In June 2003, AHCSA, in partnership with the Flinders University, was awarded $1.8 million by the National Health and Medical Research Council to establish  the Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (CCRE).  This was the first CCRE established focussing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

 AHCSA accommodates and manages the day-to-day operations of the Centre in close collaboration with Flinders University.

Initially, the CCRE work is being pursued in the regions that were involved in proposing this CCRE via their Aboriginal Health Service (AHS) ie:

• Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Service
• Ceduna / Koonibba Aboriginal Health Service
• Pika Wiya Health Service (at Port Augusta).

Through previous involvements and ongoing work, these AHSs continue to develop programs to manage chronic, or long term, conditions.

The main activities of the CCRE are to:

• Support Aboriginal community controlled health research;
• Work on translating research outcomes into policies and effective clinical practice;
• Disseminate research findings (and other relevant sector information to the Aboriginal health sector);
• Work to provide research training opportunities for Aboriginal people;
• Provide scholarship assistance to Aboriginal students (and some non-Aboriginal students who are either important in an Aboriginal Health Service or are undertaking work that fits with the focus of the CCRE) pursuing studies in the health field.

On Thursday, 20 November 2008 the CCRE launched a report detailing the achievements and milestones of Australia’s first Centre of Clinical Research Excellence (CCRE) in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. South Australian Health Minister, John Hill, co-launched the report. To see a copy of the media release >> click here.

For further information please download a Fact Sheet here or contact the CCRE Secretariat on tel: (08) 8132 6706 or email ccre@ahcsa.org.au

Please note:  In the coming period we are working on putting a range of key CCRE documents on this web-page (or as links to this page) to let you know more about the work of this CCRE.