Priority Analyses related to alcohol and other drugs use using Linked Data Assets.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: $250,000
- Application opened: 16 December 2024
- Application closed: 10 March 2025, 10:00 am
Program objective
Reducing and minimising harms associated with alcohol and other drug use is a key priority for NSW Health.
The primary objective of this grant program is to generate evidence in two priority areas to inform the work of NSW Health in reducing harms associated with alcohol and other drug use:
1: The Opioid Treatment Program is NSW Health’s largest AOD Treatment Program
Opioid dependence is a major focus of drug and alcohol treatment services because the associated harms and costs are disproportionate to the prevalence of use. The Opioid Treatment Program is NSW Health’s largest AOD treatment program.
Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) is often prescribed as part of the service response to opioid dependence. There are now a range of options for OAT available, from daily dosing of methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone to monthly depot buprenorphine injections, with services being delivered in a range of settings.
Despite the size of the Opioid Treatment Program, we have limited recent information about treatment pathways, patterns and outcomes for opiate users in NSW. A linked data analysis will allow us to explore pathways of care for people with opioid use disorder or acute opioid related presentations indicating significant risk of harm, and how these may vary in NSW as a function of patient demographics and area level characteristics to support policy, program and service planning.
2: Premature mortality is a key risk associated with the misuse of alcohol and other drugs
Alcohol and drug use results in significant excess mortality, both directly and indirectly such as due to injury. While a previous study has examined the association of mortality with timing and type of AOD service use in NSW, the data asset used meant it was not possible to compare these results to those of the general NSW population, or to examine whether and how mental health service use contributes to mortality risk associated with AOD use.
Further evidence is needed to understand the full scope of excess mortality amongst NSW drug and alcohol users and its association with service use. Such an understanding would support the translation of research findings into better policy, better services and better care in NSW. Drawing on the opportunity of the recent decision to include AOD data sets in the Mental Health Living Longer data asset, the proposed study would provide the broad, integrated view of mortality associated with AOD, including the role of treatment. This will help to guide NSW Health services to prioritise issues requiring further planning, investment or service improvement. It will also provide a baseline for monitoring whether the 'mortality gap' can be reduced by such service investments or improvements.
The secondary objective of this grant program is to build internal Ministry of Health capacity to use the newly enhanced Mental Health Living Longer data asset through close collaboration with the successful research team and the sharing of syntax and other related materials.
This program is funded and administered by NSW Health.
Eligibility
Applications are only eligible for consideration if they meet the following criteria:
- The applicant was invited by the grantee to submit an application.
- The research focus of the applicant is primarily alcohol and other drugs research.
- The applicant is fully located in NSW.
- The applicant is not-for-profit.
- The applicant is, or is part of a parent organisation which is, a legal entity.
Applicants or their parent organisation must be a legal entity or, if a joint grant, consortium, collaboration or otherwise, be legal entities with the capacity to contract. The Ministry will only enter into a Standard Grant Agreement with such legal entity or entities.
Any application which is submitted by a combination of two or more organisations, as a joint venture, a consortium, collaboration or otherwise, must include in the application:
- applicant information for each member of the group
- a clear statement of the nature of the association between the members of the group and the basis upon which they propose to enter into the agreement with the Ministry; and
- a statement that each member of the group is jointly and severally liable for the performance of the other members of the group under the resultant agreement or that one member of the group is fully liable for the performance of all members of the group.
The Ministry may ask an applicant to provide evidence of its legal status or capacity to contract. If applications from entities propose to contract in their capacity as trustees, such evidence may include copies of the relevant trust deeds.
A legal entity may include:
- a Local Health District
- Specialty Health Network
- university or
- an independently constituted medical research institute.
An applicant may be:
- A discrete, separately identifiable unit within a tertiary institution or Local Health District/Specialty Health Network such as a research centre within a university. Note that a University Faculty, Department or School would not constitute a separately identifiable unit for the purposes of this grant.
- A discrete, separately identifiable unit within a larger parent organisation that is other than a tertiary institution or Local Health District/Specialty Health Network.
- A collaboration of organisations, or parts of organisations, that have come together to pursue prevention research. Collaborations must be genuine ventures to further ongoing research programs, not simply a 'coalition of convenience' to enable organisations to obtain this funding. Collaborations must have been demonstrably present and separately identifiable from member organisations since July 2017. Collaborations should be able to show that they contribute to the Program objectives, over and above the contributions made separately by their member organisations.
Who can apply
- the applicant was invited by the grantee to submit an application
- the applicant is, or is part of a parent organisation which is, a legal entity
- the research focus of the applicant is primarily alcohol and other drugs research
- the applicant is fully located in NSW
- the applicant is not-for-profit.
Who can’t apply
- individuals or groups of individuals
- unincorporated organisations
- for-profit commercial organisations
- applicant is partially or wholly located outside of NSW.
What your application needs to include
Download a copy of the Linked Analysis Grant Guidelines for detailed information on:
- project scope
- the mandatory selection criteria
- the eligibility criteria
- the assessment criteria including specific information and evidence required
- weighting allocation for the assessment criteria.
Prior to your application, you will need to collate the following essential information to support your application.
- Public Liability policy of insurance to the value of at least $10M
- Professional Indemnity insurance policy to the value of at least $10M
- Workers Compensation Insurance.
Applications are only eligible for consideration if they meet the following criteria:
- The applicant was invited by the grantee to submit an application.
- The research focus of the applicant is primarily alcohol and other drugs research.
- The applicant is fully located in NSW.
- The applicant is not-for-profit.
- The applicant is, or is part of a parent organisation which is, a legal entity.
Applicants or their parent organisation must be a legal entity or, if a joint grant, consortium, collaboration or otherwise, be legal entities with the capacity to contract. The Ministry will only enter into a Standard Grant Agreement with such legal entity or entities.
Any application which is submitted by a combination of two or more organisations, as a joint venture, a consortium, collaboration or otherwise, must include in the application:
- applicant information for each member of the group
- a clear statement of the nature of the association between the members of the group and the basis upon which they propose to enter into the agreement with the Ministry; and
- a statement that each member of the group is jointly and severally liable for the performance of the other members of the group under the resultant agreement or that one member of the group is fully liable for the performance of all members of the group.
The Ministry may ask an applicant to provide evidence of its legal status or capacity to contract. If applications from entities propose to contract in their capacity as trustees, such evidence may include copies of the relevant trust deeds.
A legal entity may include:
- a Local Health District
- Specialty Health Network
- university or
- an independently constituted medical research institute.
An applicant may be
- A discrete, separately identifiable unit within a tertiary institution or Local Health District/ Specialty Health Network such as a research centre within a university. Note that a University Faculty, Department or School would not constitute a separately identifiable unit for the purposes of this grant.
- A discrete, separately identifiable unit within a larger parent organisation that is other than a tertiary institution or Local Health District/Specialty Health Network.
- A collaboration of organisations, or parts of organisations, that have come together to pursue prevention research. Collaborations must be genuine ventures to further ongoing research programs, not simply a 'coalition of convenience' to enable organisations to obtain this funding. Collaborations must have been demonstrably present and separately identifiable from member organisations since July 2017. Collaborations should be able to show that they contribute to the Program objectives, over and above the contributions made separately by their member organisations.
Assessment criteria have been developed to reflect the objectives and expected outcomes of this grant. This assessment criteria will be as the basis for ranking and selection of successful applicants.
Criterion 1 – Demonstrated expertise in drug and alcohol research (MC1)
1: Applicants must demonstrate a significant track record related to alcohol and other drug (AOD) related research in general, and in particular research related to:
- AOD treatment patterns and outcomes (essential)
- AOD-related mortality (desirable).
2: Track records will be assessed on the basis of:
- number, type, quality and relevance of publications (particularly peer-reviewed publications)
- relevant research income (particularly income from peer-reviewed sources)
- nature, depth and importance of collaborative research ventures with relevant local, interstate, national and/or international partners.
Criterion 2 – High-level skills in epidemiological analysis of linked data (MC2)
Applicants must demonstrate their team has significant expertise in epidemiological analysis of linked data including:
- relevant qualifications
- practical experience
- related research outputs (as per criteria one).
Criterion 3 – Experience in working with relevant NSW health data collections (MC3)
Applicants must demonstrate their experience in the use of relevant NSW datasets including those pertaining to:
- Alcohol and Other Drugs treatment service use
- Tertiary care
- Mortality
- Mental health ambulatory care.
Criterion 4 – Demonstrated experience of working successfully in partnership with policy agencies to produce policy relevant outputs (MC4)
Applicants must:
- Provide evidence of outputs (papers, reports etc) produced in partnership with policy agencies.
- Provide two referees from policy agencies who have collaborated with members of the project team on policy-relevant analyses.
Criterion 5 – The applicant’s plan
For each objective, applicants must provide a high-level description of:
- Proposed future activities of the applicant aimed at addressing the objective.
- How funding will be used to support the proposed future activities.
- Indicators against which achievement of these activities could be measured.
- A rationale for how the proposed activities contribute to the objectives of NSW Health.
- Identification of opportunities and methods for enhancing the capacity of Ministry staff to use the newly enhanced Mental Health Living Longer data asset.
- Identification of opportunities to drive translation and impact of the research findings.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Director, Evidence and Evaluation Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence NSW Health
The assessment of applications will involve a two-step process.
Step 1: Eligibility assessment
Applications must first meet the eligibility criteria set out in section 2.
Any applications that do not meet all eligibility criteria will not progress to Step 2. Eligibility assessment will be undertaken by NSW Ministry of Health staff, who may contact applicants directly to clarify any issues with their application.
Step 2: Selection of applicants and funding
Applications that meet all eligibility criteria will be reviewed by a selection panel appointed by the Executive Directors of the Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence and Centre for Alcohol and Other Drugs, NSW Ministry of Health. The selection panel will include senior members of staff with expertise in alcohol and other drugs and/or epidemiological linked data analysis.
The selection panel will evaluate and rank applications in order of merit against the selection criteria. In doing so, they will take into account the weighting assigned to each group of selection criteria.
The selection panel will undertake this process in March 2025.
The selection panel will recommend:
- The successful applicants, in accordance with their merit.
- The amount of funding to be provided to each successful applicant from the funds available under the program and bearing in mind the bid put forward in the application. The selection panel may, in its discretion, determine not to award the full amount sought by the applicant. A rationale will be provided to the successful applicant if the full amount is not awarded.
The selection panel may contact applicants by telephone during the selection process to seek clarification of their application.
A senior representative of the applicant team should be available to be contacted by telephone on the date of the selection panel meeting in March 2025 (date will be confirmed ahead of time). This representative should be in a position to clarify any matters relating to the application at the time of the enquiry. It will not be possible to respond to the selection panel’s queries at a later date.
The selection panel is not obliged to recommend all or any funding under the program if, in their opinion, an application does not meet the selection criteria to a sufficiently high standard.