Research capacity building in general practice. The new Australian scene.

BACKGROUND

Primary care research needs strengthening. The Commonwealth Government Department of Health and Aged Care has recently funded the university departments of general practice and rural health to build research capacity in primary care.

OBJECTIVE

To explore issues surrounding building primary care research capacity, as well as looking at barriers to research capacity building and ways of overcoming them.

DISCUSSION

New funding provides many opportunities for increasing research capacity in primary health care areas. Different institutions will select those methods that are best suited to their skills and the requirements of their area.