The HMRI Public Health Program is made up of 163 researchers and 15 research students from the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and Calvary Mater Newcastle, who are affiliated with two University of Newcastle Priority Research Centres:

• the Priority Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing; and
• the Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour.

In 2009, these public health researchers consolidated to form the Maddison Collaboration for Public Health, encompassing all public health research taking place in the region.

The HMRI Public Health Program is led by Professor Afaf Girgis, Professor Cate D’Este and Professor Julie Byles from the University of Newcastle, and Associate Professor John Wiggers from Hunter New England Health and the University of Newcastle.

The research activities of the Program are focused on four key themes:

• Monitoring health service use and its impacts
• Health service development and evaluation
• Reducing social and behavioural health risks
• Reducing communicable disease risks