners (AHRTC, recognised in 2015)
- Brisbane Diamantina Health Partners (AHRTC, recognised in 2017)
- SPHERE Maridulu Budyari Gumal (AHRTC, recognised in 2017)
- Western Australian Health Translation Network (AHRTC, recognised in 2017)
- Central Australian Academic Health Science Network (CIRH, recognised in 2017)
- NSW Regional Health Partners (CIRH, recognised in 2017)
- Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre (CIRH, recognised in 2019)
