Western Victoria Primary Health Network

About WVPHN

Western Victoria Primary Health Network (WVPHN) are a key member of Western Alliance and an increasingly research-active organisation. WVPHN has an important role in facilitating the delivery of best practice primary health care across our region which comprises 21 local government areas and a total population of approximately 618,000 people. Established in July 2015, WVPHN is funded largely by the Commonwealth Government to work with the primary care sector to improve health outcomes for the community. They are one of 31 Primary Health Networks in Australia and one of six in Victoria.

Research at WVPHN

WVPHN welcomes opportunities to collaborate on research projects relevant to primary health care in the western Victoria region and consistent with their key health priority targets: mental health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, population health, health workforce, digital health, aged care, alcohol and other drugs treatment.

In some cases they are also able to support the following:

• Requests to promote survey-based studies to GPs and other primary health care providers in our region
• Applications for research grants or other funding
• Requests for de-identified and aggregated population health data held by WVPHN
• Requests for research Letters of Support

WVPHN has supported over 30 research projects since the start of 2021, across 12 different universities in addition to a number of research centres and health services, including Western Alliance member organisations. Recent studies supported have explored a diverse range of topics, including: COVID-19 and men’s mental health in Victoria, the expansion of telehealth through primary care in Australia (both funded by Western Alliance), myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome, mental health of cardiac patients, cancer screening in older adults and preventing memory loss and dementia.

Opportunities for collaboration with WVPHN

WVPHN has established a formal process for requests to engage in research. Please click on the link below to find out more or to complete the request form.

https://westvicphn.com.au/about-us/commissioning-and-partnerships/research-opportunity-requests/

For more information, visit the Western Victoria Primary Health Network website.