New research grants another step on RBWH’s journey toward health equity

Researchers from across RBWH have received grant funding from the RBWH Foundation.

A new generation of health researchers is tackling systemic challenges and leading the way in culturally safe care through RBWH Foundation’s inaugural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander grants.

The new grants, announced as part of the Foundation’s latest grant round, support 19 projects targeting better health outcomes and a better patient experience for Queenslanders, including:

• Improving the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in emergency care and during cancer care.
• A potential test to help detect lung cancer; and
• Advancing imaging to improve the diagnosis of invasive lobular breast cancer.

Describing the new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander project grants as an important part of achieving Health Equity, RBWH Foundation Chief Executive Simone Garske said meaningful solutions must be grounded in the experiences and perspectives of the communities that they serve.

“While the RBWH Foundation has always proudly supported projects targeting better health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, we hope these dedicated grants will help drive meaningful progress in addressing the complex, systemic challenges that can compromise patient safety, experience and continuity of care,” Simone said.

RBWH Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Roslyn Boland is excited to see what empowered researchers can bring to the journey toward health equity.

“There are many talented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers on the Herston Campus and beyond. I’m looking forward to learning more about their work on these project initiatives as it progresses,” she said.

“While there has been some improvement in recent years, there is still work to be done to Close the Health Gap. We are grateful to the RBWH Foundation for working with us to bring these grants to life to support the RBWH community.”

Alongside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander project grants, the Foundation is also supporting a range of emerging researchers and clinicians whose innovative ideas have the potential to transform healthcare and save lives.

“Change starts with those bold enough to think outside the box, who want to challenge the status quo,” Simone said.

“It’s the Foundation’s role to ensure they have the resources they need to follow their instincts and the evidence, in pursuit of even better clinical outcomes.”