Dr Frances Cunningham

Honorary research fellow

Qualifications:

Doctor of Science (ScD), Johns Hopkins University, 1983; Bachelor of Arts, University of Queensland, 1971; Diploma of Education, Queensland University of Technology, 1967.

Approved level of HDR supervision at Charles Darwin University:

Principal Supervisor for PhD

Location:

Brisbane

Biography:

Dr Cunningham is an honorary research fellow in our Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Disease division. Formerly a senior health executive, consultant, policy analyst and health services researcher, Frances’ experience includes the public and private health sectors in Australia, the United States and the Pacific.

She has conducted a broad range of research, consulting and policy projects in the health, community and disability services areas, with a focus on the financing and delivery of services, quality improvement, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and preventive health. Her research at the University of New South Wales applied network methods to evaluate the effectiveness of state-based, clinical networks. At Menzies she has applied network methods to evaluate the ABCD National Research Partnership and the CRE in Integrated Quality Improvement, both addressing continuous quality improvement in primary health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Her research uses qualitative and mixed methods. Frances was the project lead for the Queensland B.strong Program, providing training in brief interventions to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers to address smoking, poor nutrition and physical inactivity.  

She is a fellow of the Australasian College of Health Service Management and a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Frances has been a board director for St Vincent’s Private Clinic, The STaR Association, ACHSM-NSW and ACHSM-QLD.

Dr Frances Cunningham
Email
Research Themes

  1. Bailie, J., Laycock, A., Conte, K., Matthews, V., Peiris, D., Bailie, R., Abimbola, S., Passey, M., Cunningham, F., Harkin, K. & Bainbridge, R. (2021). Principles governing ethical research in a collaboration to strengthen Indigenous primary health care in Australia – learning from experience. BMJ Global Health, 6:e003852. doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003852.

  2. Sebastian, S., Thomas, D.P., Brimblecombe, J. & Cunningham, F.C. (2021). Notes From the Field: Applying the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research in a Qualitative Evaluation of Implementation of the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Brief Intervention Training Program. Evaluation and the Health Professions. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163278721992815.

  3. Bailie, J., Laycock, A.F., Peiris, D., Bainbridge, R.G., Matthews, V., Cunningham, F.C., Conte, K.P., Abimbola, S., Passey, M.E. & Bailie, R.S. (2020). Using developmental evaluation to enhance continuous reflection, learning and adaptation of an innovation platform in Australian Indigenous primary health care. Health Research Policy and Systems, 18(45).

  4. Sebastian.S., Thomas, D.P., Brimblecombe, J., Majoni, V. & Cunningham, F.C. (2020). Factors impacting on development and implementation of training programs for health professionals to deliver brief interventions, with a focus on programs developed for Indigenous clients: a literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17(3), 1094. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17031094

  5. De Witt, A., Matthews, V., Bailie, R., Garvey, G., Valery, P.C., Adams, J., Martin, J.H. & Cunningham, F.C. (2020) Communication, collaboration and care coordination: the three-point guide to cancer care provision for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. International Journal of Integrated Care, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.5334/ijic.5456.

  6. Laycock, A., Konte, K., Harkin, K., Bailie, J., Matthew, V., Cunningham, F, Ramanathan, S. & Bailie, R. (2019). Improving the quality of primary health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Final report: Centre of Research Excellence in Integrated Quality Improvement 2025-2019. University Centre for Rural Health, Lismore, NSW.

  7. Fazelipour, M. & Cunningham, F. (2019). Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of brief interventions targeting smoking, nutrition and physical activity among Indigenous populations: a narrative review. International Journal for Equity in Health, 18:169; https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-019-1059-2

  8. Cunningham, F.C. Ranmuthugala, G, Westbrook, J. & Braithwaite, J. (2019). Tacking the wicked problem of health networks: the design of an evaluation framework, BMJ Open, 9: e024231. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024231. .

  9. De Witt, A., Cunningham, F.C., Bailie, R., Percival, N., Adams, J. & Valery, P.C. (2018). ‘It’s just presence’, the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals in cancer care in Queensland. Frontiers in Public Health, 6:344. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00344

  1. Menzies B.Strong training in Townsville
  2. Workshops to improve Indigenous health in the north west
  3. Balonne Beacon | Motivational techniques to boost Balonne
  4. Koori Mail | B.Strong Program
  5. NITV | $2.24m health initiative by Menzies in QLD
  6. QLD Government | B.Strong training program release