Curtin University has appointed Professor Timothy Carey as the new Chair of Country Health Research and Innovation, which aims to transform the health environment in regional, rural and remote Western Australia and improve access to health services for the community.
Professor Carey will also help drive the shape, development, and success of Curtin’s alliance with WA Country Health Service, which was signed in 2021.
A distinguished leader and researcher in psychology and health service delivery, Professor Carey most recently held the position of Professor and Director at the Institute for Global Health Equity Research and Andrew Weiss Chair in Research on Global Health at the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda.
Curtin University Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Professor Helen McCutcheon congratulated Professor Carey on his new appointment at Curtin.
“Professor Carey has held significant leadership positions throughout his distinguished career, most recently at the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda where he was responsible for establishing the Institute for Global Health Equity Research and building capacity for research across Rwanda and Africa,” Professor McCutcheon said.
“The Chair of Country Health Research and Innovation will be crucial to improving the health, wellness and experience of rural, remote and regional communities through collaborative partnerships that translate new discoveries and knowledge into practice.
“Professor Carey is a distinguished leader and a strong advocate for improving access to health services in regional and remote communities, and we look forward to his strong leadership in this role.”
Mr James Thomas, Executive Director Innovation and Development at WA Country Health Service said this exciting collaboration between Western Australia’s highly experienced health professionals and Curtin’s brightest research teams will reap twofold benefits for regional communities.
“This new collaboration will develop a bold program of research that will target issues specific to regional Western Australians. It will also commit to upskilling and capacity-building in our highly regarded country health workforce, to make sure they are supported and always ahead of the curve in caring for communities with complex health needs across vast distances,” Mr Thomas said.
Professor Carey said he was delighted to be appointed as Chair of Country Health Research and Innovation at Curtin and looked forward to embracing the role.
“I am passionate about improving access to health services in remote and regional communities through research and action, and I look forward to working closely with the Western Australian community to achieve better outcomes in this space,” Professor Carey said.
Professor Carey has a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Queensland, an MSc in Statistics from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, and a Postgraduate Certificate of Biostatistics from Macquarie University.
The WACHS-Curtin Research and Innovation Alliance was formed in November 2021 to support the transformation of the way healthcare is delivered for people living in regional Western Australia.
Its unique scope includes development of research specifically designed for and by regional communities, as well as building the capacity of WACHS’s highly regarded regional workforce with evidence-based improvements.
Further information on the Curtin University – WA Country Health Service alliance can be found online here.
