Synergia Services
Research and evaluation
Research and evaluation capabilities
Synergia brings together systems thinking, innovative research methods and extensive stakeholder and consumer engagement to provide insights to support strategic, service and policy development.
Our research is tightly focused on client and stakeholder needs to inform decision making and create a foundation for spreading learning and innovation across organisations and sectors.
Our systems orientation explores the complexity of communities, organisations and networks, and develops insights that are tailored to the needs of diverse stakeholder interests.
Synergia’s research projects have included use of stakeholder focus groups and interviewing, survey questionnaires, health impact assessment, scenario planning, literature reviews and social network analysis. We combine the insights emerging from these research tools with robust analysis to support decision-making and focused action.
Research and evaluation Experience
Developing a tool kit for primary mental health
Description: Supported by a DHB Research Fund this translational research partnership with the University of Otago (Associate Professor Sunny Collins and Professor Tony Dowell) is developing a toolkit for the design and development of sustainable primary mental health services in primary care settings. Working with four localities; Counties Manukau, Hawkes Bay, Hutt Valley and Nelson the research is using an empirically led, evidence informed approach to integrate population based planning tools for policy and funders, service design tools for providers and practice guidance for clinicians. The final report will be available late in 2010.
Contact: Philip Gandar
Client: Health Research Council
Improving elective & acute service productivity
Description: A rapid response research project to explore how funders, service providers and clinicians are working to plan sustainable responses to rising acute demand, constrained budgets and pressure to increase elective services. The research identified elements of successful operation and made recomendations on the future planning environment for the Ministerial Review Group.
Contact: Philip Gandar
Client: Ministry of Health
Pacific Tobacco Analysis
Description: Analysis of existing data sources to identify patterns of tobacco use among Pacific people in New Zealand.
Contact: Adrian Field
Clients: Tala Pasifika, National Heart Foundation
Keeping Well Learning Framework
Description: Synergia developed a proactive learning framework to be applied across multiple organisations, supporting improved flow of knowledge and capability. Focus was on improving skills amongst professional and community worker workforce.
Contact: Paul Stephenson
Client: Hut Valley District Health Board
Equipped Long-Term Conditions Collaborative Evaluation
Description: Evaluation of a quality improvement initiative in primary health care, using online surveys, key informant interviews and focus groups, and analysis of practice data.
Contact: Adrian Field
Client: Auckland District Health Board
John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation Evaluation
Description: Provision of evaluation training to Manukau-based community leaders in sport and physical activity. Synergia is drawing on self-evaluation reporting together with independent research to prepare a first year evaluation report for the Foundation.
Contact: Adrian Field
Clients: John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation
Waikato Regional Land Transport Health Impact Assessment
Description: Support to a locally-based health impact assessment team in planning, facilitation and analysis of a regional transport strategy.
Contact: Adrian Field
Clients: Environment Waikato, Population Health Waikato
Canterbury Regional Land Transport Strategy Health Impact Assessment
Description: Support to a cross-organisational health impact assessment team in planning, facilitation and analysis of a regional transport strategy; underpinned by use of systems dynamics modelling to quantify potential impacts of changing transport modes over time.
Contact: Adrian Field
Clients: Environment Canterbury, Canterbury DHB
Vaka Tautua DIAS Evaluation
Description: Evaluation of the establishment of regional Disability Information and Advice Services to Pacific people
Contact: Adrian Field
Clients: Vaka Tautua
Counties Manukau Active Evaluation
Description:
Evaluation of a three-year programme to raise levels of physical activity, sport and recreation in south Auckland, expand the capability and capacity of the local physical activity workforce, and improve organisation partnerships and collaboration.
Contact: Adrian Field
Clients: Manukau City Council, Counties Manukau Sport, Procare Network Manukau
Auckland Regional Land Transport Strategy Health Impact Assessment
Description:
Assessment of the potential health impacts of regional transport planning, to provide a health and wellbeing perspective into the development of a 30-year transport strategy.
Contact: Adrian Field
Client: Auckland Regional Council, Auckland Regional Public Health Service
Manukau Built Form and Spatial Structure Plan Health Impact Assessment
Description:
Analysis of health impacts of a major urban centre renewal project, aimed at reconnecting the city centre to the rest of the city by reducing car dominance, enhancing accessibility, and providing public open spaces and parks.
Contact: Adrian Field
Client: Manukau City Council
Elective services major joint and cataract initiative review
Description:
The major joint and cataract initiatives represented substantial and well funded efforts to increase the level of service, improve equity of access, develop quality improvement capability and build sustainable elective outpatients/surgical capacity. Jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Health and the respective clinical colleges (Orthopaedics Association and The Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Ophthalmology) the evaluation used a mix of primary research, (with clinicians, managers and programme personnel), and analysis of national datasets to recommend design changes to the second phase of this programme.
Contact: Philip Gandar
Client: Ministry of Health
Evaluation of ACE strategy implementation
Description:
Synergia undertook an evaluation of the Adult and Community Education Professional Development Plan 2006, to determine which projects arising from the plan had been successful. The evaluation proposed further development within the ACE sector that assisted the transfer of professional development responsibilities to ACE Aotearoa.
Contact: Miles Shepheard
Client: Tertiary Education Commission
Evaluation of chronic care management programme
Description:
Following an initial evaluation by University of Auckland School of Population Health, this project was designed to explore the reasons behind the variation highlighted in this study and the factors that can improve overall performance.
Contact: David Rees
Client: Counties Manukau District Health Board
Future Insights Fitness Industry
Description:
Literature review supporting in-depth qualitative research on key trends for the future and their implications for the fitness industry.
Contact: Adrian Field
Client: Nielsen
Long Term Systems Framework: Models of Care Paper
Description:
High level review of international and national trends and impacts on long terms health service design. Identifying implications for patients and health sectors.
Contact: Paul Stephenson, Kim Arcus
Client: Ministry of Health
Papakura McLennan Health Impact Assessment
Description:
Assessment of the potential impacts of an urban development in South Auckland on service access, walkability, and community cohesion. The assessment brought together and established relationships between the health sector, local government, iwi, community and social sector, education, and other interested parties in the district.
Contact: Adrian Field
Client: Auckland Regional Public Health Service
Review of Education Crown Entities
Description:
The Ministry of Education receives performance data from each of the Education Crown Entities. We were asked to evaluate the success of the Education Crown Entities from the education sector's perspective.
Contact: Miles Shepheard
Client: Ministry of Education
Health my way - people centric self care
Description:
A qualitative research study into the nature, function and processes of citizen centric self care undertaken on behalf of the Ministry of Health. Conducted in partnership Nielsen to research self care as seen through the eyes of people with long term conditions to understand the information environment of self care; the information, knowledge, influences, processes and support required for people to build confidence and capacity to manage their own health conditions.
Contact: Philip Gandar
Client: Ministry of Health
Healthy Eating Healthy Action Networks research
Description:
Review of HEHA networks across the country and how the sector can make better use of formal and informal public health networks to improve whole sector performance.
Contact: Paul Stephenson
Client: Ministry of Health
Key directions for the primary health information environment - case study
Description:
Key Directions is a Ministry of Health sponsored programme to develop an information environment within community and primary health that supports people centric health and responses to the challenges of long term conditions and disparities in health outcomes.
Contact: Philip Gandar
Client: Ministry of Health
Analysis of Media Engagement
Description:
Literature review of concepts and analytical approaches for assessing media engagement.
Contact: Adrian Field
Client: Nielsen
Cardiovascular Indicators
Description:
Review of cardiovascular disease monitoring at national and DHB levels, and identification of gaps and opportunities.
Contact: Adrian Field
Client: Counties Manukau District Health Board
Evaluation of Tertiary Education Strategy
Description:
Synergia carried out stakeholder interviews, and used a systemic analysis to understand the Tertiary Education Strategy documents’ usability and usefulness. It was published by the Ministry of Education as 'Making Use?'
Contact: Miles Shepheard
Client: Ministry of Education
Northern Region Chronic Care Management Programme Review
Description:
A review of chronic disease prevention and management programmes and capacity, across the four northern regions district health boards to identify common issues and opportunities for shared strategic resource and capability development.
Contact: Paul Stephenson
Client: Northern District Health Board