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26 Nov 2024, by Amy Sarcevic
When it is not busy finding a cure for spinal cord injury or a vaccine for malaria, Griffith University and its partners are caught up finding and training the next generation of healthcare workers.
Through its collaboration with the Queensland Government and Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP), the University is helping to solve some of healthcare’s greatest challenges.
And it is doing so in the toughest of climates.
“We have an ageing population and a shortage of talent to service it. For every hospital bed that opens up in Australia, we will need around 10-15 new workers. So we are always exploring ways to increase the pipeline of students and assist the government with these growing workforce needs,” said Professor Analise O’Donovan, Pro Vice Chancellor of Griffith Health Group.
On top of that, six in ten Australians live with a long-term health condition and, as the population ages, the budget used to treat them will increasingly stretch.
“It is a challenging time to work in healthcare and we have some big problems to work through as a sector.”
So how is Griffith University working with its collaborators to address these issues?
Translating research into practice
The university’s research arm includes a Clinical Trial Unit, which is committed to testing the effectiveness of interventions in humans, before translating research into practice.
“Researchers come to us and say they want to hold trials in our unit, and we’ve already seen some fantastic outcomes from these collaborations,” Prof O’Donovan said.
Among them, are some major breakthroughs in the realms of neurology, Alzheimer’s and infectious disease.
“We’ve got some exciting research in the works around stem cells, which is examining ways to regenerate damaged spinal cords. This research has the ultimate aim of helping people who are paralysed learn to regain some form of their sensory and/or motor functions.”
Griffith and its partners have also been at the forefront of COVID research. “We are in the process of establishing if there are links between long COVID with other chronic diseases.”
Alongside clinical research, Griffith University’s ADaPT Institute is breaking new ground in advanced design and prototyping technology.
“We are developing complex medical devices and exploring new frontiers in manufacturing. We’ve got big things happening in that space.”
Embracing health tech
Technology is also at the heart of its academic arm, where trainee doctors are built to “hit the ground running” with whatever innovations come their way.
“Technology is increasingly used in health services and we need to keep students abreast with all that is out there. We’re particularly focussed on tools that have proven trustworthy and effective, like those in surgery and diagnostics.
“Thankfully, we have the expertise here to ensure we are giving our students the very best start to their careers, in that respect.”
Physical proximity and access to these experts is also a pro for students, many of whom require hands-on mentorship as part of their degrees.
“Formal supervision is such an important part of healthcare training and, through our collaborations, we can provide that in abundance.
“Our students have access to great mentors on their doorsteps, in an environment where career success is on full display and truly celebrated.”
Build it and they will come
While some of Griffith’s strategy has obvious links to specific industry challenges, some of it is less direct.
As one example, the organisation’s focus on attracting healthcare investment is part of its bid to win more students, and grow the healthcare workforce.
“At Griffith, we have a ‘build it and they will come’ mindset. Healthcare is dependent on attracting investment. The more exciting things we have happening at the Precinct, the more of that we attract. In turn, the more students we will get. So instead of solely trying to persuade people to study, we become the force they want to join.”
By the same token, Griffith and its partners are strategically located on the Gold Coast – Australia’s fastest growing economy.
“People often ask why we have our facilities here, and, for us, it is an easy question to answer. International investors love up-and-coming areas, and the Gold Coast is certainly one of those.
“Being located in such a thriving city adds to the excitement of all that is happening within our walls. And, as the village around us expands, so too does our network of specialists, doctors, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals.”
Learn more
Griffith University is a proud supporters of the upcoming National Health & Innovation Precincts Conference, hosted by Informa Connect.
Held on 2-4 December, this three day event includes a discovery day on 2 December 2024 at the Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct, and a two day conference on 3-4 December at the QT Gold Coast.
Delegates attending the Summit will have the opportunity to see the Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct facilities and meet the leading precinct experts for themselves if they attend the GCHKP Discovery Day on 2 December.
Informa Connect Australia is the nation's leading event organiser. Our events comprise of large scale exhibitions, industry conferences and highly specialised corporate training.
