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ANZUP ANNUAL REPORT 2019
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE: IAN DAVIS AND MARTIN STOCKLER
CHAIR IAN DAVIS
DEPUTY CHAIR MARTIN STOCKLER
The ANZUP Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) provides overall scientific oversight of ANZUP’s activities. It reviews and prioritises concepts in the light of the ANZUP Strategic Plan 2018-2020, and is a source of advice and mentorship for researchers developing concepts. The SAC is also the mechanism that ensures ANZUP continues to have at its core a broad-based multidisciplinary group, able to listen and learn from each other and to provide advice. The SAC is the conduit to ANZUP from the community and other stakeholders, ensuring that we listen and understand where the clinical needs and evidence gaps are. The SAC is also a communication conduit back to the community, allowing other groups to understand the work we do, the implications of our research findings, the importance of wide engagement, and to help implement the evidence we generate into clinical policy and practice. The ANZUP Board endorsed an updated Strategic Plan for 2018-2020. The SAC undertook a “horizon scanning” meeting in February 2019 in response to this and also to continue its previous work to refresh its perspective and processes. The horizon scanning meeting reviewed the strategic goals and considered key discussion points, including disease- and discipline-based research priorities; specific issues relating
to research capability in New Zealand and in rural or remote areas; the implications of telemedicine and teletrials; consideration of how to engage and support indigenous communities in research in genitourinary cancers; whether we are adequately addressing the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse populations; links to other groups; membership and stakeholder engagement; streamlining of processes; and novel models for clinical research. A number of specific actions were defined and we continue to work through these. The SAC agenda has been reviewed and streamlined to move it away from a predominantly passive reporting mode and more towards a forward-thinking and strategic body that takes advantage of its diverse membership. We are very grateful for the contributions of all our SAC members. The Board reviews SAC membership every year in the light of recommendations from the various professional bodies or special societies represented in its composition. ANZUP plans to continue to refresh the SAC membership to ensure that new people have opportunities to participate and that the discourse remains as broad-based as possible. ANZUP members are welcome and invited to participate in ANZUP processes. We welcome your involvement in our subcommittees and workshops, and of course your participation in our Annual Scientific Meeting and other educational and development activities. If you are interested in hearing more or in being more engaged then please do not hesitate to contact us for more information. This is your organisation: let us know what you think we should be doing, and feel free to be as engaged in it as you wish to be.
