Read time: 2 minutes
Date: 06/2023
Stewart Dowrick has been at the forefront of delivering health services across metropolitan, regional and rural NSW for more than 30 years. A passionate advocate for the health sector and for research, he has been Chief Executive of the Mid North Coast Local Health District since 2011, leading the district through challenging times including major bushfire and flood events and the COVID-19 pandemic. I chatted with Stewart about his fascinating insights into fostering research innovation within regional and rural health systems.
-Mary Haines
Top Tips: Stewart Dowrick on cultivating research innovation in regional and rural health systems
Mary Haines: What are the elements of a successful research strategy to foster innovation?
Stewart Dowrick: “I think a few things are really important. Firstly is commitment to research and innovation from the Board and your chief executive and leadership teams. A second aspect is partnerships…. and the third part is opportunity.
“When opportunities do come, sometimes you have to make that commitment and I guess take a risk to be involved.”
Stewart says the Mid North Coast LHD was the first LHD invited to join the NSW Regional Health Partners Advanced Health Research and Translation Centre (AHRTC) and took that opportunity at very short notice. As a result, the District has developed valuable partnerships with Hunter New England and Central Coast LHDs, the University of Newcastle, the University of New England and Hunter Medical Research Institute, forming collaborations to conduct research.
Mary Haines: It sounds like the AHRTC encompasses that commitment, partnership and opportunity you are talking about. Is there any outcome that really speaks to its success?
Stewart Dowrick: “We’ve had access to over $5 million of research opportunities [as a result of involvement in the AHRTC].” He says it has provided “a wonderful opportunity” to partner with other organisations and has helped the district to mature as a research partner.
For example, one important piece of work has been the innovative move to embed a health economist researcher within the district. This has enabled people working in health to develop skills in health economics and improve their evaluation skills, as well as helping those in the university sector to understand what the health sector is looking at on a day-to-day basis.
“Research will be one of the most important enablers that helps us better reflect the successes or the learnings from the work we do, that we can share with our communities and our clinical communities.”
– Stewart Dowrick
Mary Haines: So for someone starting as an executive with a regional or rural health district, what would be the pitfalls to avoid in trying to foster research and innovation?
Stewart Dowrick: “I think you need to be organic. You also need to take your time in developing relationships… and you’ve got to have the right partners.”
He says it’s important to grow commitment, especially if the organisation doesn’t have a history of research being at its core. The Chief Executive needs to spend time developing research opportunities, in the knowledge that they might not be around to see the benefit of their endeavours in 10 or 20 years.
“So you’ve just got to stick to your moral compass and that North Star and just keep working towards it.”
Mary Haines: Are there any other tips you would suggest for fostering research and innovation?
Stewart Dowrick: “One tip I would give is to treat seriously every opportunity that comes your way. You’ll have your established partners, but you need to think beyond that.”
He says it’s important to remember that people want to learn – for example, the higher education sector wants to understand what local health districts do and how they can work with them.
It’s also important to acknowledge that people both in health and higher education sectors are “looking to change”.
“If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that we can change.”
Stewart says the higher education sector is looking for research that is meaningful in a translational way – and that applies to the great work happening in LHDs.
“You need the scientific sophistication and knowledge base to say this really does work and you should scale this up and do it across the system.”
Mary Haines: What are your thoughts about having a good research strategy?
Stewart Dowrick: “I think it’s absolutely important that you need a research strategy that sets a roadmap.” However, he says the strategy must be iterative rather than static, and you must review it regularly and monitor progress.
“You need that pathway but be flexible enough to change it.”
As well as ensuring governance, he says the research strategy needs to be seen as a document that supports researchers in the LHD – “it’s got to be real to them”.
Mary Haines: Where do you see research feeding into the future for regional, rural and remote health?
Stewart Dowrick: Research will become increasing important over the next decade to enable the successes and learnings from LHDs to be shared more broadly, Stewart suggests. For example, he says research and evaluation techniques will enable the health system to establish which programs, services or initiatives need to be strengthened.
“The research gives that objectivity that we don’t have… that evaluation lens on everything we do.”
June 2022.
Interview by Mary Haines, Founder and Director of Mary Haines Consulting (MHC), a boutique consultancy specialising in strategy, implementation, research and evaluation. MHC developed the five minutes interview series as a platform for leading professionals to share their know how.
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This article was first published by Mary Haines Consulting Pty Ltd: www.maryhainesconsulting.com.au.