Primary Health Care

Implementation Work Programme 2006 - 2010: Innovations Fund

Applications for the Primary Health Care Strategy (PHCS) Innovations Fund 2008/09 closed on 12 noon, Friday 14 November.

Questions and answers

What is the background to the PHCS Innovations Fund?

In 2007, a fund pool of $6 million (excluding GST) was made available to support the sustainability and uptake of innovation within the New Zealand primary health care sector.

In the first funding round, 23 funding applications were received during November 2007, and 10 applications were approved. The total amount disbursed in round 1 was approximately $500,000.

Following the Round One application process, the PHCS Implementation Work Programme conducted interviews and a workshop with key stakeholders, to develop recommendations on how the fund pool should be used in 2008/09.

As a result of this advice, the 2008/09 application process for the PHCS Innovations Fund has been revised, to ensure a more effective uptake of available resources to support the creation and uptake of innovation.

The 2008/09 application process has been re-designed to provide greater clarity with regard to the range of innovations that may be submitted for funding consideration, and to make the process less time-consuming for applicants.

2008 is the final application round for this particular pool of primary health innovations funding.

How does the 2008 Funding Round differ from the first round in 2007?

In 2008 there is the option of a two-stage application process:

Applicants are invited to submit a 1- 2 page abstract or synopsis of the innovation they are proposing (stage 1). These abstracts will be screened by an evaluation panel, and those proposals that are considered to be within the scope of the PHCS Innovations Fund, and meet the criteria in one of the funding categories will be invited to complete a more detailed final application (stage 2). Applicants will be supported by PHCS Implementation Work Programme staff so that Fund standards and expectations are fully met. Although there will be no guarantees of a successful funding outcome before the final evaluation panel decision, applicants who proceed to stage 2 will have the confidence of an improved chance of success.

An additional funding category - Innovation Creation has also been added, so that the Fund covers the range of innovation from development of new ideas or processes, to knowledge sharing and innovation dissemination.

What are the 2008 funding categories?

A. Innovation creation: to encourage new ideas, systems, processes, or behaviours in primary care that will improve population health outcomes.

B. Knowledge Sharing: to provide funding to enable information on recent innovations to be made easily accessible to the sector.

C. Innovation Dissemination: to support the uptake of existing innovations through the development and implementation of innovation uptake plans.

What were the deadlines for the 2008 funding round?

Stage 1 applications – 1-2 page abstract (summary of project): Friday 17th of October

Stage 2 applications – full project description: Friday 14th of November

What are examples of innovations or projects that are likely to be considered favourably for this funding round?

The primary aim of the PHCS Innovations Fund is to support the creation and uptake of innovation throughout the health sector by enabling the trialling of new initiatives, knowledge sharing and dissemination of existing innovations that align with and progress the goals of the Primary Health Care Strategy; and supporting and strengthening DHB-PHO relationships.

Innovations may include

trialling new or alternative service delivery models that seek to accelerate the implementation of the PCHS
implementing provision of services through alternative environments which could include the devolution of services from a secondary to a primary service provision environment
piloting initiatives that seek to improve and enhance the primary and secondary interface
new methods of integrating primary and community health services, such as general practice and pharmacy, or general practice and public health promotion
new local or regional approaches to planning for Long Term Conditions service delivery
collaborative ways of working by PHOs and DHBs to meet strategic objectives and health targets
local or regional service integration to achieve improved service delivery and patient outcomes
developing clinical or organisational leadership skills to support change and innovation

If we apply for these funds, are we still able to apply for the District Health Board Research Fund, the Health Research Council of New Zealand funding or other funding?

Applicants for the PHCS Innovations Fund may not apply for funding from other funding sources for the same project outputs funded through the PHCS Innovations Fund without the Programme’s prior written agreement.

In particular, applicants for the Innovation Dissemination (Category C) funding should note the following:
If the Innovation Dissemination funding application relates to or builds upon other projects already funded, or for which funding applications have been made to other Government funding sources or health/innovation initiatives, please specify those other applications and the nature of the relationship between the applications.

Can applications be made jointly by a number of PHOs?

Yes, PHOs can apply jointly for any of the 3 categories of funding.

However, note the requirement to nominate a lead organisation for joint applications.

For all applications, PHOs are required to gain support and endorsement from their DHB.

For a PHO joint application (that may span several DHBs), the applicants will be required to gain support and endorsement from at least one of their DHBs.

If we apply for these funds, are we still able to apply for the NZ Health Innovation Awards?

Yes, applicants may apply for any national or regional health or innovation award.

Applicants for the PHCS Innovations Fund may not apply for funding from other funding sources for the same project outputs funded through the PHCS Innovations Fund without the Programme’s prior written agreement.

However, this does not limit any applicant’s ability to enter the NZ Health Innovation Awards or any other health or innovation award at either a regional or national level.

Are templates available for fund applicants?

Yes, there is a template to complete for Stage 1 of the application process. See Appendix 1 of the “Invitation to Apply” document.

If a DHB has several PHOs can only 1 application be received for innovation funding?

In the interests of equitable access to available funding, when applications are assessed the geographic allocation of innovations initiatives will be considered. Applicants should consider the implications of the aims of the project in terms of supporting DHB-PHO relationships and in particular, the assessment criteria for funding in terms of progressing the Primary Health Care Strategy (of which a key aim is to co-ordinate care across service areas), when developing proposals.

Are all health care providers eligible for funding?

No, the PHCS Innovations Fund is available to District Health Boards, Primary Health Organisations, and other primary health care providers - this requirement has been built into the eligibility criteria for each category of funding.

Are Primary Health Care providers able to apply for funding on their own?

Yes, but the application must have support and endorsement from at least one PHO and one DHB.

When getting endorsement/support from a PHO and/or a DHB, do particular people need to endorse the project or can any manager from these organisations endorse an application?

The Invitation to Apply document does not specify a particular role within either a PHO or a DHB for seeking support and endorsement.

However, it is recommended that the DHB General Manager Planning and Funding should sign to ensure that the funding application is aligned with the district and regional primary health care strategic direction and existing primary health care funding streams. The CEO of the PHO should sign to ensure that the funding application has similar alignment with the PHO Strategic and Annual Plans.

How many applications can be put forward from a particular organisation?

There are no limits to the number of initiatives or categories of funding an organisation may apply for. Applicants do need to consider however that only one innovation dissemination initiative will be funded per applicant entity and that funded outputs should not overlap.

If I apply as a primary health care provider for innovation dissemination funding (Category C funding) with endorsement from a PHO and a DHB, does this mean that if either of these organisations independently apply for Category C funding for other initiatives, my application will also be included in the "one" initiative that is allowed per applicant entity?

Endorsement is separate from being funded for an initiative i.e. your organisation may put forward an application for Category C funding and seek support/endorsement from a PHO and a DHB, say “DHB A”. DHB A may be considered the ‘home DHB’ responsible for holding the contract with your organisation for delivery of the initiative, but as the actual ‘fundee’ is your organisation, this does not count as an innovation dissemination effort for DHB A (unless DHB A is included as a joint applicant in your application).

An innovation dissemination initiative will only be ‘counted’ against DHB A where it has directly applied for funding, and is responsible for delivery of the funded outputs.

Can an eligible organisation put forward an application for funding for disseminating an innovative initiative that is working in another country, but has yet to be trialled in New Zealand?

Yes, as long as the fund application meets the eligibility and assessment criteria as set out in the Invitation to Apply for Funding document above.

If an application is for an innovation spread or uptake effort across a region (involving multiple DHBs/PHOs), is support/endorsement required from all organisations involved?

The minimum requirement as documented in the Invitation to Apply for Funding is support and endorsement from at least one PHO and one DHB. Applicants are strongly encouraged to document the process and engagement they would follow in order to gain support from the other DHBs as the innovation uptake occurs. Support and endorsement from all DHBs involved would strengthen the application.

Am I able to email my application to DHBNZ?

Applications for funding will be accepted in email or hardcopy format. Applicants must ensure that emailed applications are developed within a format that is compatible with the Microsoft Office 2003 suite of products. It remains the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that submitted documents are free of any components that may not be allowed through DHBNZ IT security screening. On receipt, your application will be acknowledged. Faxed applications may not fully reproduce or be of poor quality and therefore are discouraged. Refer to Section 3 (pg 12) of the Invitation to Apply for Funding document for details on submitting an application.

Can we only disseminate an innovation developed within our own DHB?

No, applicants for Category C funding are free to choose an existing (proven) innovation from any district, or region within New Zealand, or even from overseas (see related question above) to disseminate or spread, as long as the requirements for funding are met.

Contact Us

Please email queries to nationaloffice@dhbnz.org.nz.

Page last updated: 19 November 2008