Record-breaking research funding at PITCHit 2023

Dr. Alice Munroe, Director of Research at WNSWLHD, says PITCHit fosters a culture of innovation by encouraging staff to think outside the box and develop new ideas in R&D.

“We had a huge turnout this year and it’s great to have 30 submissions as part of a ‘Shark Tank’ style event,” said Dr. Munroe.

“After an internal review, six teams were selected to submit their ideas to compete for funding. Each team provided a three-minute video pitch and participated in an in-person Q&A session with the judges.”

WNSWLHD Aboriginal Workforce Capacity, Development and Culture Manager Letha Towers, who was one of the 2023 PITCHit judges, said the panel was thrilled with the range of ideas.

“It was very exciting to hear each proposal, but when it came time to pick a winner, we had to put both our hearts and minds into how these ideas could actually help people living in the area,” Towers said.

WNSWLHD Fleet Services Deputy District Manager Daniel Robinson scored highest and won $14,850 in funding for “EVs Are Not Green”.

This project, in collaboration with the University of Sydney, aims to investigate the psychosocial factors associated with the penetration of electric vehicles into fleets within the district. EV penetration is a key goal of WNSWLHD’s new sustainability strategy to reduce carbon emissions by 2030.

“We were really blown away by this opportunity.

Another proposal that won the hearts of judges and contestants alike was the project “The Neurodiverse Perioperative Pathway” by the team of Teresa Luczac, Director of Research Operations at WNSWLHD.

The project aims to ensure that people with intellectual disabilities and neurodiverse, their families and caregivers have timely access to the services they need, while helping health services understand how to communicate effectively and adapt their way of working to suit their needs.

The other two winners and the funds awarded are:

• ECHObox: Sustainable Reuse of Medical Grade Cardboard Boxes for a Greener Healthcare Future.Dr. Neil Hall and Team – $18,000
• Eyes uses virtual reality to identify and treat visual impairment in post-stroke patients to improve rehabilitation care and outcomes.Dr. Shane Cameron – $20,000