Project Title: BREATHE FAST – Breathlessness Rapid Evaluation and Therapy, Fast Assessment Spirometry Testing

Recipients: Prof Charlotte Hespe (Principal), A/Prof Katrina Giskes, Prof Christine Jenkins, Dr Ai-vee Chua, A/Prof Ralph Audehm, Prof Bastian Seidel, Dr Hugh John Fardy, Dr Kerry Hancock, Dr Anthony Sunjaya, Dr Allison Humphreys

Amount: $239,600

BREATHE FAST will test whether digital self-screening and point-of-care micro-spirometry can improve early COPD diagnosis in rural general practice. Twenty practices will compare COPD outcomes before and during the intervention, supported by qualitative interviews on feasibility and implementation. If successful, the model could be rolled out nationally to improve timely diagnosis, reduce hospitalisations and costs, and strengthen preventive care for rural communities.

Project Title: Supported to Succeed – Evaluation of GP-Supported Binge Eating eTherapy as a Scalable Low-Intensity Primary Care Intervention

Recipients: Dr Karen Spielman (Principal), Dr Sarah Barakat, Dr Kelly Dann, Dr Rachel Kalman, Ms Sally Corry, Dr Shu Ong, Prof Sarah Maguire, Ms Peta Marks

Amount: $125,000

Binge eating disorder affects more than one million Australians, yet many face long waits or limited access to care, particularly outside specialist settings. This study will assess whether GP-prescribed digital therapy, delivered via the InsideOut eClinic, leads to better patient engagement and outcomes compared with the same program used without GP support. Using matched historical controls, it will evaluate effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability through treatment data, surveys and interviews. If successful, this GP-supported model could provide a scalable first-line option for managing binge eating in primary care, improving access and outcomes across Australia.

Project Title: Scaling Digital Maternity Care in Remote General Practice

Recipients: Dr John Hall (Principal), Dr Jemma Noakes, Dr Natalie Pink, Dr Kara Burns, Dr Debbie Passey, Dr Belinda Davey

Amount: $125,000

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in remote areas often experience delays in pregnancy care due to distance, poor communication and lack of cultural safety. This study will test whether the Foxo app can improve communication, information sharing and coordination between patients and healthcare providers. The goal is to increase attendance at appointments, enhance cultural safety, and improve health outcomes for mothers and babies.

Project Title: Occasions of Care Explained and Analysed (OCEAN) GP Study

Recipients: Dr Marguerite Tracy (Principal), Dr Christopher Harrison, Dr Julie Gordon, Dr Heather Russell, Prof Meredith Makeham, Dr Yang Lu, Prof Melissa Kang, Dr Kate Milledge

Amount: $119,875

Australia has not had a national measure of GP clinical activity since the BEACH study ended in 2016, creating a major evidence gap. The OCEAN GP study will test updated BEACH methods, delivered electronically, to capture real-world GP activity in 2026. A random sample of GPs will record 100 consecutive patient encounters to assess feasibility, identify barriers and enablers, and explore the potential for national rollout. If successful, it will provide up-to-date, representative data to guide policy, workforce planning, education and improvements in patient care.

Project Title: Supporting GPs to Address the Social Determinants of Diabetes

Recipients: Dr Hannah Woodall (Principal), A/Prof Janani Pinidiyapathirage, Dr Robert Heffernan, Ms Sherrilyn Walters, Dr Gaya Balakrishnan

Amount: $60,000

People experiencing poverty, unstable housing, low education or social isolation are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and face greater challenges in managing it, yet these social factors are often overlooked in general practice. This study will survey and interview GPs, practice staff and patients to explore what enables or prevents addressing these issues. Findings will guide strategies to better connect patients with support, improve diabetes care, and reduce health inequities.

Project Title: Rapid Experience Codesigning an Emotional Resilience Intervention to Improve Rural General Practice Workforce Retention

Recipients: A/Prof Kylie Vuong (Principal), Dr Sophie Vasiliadis, Dr Olivia Metcalf, Dr Teresa O'Brien, A/Prof Jillian Benson, Prof Louise Stone

Amount: $38,924

Rural GPs are vital to community health, yet many leave due to stress and burnout, worsening workforce shortages and limiting access to care. This project will work with rural GPs to co-design a resilience-building intervention that addresses key stressors and supports wellbeing. The program aims to reduce burnout, improve retention, and strengthen access to care, leading to better health outcomes and greater equity for rural communities.

Project Title: Mapping the Landscape of General Practitioner Home Visits in New South Wales

Recipients: Dr Amber Zi Ye (Principal), Dr Kate Marshall, A/Prof Joel Rhee, Prof Margo Barr, Dr Shruti Yardi, A/Prof Michael Wright, Dr Ian Kamerman, Dr Patrick Daly

Amount: $20,000

Many older Australians, people with disability, palliative care needs or complex conditions find it difficult to attend GP clinics. Home visits can provide essential care, but their use has declined and little is known about who receives them or their outcomes. This study will analyse data from more than 267,000 adults in NSW to identify patterns, reasons and results of GP home visits. The findings will guide policy and funding to better target visits to those who would benefit most, improving access and health outcomes.

Project Title: Improving Dermatology Capability in General Practice (IDERM): A Mixed-Methods Study of GP Confidence, Learning Behaviours, and Health System Influences

Recipients: Dr Anneliese Willems (Principal), Prof Lena Sanci, Prof Meredith Temple-Smith, Dr Brett Vaughn, A/Prof Alvin Chong, Prof Parker Magin

Amount: $20,000

Skin conditions are one of the most common reasons Australians visit a GP, yet many GPs feel underprepared to manage them, especially with limited access to dermatologists and long wait times. Most skin care is provided in general practice, often without clear referral pathways. The IDERM project will investigate how GPs develop dermatology skills after training and how the health system influences care. By identifying key supports and barriers, it aims to improve training, streamline referral pathways and strengthen GP–specialist collaboration, ultimately expanding access to quality skin care, particularly in rural areas.

Project Title: Can a GP-led Endometriosis Action Plan Improve Self-Management of Endometriosis-Related Flare Ups?

Recipients: Dr Elaine Leung (Principal), Prof Richard Reed, Dr Rebecca O'Hara

Amount: $18,648

Endometriosis affects one in seven Australian women and people assigned female at birth, often causing chronic pain, fertility problems and long delays in diagnosis. Many continue to experience severe flare ups that lead to hospital visits, with limited options for at-home management. This South Australian study will test a GP and patient co-designed Endometriosis Action Plan, providing clear steps to manage symptoms during flare ups. If successful, the plan could be adopted nationwide to improve patient self-management, enhance quality of life and reduce demand on hospital services.

Project Title: Improving Shared Decision-Making in General Practice: An Audit of Evidence Presentation in Point-of-Care Tools and AI Clinical Advisors

Recipients: Dr Ben Mitchell (Principal), A/Prof Geoffrey Spurling, Prof Mieke Van Driel, Prof Parker Magin

Amount: $14,953

Point-of-care tools are widely used in busy GP consultations but often lack clear, accessible information on treatment effectiveness, making shared decision-making more difficult. This study will audit popular tools such as UpToDate, Therapeutic Guidelines, DynaMed and BMJ Best Practice, assessing their coverage of common conditions, evidence quality and clarity on benefits and harms. It will also evaluate AI clinical advisors including ChatGPT, Claude and OpenEvidence. Findings could guide improvements that help GPs provide clearer, evidence-based information and support more informed patient decisions.

Project Title: Financial support to assist with final years of medical school and rural elective placement

Recipient: Miss Lauren Fawcett

Amount: $10,000

A proud Barkindji and Malyangapa woman in her fifth year of Medicine, Lauren Fawcett will undertake her final-year elective with an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. Funding will cover rural placement costs, allowing her to focus on training and cultural responsibilities. This support will help her become a culturally responsive rural doctor dedicated to improving health outcomes in Aboriginal communities.

Project Title: Beyond the Skin: General practitioners’ perspectives on managing psoriasis and its comorbidities

Recipients: Dr Amna Mushtaq (Principal), Dr Marie Consolatrice Sage Ishimwe, A/Prof Daniel Xu

Amount: $9,900

Psoriasis is linked to serious health problems such as heart disease, arthritis, obesity and depression. This study will interview Australian GPs to explore how they manage both the skin condition and its related health issues, the barriers they encounter, and opportunities for improvement. Findings will help develop practical solutions like clearer referral pathways, better screening tools and stronger collaboration, supporting more comprehensive and coordinated care for people with psoriasis.

Project Title: Osteoporosis prevention in perimenopausal women: general practitioner perspectives on lifestyle interventions and screening

Recipient: Dr Rim Ghali

Amount: $5,000

Osteoporosis becomes more common after menopause, yet prevention during the perimenopausal years is often missed. This study will explore how GPs in Victoria and NSW approach screening and lifestyle advice for prevention, including their knowledge of guidelines, current practices, and the barriers they face. Insights will inform guideline improvements, policy changes, and new tools to support timely, effective prevention and reduce future osteoporosis rates.

Project Title: Exploring disparities in cancer screening rate, cancer incidence and mortality in the culturally and linguistically diverse women in New South Wales

Recipients: Dr Amber Zi Ye

Amount: $1,000

This project examines cancer screening, diagnosis, and outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women in NSW. Using large linked health datasets, we will compare CALD and non-CALD women to identify groups with lower screening rates, later diagnoses, and poorer survival. Findings will guide targeted, culturally appropriate strategies to improve equity in cancer care.

Recipient: Dr Rochelle Sleaby, University of Melbourne

Amount: $75,000

Type 2 diabetes affects over 1.27 million Australians and current one-size-fits-all care is inadequate. This study will review evidence, interview patients and clinicians, and pilot data-driven methods using linked health records to test precision approaches. Findings will inform more tailored, equitable, and effective diabetes care in general practice.

Recipient: Dr Gillian Singleton, University of Wollongong

Amount: $75,000

The ePREVENT-360 project is piloting IN2HEALTH, a digital tool for chronic disease prevention in general practice. It assesses risks, provides lifestyle advice, and supports GPs with clinical scores. Over six months, 215 patients across five practices will test its feasibility, focusing on engagement, acceptability, and early health impacts. Results will inform future trials and integration into routine preventive care.

Coming in November