New Medical Research Institute of NZ facilities in Wgtn

Thank you for the invitation to open this research facility this morning.  It's good to be here.

I'd like to thank Professor Richard Beasley for his vision of a co-ordinated multiple provider research centre and Shaun Drummond for his warm welcome, and ability to make this happen.  And of course, Kaumatua Sam Jackson, and all the other guests and staff of the Centre.

The Medical Research Institute is one of New Zealand's leading independent medical research institutes.  Since its beginnings in 2001 it has gained an international reputation for innovative research. 

That research is focused on investigating the causes of important public health problems and then using this knowledge to improve the prevention and treatment of diseases. 

And going by recent Key Research Outcomes, the institute is clearly grounded in the popular culture and associated problems of our society.

For example, a trial of the effects of two types of party pills identified that when taken in recommended doses, party pills have the potential to cause serious harm.  The findings formed the key data on which the restriction of party pills was based.

Another study identified the effects of sitting still for long periods on the incidence of Deep Vein Thrombosis, while a systematic review indicated that honey dressings may be more effective than alternative treatments for burns.  This has led to a new programme investigating the medicinal effects of honey.

Institute researchers also identified that long term cannabis smoking increases the risk of lung cancer. For example, they found smoking one cannabis cigarette had a lung cancer risk similar to 20 tobacco cigarettes.  The Institute's findings resulted in major international interest in this research.

The Institute has been operating out of facilities in central Wellington, and a respiratory physiology laboratory situated at Bowen Hospital. 

The relocation to these newly refurbished rooms will help place the Institute close to their clinical colleagues and associated resources. 

This also substantially enhances the Institute's laboratory capabilities, in addition to the laboratory at Bowen Hospital. 

It is pleasing to see that Capital & Coast District Health Board is putting its older building assets and infrastructure to good use, and supporting the establishment of research facilities right here within their grounds. 

One of the major focuses of the past year for the Institute has been supporting the establishment of the Health Education Research Collaborative Centre known as "The Hercc" here on the Wellington Hospital campus. 

Together with Capital & Coast District Health Board and Victoria University Wellington, the Institute is one of the foundation partners of The Hercc. 

The intention for the Centre is to be a locus for different disciplines of postgraduate medical research and an education centre. 

Other institutions involved in the Centre include the University of Otago, Massey University, Whitireia Community Polytechnic and Wellington Free Ambulance. 

The Centre is also supported by 'Grow Wellington' which aims to strengthen the three pillars of economic growth in Wellington - (movie industry, geology based industry and health science).

The  Medical Research Institute of New Zealand will  investigate and use new knowledge to link into and improve the treatment and prevention of diseases.

The Centre for health education and research will provide opportunities for hospital based clinicians in many different fields to participate in research projects.

There is potential for a mutually beneficial and supportive relationship between this Centre and frontline clinicians and other healthcare practitioners in the sector.

Here in New Zealand we are not currently in a position to compete with Australian salaries for medical personnel. 

So we have to be smarter in our approaches to retention and recruitment of medical staff, improving job satisfaction, utilising non-salary features.

Opportunities for research and teaching rank high in the list of non-remunerative features which medical staff say they want.

Integrating research, teaching and the practice of medicine lifts job satisfaction and retention.

The government is working with the Health Research Council to better allocate research funding to assist in providing those opportunities for hospital clinicians.

It gives me great pleasure to declare the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand facilities open.