Australian Government Neurotrauma Programs
WA Neurotrauma Research Program
WA Neurotrauma Research Program (NRP)
SpinalCure Australia pioneered the first Neurotrauma program in WA which funded neurological research through road safety initiatives. The concept has been developed and is now used in Victoria and Sydney.
The WA Road Safety Council recognised the importance of research aimed at minimising and reversing the disabilities associated with neurotrauma, providing vital funding to the NRP since the Program’s inception in 1999.
The NRP has helped facilitate an unprecedented degree of collaboration within the WA neuroscience community.
It has also helped put together key pieces of the central nervous system injury puzzle, earning the NRP an international reputation as an innovative and productive leader in neurotrauma research.
Examples of NRP breakthroughs include the discovery that:
Tissue death following brain injury is greatly reduced when magnesium chloride and mild hypothermia are applied in combination, and
- Training is essential whilst regeneration is taking place following brain injury to ensure nerve fibres re-grow and re-connect appropriately, allowing return of function.
Victorian Neurotrauma Initiatives
The Victorian Neurotrauma Initiative (VNI) is a $63 million research fund, established with the support of the Transport Accident Commission and the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development. The VNI aims to fund and support research to reduce the impact and improve the quality of life of those affected by neurotrauma.
To date, the VNI has funded eight Fellowships to a total value of $1.46million.
Lifetime Care and Support Authority of NSW
LTCS training
The Lifetime Care and Support Authority of NSW will be running three “Introduction to the Lifetime Care and Support Scheme” workshops in 2008:
- 7 April : Sydney
- 4 July : Liverpool
- 31 October : Newcastle
The workshops provide information on the Scheme, the role of the Authority, eligibility criteria and the application process as well as assessment, planning and approval of services in the Scheme. The workshops are designed for staff from rehabilitation, attendant care or support services, that are not familiar with the Scheme.
Australian and New Zealand Spinal Cord Society
The Australian and New Zealand Spinal Cord Society is holding its Annual Scientific Meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand, 26 - 28 November 2008.
This meeting is held in New Zealand every six years and presents an excellent opportunity for suppliers and providers to have access to key health professionals and decision makers who work in the specialised area of the management of persons with spinal cord impairment (paraplegia and tetraplegia). The theme of the 2008 Conference is "Where to from here? Asking the questions".
Australia New Zealand Spinal Cord Injury Network (ANZSCIN)
- a collaborative initiative proudly supported by the NSW Office for Science and Medical Research
The NSW Minister for Science and Medical Research, the Hon. Verity Firth MP, provided an address on the NSW Government's support for spinal cord injury research and related conditions at the launch of ANZSCIN on 1st Nov 2007.
ABOUT ANZSCIN
Supported by the NSW Government, the Australia New Zealand Spinal Cord Injury Network (ANZSCIN) will coordinate research efforts in Australia and New Zealand and increase participation in multi-centred clinical trials in spinal cord injury and related conditions.
ANZSCIN seeks to make a difference by providing a way for spinal cord injury researchers, clinicians and advocates to communicate and collaborate more effectively. Its establishment builds on the early work championed by the late Christopher Reeve during his visit to the Premier’s Making Connections Forum, held in Sydney in 2003.
The NSW Government is proud to have supported the development of ANZSCIN through its Office for Science and Medical Research, which has worked closely with a Steering Committee of researchers and clinicians from across Australia and New Zealand. State support has included a substantial assistance package to facilitate establishment of the Network.
Support for this initiative forms part of the NSW Government’s strategic support for research in spinal cord injury and related conditions. The NSW Government first dedicated funds for research in this area in 2003. In the 2007/08 Budget, a further $11 million was committed over the next four years, bringing the NSW Government’s total commitment to spinal cord injury research to $22 million.