This year has been extraordinary; for our community and the health system. Dr Jean-Frédéric Levesque reflects on our progress in health innovation and how this will propel us forward with a renewed focus for the year ahead.
At the Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI), we are at the forefront of change and transformation in healthcare. As the year comes to a close, we have been reflecting on our achievements and impact across the health system, despite the challenges presented to all of us.
I am pleased to share this with you through A focus on ACI, our first digital publication to highlight our progress, our people and our achievements over the last two years (2020 – 2021).
While COVID-19 presented us with new and unexpected challenges, our four directorates worked together to:
- embed a strong evidence base in new programs
- focus on clinical engagement
- improve our approach to co-design with consumers
- build capacity for health staff and services to innovate and improve service delivery.
Thank you to our people and partners
I would like to thank the ACI staff from across all directorates and teams for their dedication, resilience and agility in helping us meet the challenges that the pandemic has presented. I would also like to thank the clinicians and consumers who volunteered their time to share their knowledge and expertise with the ACI so that we could support the system.
I am proud of the great collaboration across the ACI and NSW Health over the past two years. I would also like to acknowledge our partners at the Ministry of Health, local health districts, specialty health networks, primary care and other pillar and partner agencies for working with us to drive innovations in healthcare across NSW.
From all of us at the ACI, I would like to wish you a happy and safe holiday season with loved ones. We look forward to our continued partnerships and building on the momentum we have created as we embark on the new year.
Welcome to our new Board Chair
On behalf of the ACI, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the new Chair of the ACI and Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC) Board, Professor Andrew Wilson.
Professor Wilson has been a member of the ACI and CEC Board since 2014 and is very familiar with our contribution to the system’s response to the pandemic. He is the Co-Director of the Menzies Centre for Health Policy and Economics; Professor of Public Health in the Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney; and Co-Director of the NHMRC Australian Prevention Partnership Centre (Sax Institute). He chairs the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee for the Australian Government, has specialist qualifications in public health and clinical medicine and a PhD in epidemiology.
His previous non-academic roles include Deputy Director-General Public Health and Chief Health Officer, NSW Health and Deputy Director, Policy, Planning and Resourcing, Queensland Health. His research interests include all aspects of the prevention and management of chronic disease and evaluation of the responsiveness and effectiveness of health care systems.
Professor Wilson has shared a video message, reflecting on the strengths of the ACI and looking forward to the year ahead.
One of the strengths of the ACI is that it can address real challenges across the health system and deliver meaningful improvements for the people of NSW.