About AHSRI

The Australian Health Services Research Institute (AHSRI) is a major research facility at the University of Wollongong. Established in 1993, AHSRI brings together several research centres and is part of the Sydney Business School in the Faculty of Business and Law.

AHSRI aims to improve the management and provision of health and community services in Australia by achieving greater equity in resource distribution, fairer access to services, better continuity within and across the health and community care sectors, and the use of evidence to assist management decision-making.

In addition to producing robust academic output, the products of the Institute include practical and expert advice to a variety of government and non-government agencies and interest groups.

AHSRI has affiliations across the University of Wollongong, other universities, the Australian health industry, and internationally.

AHSRI is a self-funded health services research and development (R&D) institute. It had its origins in an agreement between the Illawarra Area Health Service and the University of Wollongong to establish a health services research and development centre. The UOW established AHSRI (then the Centre for Health Service Development) in 1993 at the request of, and in full cooperation with, the (then) Illawarra Area Health Service (now the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District).

AHSRI has a Management Advisory Board that is responsible for its governance. The Terms of Reference of the AHSRI Management Advisory Board are to:

• Determine, in conjunction with the AHSRI Director and AHSRI staff, AHSRI research and development strategic directions, priorities and policies;
• Represent the views of the broader health and health service research sectors;
• Examine and evaluate health service research and development opportunities and strategies;
• Receive and consider reports on:
  • the range of activities undertaken by AHSRI; and
  • financial management and expenditure;
• Provide advice on policy issues related to health service research and development that emerge from the concerns of industry or government, or that may be referred to it; and
• Provide advice on health service research policies, strategies and activities to assist AHSRI to remain relevant and useful to its industry partners and the wider community.

The AHSRI Management Advisory Board consists of an independent Chair; two nominees of the University of Wollongong (UOW); two nominees of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District; the AHSRI Director; up to six AHSRI staff representatives; and invited individuals including community representatives. Such individuals have experience and expertise in one or more of the following areas: clinical practice and clinical research; public health; social health and social justice issues; health policy and health services research; Aboriginal health; community health; aged care; the management of health services; the private health sector; consumer perspectives; rural health; and the university / higher education sector.

Management Advisory Board

Mr Paul Sadler (Chair)
CEO, Presbyterian Aged Care NSW and ACT
Appointed 15 June 2001

Professor Grace McCarthy
Dean, Sydney Business School
University of Wollongong
UOW representative (Vice-Chancellor nominee)
Appointed 23 February 2016

Professor Alberto Nettel-Aguirre
Director, Centre for Health and Social Analytics, National Institute for Applied Statistics Research Australia
University of Wollongong
UOW representative (Vice-Chancellor nominee)
Appointed 26 March 2021

Ms Amy Hains
Director Planning, Information and Performance
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District nominee
Appointed 19 June 2020

Professor Jan Potter
Director, Division of Aged Care and Rehabilitation,
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District nominee
Appointed 26 August 2011

Associate Professor Rob Gordon
Deputy Director, AHSRI
Appointed 26 August 2011

Dr Melinda Williams
CEO, PeopleCare
Appointed June 2018

Ms Michelle Noort
Community Representative
Appointed 28 May 2010

Mr Dominic Dawson
Associate Director, Business Intelligence and Efficiency
South Eastern Sydney Local Health District
Appointed 29 April 2015

Dr Keith McDonald
CEO, South Western Sydney Primary Health Network
Appointed 26 June 2015

Professor Kathie Clapham
Professor of Indigenous Health, AHSRI
Appointed 26 November 2010

Dr Conrad Kobel
AHSRI staff representative
Appointed 28 October 2022

Ms Janelle White
AHSRI staff representative
Appointed 28 October 2022