Executive director Allied Health and Innovation Richard Cheney said the research strategy aimed to promote a healthier rural lifestyle.

“This research strategy maps our vision for embedding a vibrant research culture to ensure healthier rural people in our communities,” he said,

“We know this will ensure better health care to people in our regions, because it can save lives and improve patient safety.”

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And he said it should help attract and retain top medical and nursing staff.

The launch of the Research Strategy 2018-2021 was part of the 2018 Western NSW Research Network conference titled ‘Celebrating research partnerships in the bush.’

Mr Cheney said it was it was “an exciting time” for the WNSWLHD as the district was leading the way in fertility and had a strong commitment to improving the health of Aboriginal people.

With about 3700 babies born each year the local health district had the “highest total fertility rate” compared to other local districts.

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It also had the highest proportion of Aboriginal people in NSW, which is 11.5 per cent of the population.

That compares to Aboriginal people being three per cent of the state’s population.

Dr Georgina Luscombe was announced as the Health Academic Research Leader of the Year at the conference’s gala dinner on Thursday night.

She won the award for her research for providing teaching, supervision and support for clinicians, students and public health officer trainees.

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Catherine Bourke won the Emerging Researcher of the Year award. She has been involved in autism research.

And Dr Matt Thomas won the Clinical Researcher of the Year award.

He has been a Senior Clinical Psychologist at Bloomfield Hospital since 2012 and Adjunct Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at Charles Sturt University.