Jackie Cumming

Qualifications

• PhD, Public Policy, Well
• Diploma in Health Economics, University of Tromso, Norway
• Master of Arts (1st Class Honours), Economics, University of Auckland
• Bachelor of Arts, French, University of Auckland

Profile

Jackie became Director of the Health Services Research Centre in 2001. Most recently part of the School of Government, the Centre became a foundation unit of the Wellington Faculty of Health in 2017.

Jackie originally joined the Centre as a Research Fellow in 1993, not long after the Centre was established. She has qualifications in both economics and public policy. Jackie previously worked for a number of government departments and agencies, including the Treasury, Department of Labour (including a secondment to the Employment Equity Taskforce), Department/Ministry of Health (including secondments to the 1991 Health Services Taskforce and Core Services Committee) and Public Health Commission.

Since joining the Centre in 2001, she has undertaken and led many health services research projects, focusing on the performance of the health system. She also has a strong interest in health economics, especially priority setting; her PhD in Public Policy at Victoria University of Wellington focused on the theory and practice of defining core health services.

Jackie is currently leading a number of research projects exploring aspects of the New Zealand health system's performance, including in relation to pharmacy services, integrated care, and primary health care. She and a national and international team of researchers were recently awarded a 5-year, $5m Health Research Council of New Zealand programme grant exploring issues relating to primary health care policy and service reform in New Zealand.

Jackie has successfully worked with many PhD students on a range of health services research topics, and has a long career in teaching health policy, as well as monitoring and evaluation. She has played a key role in working with the Wellington Faculty of Health in the design of its new undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

Jackie was a founding member of the Health Services Research Association of Australia and New Zealand, becoming its first Vice-President and second President; she was awarded a Professional Award from the Association in 2013 and remains a member of the Executive. She is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Health Service Management. She is also a co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Health Services Research and Policy.

Supervision Interests

• Health sector policy and reform - including health sector performance, access to services, primary health care policy and reform, integrated care, and equity in health and access to health services, especially for Maori and Pacific populations
• Health services evaluation - especially in primary health care

Research Interests

• Health sector policy and reform - including health sector performance, access to services, primary health care policy and reform, integrated care, and equity in health and access to health services, especially for Maori and Pacific populations
• Health services evaluation - especially in primary health care
• Health economics - including priority setting

Current Projects

• Enhancing Primary Health Care Services to Improve Health in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Health Research Council (HRC). 1 October 2018-30 September 2023. A five-year programme to assess the effectiveness of New Zealand's primary health care system. The programme will look at the current models of delivering health care via primary health care service providers such as general practices, nursing clinics and pharmacies, and how this model might be improved. A major part of the research will focus on the views of those using or needing to access care. Led by Professor Jacqueline Cumming, the research team includes the Health Systems Group at the University of Auckland, the Department of Primary Health Care and General Practice at the University of Otago (Wellington), Pacific Perspectives Ltd, Whakauae Research Services, Counties Manukau District Health Board and international collaborators at the Health Services Management Centre in the University of Birmingham and the Department of Health Services Research and Policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom.
• Integrated Services to Improve the Health of Pacific peoples. HRC. (July 2017-31 March 2021). A four and a half year project funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand to explore the meaning and impact of fragmented services delivery for Pacific families and how to better integrate services.
• Primary Health Care Services. Internal VUW URC grant. ($32,000). (2018.). Ongoing research into the fees and service utilisation of primary health care services in New Zealand.
• Exploring the development and impact of expanded community pharmacy services. HRC. 2016-2020. A 3 ½ year project funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand to explore the development and impact of changes in community pharmacy services.
• Evaluation of Mana a Riki. For Middlemore Foundation. 2016- 2018. A 3-year collaboration with The Middlemore Foundation for Health and Innovation, Papakura Kotuitui Trust and Counties Manukau District Health Board, to evaluate a community-based programme to improve outcomes for children.
• Ageing Well. Co-investigator with CRESA. Ageing Well National Science Challenge grant. April 2016 – June 2019. A 4 year project funded by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment with significant emphasis on services for Māori and Pacific health, with the HSRC leading the Pacific component.

Recently completed supervision and/or research projects

• Primary Health Care Integration in New Zealand. NZ Productivity Commission. May-June 2018.
• Assessing value for money from the Health Quality and Safety Commission. I am leading this major evaluation of key aspects and the overall value of the HQSC’s work in New Zealand, working alongside Otago University. October 2013-June 2015. Now in write up phase.
• Evaluating BSMC initiatives in the lower North Island. I am the lead, Principal Investigator on this HRC and MoH-funded one-year project.
• Evaluating BSMC initiatives on the West Coast. I am a Principal Investigator on this HRC and MoH-funded, one year project, led by Professor Robin Gauld from Otago University.

Publications

View a list of publications by Jackie Cumming