DHF Annual Report 2009 - NT Health Digital Library - Northern ...

Key Achievements Over 47 000 occasions of service were provided through core Northern Territory oralhealth funding, an 18% increase on the previous year. A further 3900 occasions ofservice were provided to Aboriginal children in remote communities through the Closingthe Gap program with funding from the Australian Government. waiting times for an assessment for general dental treatment in the Darwin/Palmerstonarea. Prior to the Blitz, more than 60% of waiting list clients had been waiting more thantwo years. The average waiting time was reduced to less than nine months. Complementing the reduction in waiting times for general assessment was a 15%increase in the level of service provision to remote communities. An oral health screening component was included in the revised Health Under 5 Kidsprogram. This ‘Lift the Lip’ screening process will help identify early signs of dentalproblems allowing early referral to the dental team. commenced with the establishment of three school-based apprenticeship positions. TheDepartment of Health and Families is the only provider of this training in the NorthernTerritory. The establishment of this program will support the development of a localworkforce. The numbers of students involved will increase in coming years as theprogram matures. those for students from other universities and this extended experience increases theopportunity to attract students back to the Territory following their graduation.Public Health, Nutrition & Physical ActivityThe three priority areas are: healthy lifestyle including promotion of physical activity.Aboriginal people, particularly those in remote communities, are a high priority group fornutrition interventions. The main role of the nutrition team is implementing the Food andNutrition Policy by capacity building through: training primary health care providers to deliver brief nutrition and physical activity communication and networking with other government and non-government agenciessuch as the Department of Education and Training (DET), Aboriginal Medical Services monitoring and surveillance e.g. monitoring remote food supply through store surveys andand providing secretariat support to the Chief Minister’s Active Living Council and developingan action plan for 2008-11.128Department Health and Families