THE Lions Eye Institute has received $276,000 to deliver the state’s first metropolitan collaborative eyecare model, providing timely specialist eyecare to people in Midland.

The funding will be used towards a specialist glaucoma care clinic in Midland and is one of 10 successful projects to be funded through the state government’s new innovation challenge sustainable health priorities program.

Based on the Lions Eye Institute outback vision model it will be staffed by optometry school staff and students from the University of Western Australia (UWA).

It will be supervised by glaucoma consultants to provide efficient, cost-effective triage and care for glaucoma patients.

The east metropolitan health service also received $449,931 for its smart scheduling project using digital prediction to streamline access to care; and a further $260,092 for ‘habithack’, to develop recovery tools in everyday life.

Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson said a total of $4 million was being allocated towards tackling WA’s sustainable health priorities through the successful future health research innovation (FHRI) fund, with up to $450,000 in funding per project.

“The new innovation challenge program will enable WA health service providers, universities, not-for-profit organisations and industry to bring innovative health initiatives to life and ensure that local communities receive affordable and personal care closer to home,” Mr Dawson said.

He congratulated the successful recipients and said he looked forward to following their innovation journey and seeing the projects translated into real benefits for the wider community.

The state government established the productive FHRI fund in 2020, which is backed by the state’s almost $1.8  billion sovereign wealth fund.

This has resulted in nearly $250m being available over the next four years to support health and medical research and innovation throughout the state.

For more information visit the FHRI fund website.