Research

The contribution of general practice based research to the development of national policy: case studies from Ireland and Australia

JE Pirkis¹, GA Blashki^1,2, AW Murphy³, IB Hickie⁴ and L Ciechomski⁵

¹  Program Evaluation Unit, School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

²  Health Services Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK

³  Department of General Practice, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

⁴  Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

⁵  Department of General Practice, School of Primary Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2006, 3:4doi:10.1186/1743-8462-3-4

Published:	11 May 2006

Abstract

Background

This paper aims to describe the influence of general practice based research on the development of two specific policy initiatives, namely the Heartwatch Programme in Ireland and the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care (BOiMHC) program in Australia. A case study approach was used to explore the extent to which relevant general practice based research shaped these initiatives.

Results

In both case studies, a range of factors beyond general practice based research shaped the initiative in question, including political will, the involvement of stakeholders (including key opinion leaders), and the historical context. Nonetheless, the research played an important role, and was not merely put to 'symbolic use' to support a position that had already been reached independently. Rather, both case studies provide examples of 'instrumental use': in the case of Heartwatch, the research was considered early in the piece; in the case of the BOiMHC program, it had a specific impact on the detail of the components of the initiative.

Conclusion

General practice based research can influence policy-making and planning processes by strengthening the foundation of evidence upon which they draw. This influence will not occur in a vacuum, however, and general practice researchers can maximise the likelihood of their work being 'picked up' in policy if they consider the principles underpinning knowledge transfer.