Skip to menu Skip to content Skip to footer
Emeritus Professor Stephen Birch
Emeritus Professor

Stephen Birch

Email: 

Overview

Background

Professor Stephen Birch commenced in 2018 as Director and Taylor Family Chair of UQ’s Centre for the Business and Economics of Health.

He is also a senior scientist at the WHO Collaborating Centre on Health Workforce Planning at Dalhousie University, Canada, and also holds visiting professorial appointments at the University of Manchester, UK (since 2006) and the University of Technology, Sydney (since 2003).

Professor Birch is a pioneer in the field of health economics. He has developed and applied new methods for the economic evaluation of health care systems, with particular emphasis on equity in health care resource allocation, and needs-based approaches to health care funding and health workforce planning.

Prior to joining UQ, Professor Birch was a professor of health economics at McMaster University, Canada, for almost three decades. He has also worked at the Medical Care Research Unit, Sheffield University, UK and at the Centre for Health Economics, York University, UK. He has held honorary appointments at dental schools in Toronto and Malmo (Sweden) and the School of Public Health at Cape Town (South Africa).

Professor Birch holds a Doctor of Philosophy in economics from York University (UK), a Master of Science in fiscal studies from Bath University (UK), and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Sheffield University.

During his career, Professor Birch has been a consultant with WHO and the World Bank, as well as serving on many national and provincial health department expert panels and advisory councils for health workforce planning in Canada and the UK. From 2015 to 2017, he served on the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences expert panel on improving access to oral health care for vulnerable people living in Canada.

Professor Birch has published more than 250 research papers with particular interests in health service and health workforce planning, access to care in underserved populations and needs-based allocation of resources and provider remuneration.

From 1997-2012, he served as Senior Editor for the leading academic journal, Social Science & Medicine. He currently serves on the editorial advisory boards of Social Science & Medicine & Health and Social Care in the Community.

Availability

Emeritus Professor Stephen Birch is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of York

Works

Search Professor Stephen Birch’s works on UQ eSpace

345 works between 1985 and 2025

1 - 20 of 345 works

2025

Other Outputs

Change in dental visits among eligible children under the impact of the child dental benefits schedule in Australia

Nguyen, Lan, Connelly, Luke B., Birch, Stephen and Nguyen, Ha Trong (2025). Change in dental visits among eligible children under the impact of the child dental benefits schedule in Australia. LCC Working Paper Series. 2025-06. Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, Australia. doi: 10.14264/9bb2f5e

Change in dental visits among eligible children under the impact of the child dental benefits schedule in Australia

2024

Journal Article

How effective and cost‐effective is water fluoridation for adults and adolescents? The LOTUS 10‐year retrospective cohort study

Moore, Deborah, Nyakutsikwa, Blessing, Allen, Thomas, Lam, Emily, Birch, Stephen, Tickle, Martin, Pretty, Iain A. and Walsh, Tanya (2024). How effective and cost‐effective is water fluoridation for adults and adolescents? The LOTUS 10‐year retrospective cohort study. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 52 (4), 413-423. doi: 10.1111/cdoe.12930

How effective and cost‐effective is water fluoridation for adults and adolescents? The LOTUS 10‐year retrospective cohort study

2024

Journal Article

Effect of fluoridated water on invasive NHS dental treatments for adults: the LOTUS retrospective cohort study and economic evaluation

Moore, Deborah, Nyakutsikwa, Blessing, Allen, Thomas, Lam, Emily, Birch, Stephen, Tickle, Martin, Pretty, Iain A. and Walsh, Tanya (2024). Effect of fluoridated water on invasive NHS dental treatments for adults: the LOTUS retrospective cohort study and economic evaluation. Public Health Research, 12 (5), 1-147. doi: 10.3310/rfqa3841

Effect of fluoridated water on invasive NHS dental treatments for adults: the LOTUS retrospective cohort study and economic evaluation

2024

Journal Article

Brief parenting intervention (Triple P) for families of children with eczema: a randomized controlled trial

Mitchell, Amy E., Morawska, Alina, Casey, Emily, Forbes, Elana, Filus, Ania, Fraser, Jennifer, Rowell, David, Johnston, Aimee and Birch, Stephen (2024). Brief parenting intervention (Triple P) for families of children with eczema: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 49 (6), 429-441. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsae023

Brief parenting intervention (Triple P) for families of children with eczema: a randomized controlled trial

2024

Journal Article

Modelling a consultant workforce for the United Kingdom: needs-based planning for dental public health

Gallagher, Jennifer E., Donaldson, Michael, Karki, Anup, Keat, Ross, Yeung, C. Albert, Roberts, William, Birch, Stephen, Listl, Stefan and Witton, Robert (2024). Modelling a consultant workforce for the United Kingdom: needs-based planning for dental public health. Community Dental Health, 40 (4), 233-241. doi: 10.1922/CDH_00045Gallagher09

Modelling a consultant workforce for the United Kingdom: needs-based planning for dental public health

2023

Journal Article

Patients’ and care professionals’ evaluation of the effect of a hospital group on integrated care in Chinese urban health systems: a propensity score matching and difference-in-differences regression approach

Wang, Xin, Zheng, Caiyun, Wang, Yao, Birch, Stephen, Huang, Yixiang and Valentijn, Pim (2023). Patients’ and care professionals’ evaluation of the effect of a hospital group on integrated care in Chinese urban health systems: a propensity score matching and difference-in-differences regression approach. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 12 (1) 7897, 1-9. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2023.7897

Patients’ and care professionals’ evaluation of the effect of a hospital group on integrated care in Chinese urban health systems: a propensity score matching and difference-in-differences regression approach

2023

Journal Article

Planning the future of oral health care workforce: moving beyond demographic change

Birch, Stephen and Nguyen, Lan (2023). Planning the future of oral health care workforce: moving beyond demographic change. Community Dental Health, 41 (1), 49-53. doi: 10.1922/CDH_00145Birch05

Planning the future of oral health care workforce: moving beyond demographic change

2023

Journal Article

The consideration of clinicians' time needed to treat by guideline developers is not a solution to the scarcity of healthcare resources problem

Gafni, Amiram, Mercuri, Mathew and Birch, Stephen (2023). The consideration of clinicians' time needed to treat by guideline developers is not a solution to the scarcity of healthcare resources problem. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 29 (8), 1240-1242. doi: 10.1111/jep.13901

The consideration of clinicians' time needed to treat by guideline developers is not a solution to the scarcity of healthcare resources problem

2023

Journal Article

From population numbers to population needs: Incorporating epidemiological change into health service planning in Australia

Lenzen, Sabrina and Birch, Stephen (2023). From population numbers to population needs: Incorporating epidemiological change into health service planning in Australia. Social Science and Medicine, 328 115972, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115972

From population numbers to population needs: Incorporating epidemiological change into health service planning in Australia

2023

Journal Article

General population preferences for cancer care in health systems of China: a discrete choice experiment

Zhang, Nan, Chang, Xuan, Liu, Ruyue, Zheng, Caiyun, Wang, Xin and Birch, Stephen (2023). General population preferences for cancer care in health systems of China: a discrete choice experiment. Cancer Medicine, 12 (6), 7485-7497. doi: 10.1002/cam4.5473

General population preferences for cancer care in health systems of China: a discrete choice experiment

2023

Journal Article

Yarning about pain: Evaluating communication training for health professionals at persistent pain services in Queensland, Australia

Bernardes, Christina M, Ekberg, Stuart, Birch, Stephen, Claus, Andrew, Bryant, Matthew, Meuter, Renata, Isua, Jermaine, Gray, Paul, Kluver, Joseph P, Malacova, Eva, Jones, Corey, Houkamau, Kushla, Taylor, Marayah, Lin, Ivan and Pratt, Gregory (2023). Yarning about pain: Evaluating communication training for health professionals at persistent pain services in Queensland, Australia. British Journal of Pain, 17 (3), 306-319. doi: 10.1177/20494637221149831

Yarning about pain: Evaluating communication training for health professionals at persistent pain services in Queensland, Australia

2022

Journal Article

Communication and access to healthcare: Experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people managing pain in Queensland, Australia

Bernardes, Christina Maresch, Houkamau, Kushla, Lin, Ivan, Taylor, Marayah, Birch, Stephen, Claus, Andrew, Bryant, Matthew, Meuter, Renata, Isua, Jermaine, Gray, Paul, Kluver, Joseph P, Jones, Corey, Ekberg, Stuart and Pratt, Gregory (2022). Communication and access to healthcare: Experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people managing pain in Queensland, Australia. Frontiers in Pain Research, 3 1041968, 1-18. doi: 10.3389/fpain.2022.1041968

Communication and access to healthcare: Experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people managing pain in Queensland, Australia

2022

Journal Article

Who are the 10%? Characteristics of the populations and communities receiving fluoridated water in England

Nyakutsikwa, Blessing, Allen, Thomas, Walsh, Tanya, Pretty, Iain, Birch, Stephen, Tickle, Martin and Moore, Deborah (2022). Who are the 10%? Characteristics of the populations and communities receiving fluoridated water in England. Community Dental Health, 39 (4), 247-253. doi: 10.1922/CDH_00092Nyakutsikwa07

Who are the 10%? Characteristics of the populations and communities receiving fluoridated water in England

2022

Journal Article

Relationships between job satisfaction, organizational commitment, burnout and job performance of healthcare professionals in a district-level health care system of Shenzhen, China

Wang, Xin, Li, Chaofan, Chen, Yuanqing, Zheng, Caiyun, Zhang, Fei, Huang, Yixiang and Birch, Stephen (2022). Relationships between job satisfaction, organizational commitment, burnout and job performance of healthcare professionals in a district-level health care system of Shenzhen, China. Frontiers in Psychology, 13 992258, 1-10. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.992258

Relationships between job satisfaction, organizational commitment, burnout and job performance of healthcare professionals in a district-level health care system of Shenzhen, China

2022

Journal Article

Equity in maternal and child health care utilization in Guangdong province of China 2009–2019: A retrospective analysis

Wang, Xin, Zhu, Yingxian, Liu, Jia, Ma, Yuanzhu and Birch, Stephen (2022). Equity in maternal and child health care utilization in Guangdong province of China 2009–2019: A retrospective analysis. Frontiers in Public Health, 10 963344, 1-11. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.963344

Equity in maternal and child health care utilization in Guangdong province of China 2009–2019: A retrospective analysis

2022

Journal Article

The effects of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax: moving beyond dental health outcomes and service utilisation

Sowa, P. Marcin and Birch, Stephen (2022). The effects of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax: moving beyond dental health outcomes and service utilisation. Health Economics, Policy and Law, 18 (2) PII S1744133122000147, 1-15. doi: 10.1017/s1744133122000147

The effects of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax: moving beyond dental health outcomes and service utilisation

2022

Journal Article

Disposable and reusable instruments in dental health practice: a comparison of cost factors in a public provider organization in Queensland, Australia

Sowa, P. Marcin, Fooken, Jonas, McGowan, Kelly and Birch, Stephen (2022). Disposable and reusable instruments in dental health practice: a comparison of cost factors in a public provider organization in Queensland, Australia. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 51 (5), 794-803. doi: 10.1111/cdoe.12764

Disposable and reusable instruments in dental health practice: a comparison of cost factors in a public provider organization in Queensland, Australia

2022

Other Outputs

Assessing the impact of clinical trials: a scoping literature review

Tuffaha, Haitham, Birch, Stephen and Oakley, Padraig (2022). Assessing the impact of clinical trials: a scoping literature review. Melbourne, VIC Australia: Australian Clinical Trials Alliance.

Assessing the impact of clinical trials: a scoping literature review

2022

Other Outputs

A pilot study to prospectively estimate the health and economic return on research investment

Tuffaha, Haitham and Birch, Stephen (2022). A pilot study to prospectively estimate the health and economic return on research investment. Melbourne, VIC Australia: Australian Clinical Trials Alliance.

A pilot study to prospectively estimate the health and economic return on research investment

2022

Journal Article

Clinician perspectives of communication with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders managing pain: needs and preferences

Bernardes, Christina M., Ekberg, Stuart, Birch, Stephen, Meuter, Renata F. I., Claus, Andrew, Bryant, Matthew, Isua, Jermaine, Gray, Paul, Kluver, Joseph P., Williamson, Daniel, Jones, Corey, Houkamau, Kushla, Taylor, Marayah, Malacova, Eva, Lin, Ivan and Pratt, Gregory (2022). Clinician perspectives of communication with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders managing pain: needs and preferences. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (3) 1572, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031572

Clinician perspectives of communication with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders managing pain: needs and preferences

Funding

Current funding

  • 2022 - 2025
    Incorporating the gains from healthy ageing in health system planning
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2023
    Developing Cultural Sensitivity and Capability through Communication Training for Mental Health Professionals (MRFF Indigenous Health Research Grant led by QIMRB)
    Queensland Institute of Medical Research
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Child Dental Benefit Policies and the Health of Australian Children
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2020
    Cost benefit analysis and recommendations on the centralised equipment sterilisation procedures used within WMHHS Oral Health Services compared to re-implementing remote sterilisation procedures
    West Moreton Hospital and Health Service
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Emeritus Professor Stephen Birch is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Exploring the complex relationships between pre-existing conditions and cancer diagnosis in an ageing population

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Incorporating the Gains from Healthy Ageing in Health System Planning

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Luke Connelly, Dr Bao Hoang Nguyen, Dr Sabrina Lenzen

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Three Essays on the Economics of Child Health and Development

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Luke Connelly

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Three Essays on the Economics of Child Health and Development

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Luke Connelly

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Uncertainty, Learning and Growth Dynamics in Export Markets

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor KK Tang, Professor Luke Connelly

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Developing a health workforce planning framework to better utilise the advanced practitioner role.

    Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Investing in health as a pathway to improved economic performance

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jonas Fooken, Professor Luke Connelly

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Essays on the Economics of Mental Health

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor KK Tang, Professor Luke Connelly

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Emeritus Professor Stephen Birch directly for media enquiries about:

  • economic evaluation of health care systems
  • equity in health care resource allocation
  • health care funding
  • health economics
  • health workforce planning

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au