Details of these and all other ANZCA Foundation research grants for 2024 will also be announced in the dedicated research section of the summer edition of the ANZCA Bulletin.   

These involved 163 ANZCA and FPM fellow and trainee chief investigators, and many more chief and associate investigators from disciplines within and related to perioperative medicine. 

The work of these dedicated teams is significant for advancing knowledge and supporting clinical practice for all fellows. Their Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong-based research adds new insights globally through international peer-reviewed journals, and provides new knowledge that is contextually-validated to support practice in these countries. 

At its August 2023 strategic workshop, the ANZCA Clinical Trials Network announced that it has now surpassed A$68 million in peer-reviewed funding for endorsed multicentre randomised clinical trials in the specialties and across perioperative medicine.

Foundation donors have made much of this outstanding growth possible. By supporting the ANZCA research grants program, donors have facilitated discovery, pilot, and feasibility studies without which many CTN-endorsed and supported clinical trials could not have been developed.

These have led to continuing growth in the contributions from ANZCA and FPM academic anaesthetists and pain medicine physicians to the international peer-reviewed medical literature, resulting in global recognition of the contributions and impacts made by our fellows. 

If these are approved, a total of 31 HEPF grants will have been provided to date for projects in these important areas.

Six of the applications are for global development projects, two are for Indigenous health, and one is for gender equity. Further project details will be released after final approval.   

In May, more than 120 guests attended the ANZCA Foundation Reception at the ANZCA Annual Scientific Meeting. The evening featuring the annual ANZCA Foundation Named Research Awards, chaired by Research Committee Deputy Chair Dr Matt Doane, and a keynote address from Australian Society for Medical Research Chair and University of Sydney Kolling Institute of Medical Research cancer researcher, Dr Emily Colvin. 

A successful foundation professional practice research webinar was held in September with Victoria Brazil, Professor of Emergency Medicine Simulation at Gold Coast Health Service, and head of the Bond University Translational Simulation Collaborative. The event helped build the emerging Professional Practice Research Network, and highlighted that including virtual events still improves the accessibility of foundation programs for busy people. 

The foundation was also delighted to host a function at ANZCA House on the evening of 20 October, a wonderful evening of social networking. The function also included ‘up close and personal’ presentations from Associate Professor Jai Darvall and Dr Katrina Pirie, who shared updates on their exciting research, and the important role foundation donors’ support has played in the rapid advancement their research careers. 

The excellent response to these events encourages us to continue to deliver and further expand our events program during 2024. 

ASMR President Dr Emily Colvin reported that inflation, increased costs, and static investment has halved of the number of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funded grants over the last decade. ASMR is advocating a doubling of the NHMRC budget to respond to growing health challenges and support a more innovative, efficient, and cost-effective healthcare system. The society has a strong track record and was instrumental in the federal government’s commitment to doubling the NHMRC budget from 1999 to 2005, following the Health and Medical Research Strategic Review (the ‘Wills Review’). 

Our donors support research to enhance the science and evidence clinicians need daily, supplementing their extensive training and experience, to further reduce adverse perioperative events and improve outcomes and life for patients. 

Through our global development and Indigenous health programs, donors also support dedicated volunteer fellows working in low-income places and countries in our region and beyond, providing training, education, and helping more people access acutely-needed, high-quality, anaesthesia, pain medicine, and perioperative medicine.