A key focus of IUIH’s responsibility to its community is to ensure that services are being delivered to and with mob, in the right place and in the right way.

To meet this objective, IUIH has an active research, evaluation and policy unit to continually drive quality improvement, including through the use of qualitative and quantitative data to understand population trends, community needs and to provide a solid basis for program design/resource allocation and measuring the research. This includes routine reviews against specified targets, and related incentivising of improved clinical and business performance.

Complementing this work is an independent research and evaluation program, with a priority focus on moving from ‘best intentions’ to ‘best practice’ and ‘evidence-based’. This will help to further build evidence around ‘what works’ to close the gap faster for First Nations people – not only in South East Queensland but more broadly at a national level.

All research conducted through BiOC, IUIH and UQ align with the National Health and Medical Research Council Ethical Guidelines – this provides a set of principles to ensure research is safe, respectful, responsible, high quality and of benefit to First Nations people and communities. For more information on these guidelines, please visit NHMRC:

A participant information and consent form is available for all eligible research participants.

• If you are interested in participating in any BiOC research project, you can talk with your family, Elders, or other members of the community who are important to you before agreeing to participate;
• If you have any questions about the research, you can also contact the research team to yarn it through further;
• It’s OK to change your mind about choosing to withdraw or not participate in the project – it will not affect the way you are supported through your BiOC journey;
• Choosing not to participate or withdrawing from the project will not affect you receiving care through the BiOC service, or any other IUIH service;
• Participating in the project may not benefit you personally, but it will help inform how we can improve our birthing and social health services to you, your family, and your community;
• Participants will have an opportunity to receive a copy of the results of the projects in which they are involved. We will also feature and share key results of the projects on Yarn It Up.

The research projects are bound by strict privacy laws (Privacy Act 1988). The information collected is confidential and will not be disclosed to any third parties without your consent, except to meet government, legal or other regulatory authority requirements. Your identity and personal information will be safeguarded at all times. No information will be reported in a way that will allow you, your household or your community to be identified. All data will be securely stored at IUIH. Data will be kept for the duration of 7 years, after which it will be permanently erased. The use of data from these projects will be strictly controlled by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governance committee.