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

Promoting and Protecting Health andWellbeing and Preventing InjuryThe key to improving population health and wellbeing lies in a stronger focus on promoting good health, encouragingthe adoption of healthy behaviours, controlling the spread of disease and preventing harm and injury.and illness prevention should be a more prominent part of Australia’s health system. Whilst the current healthsystem is geared towards detecting, diagnosing and treating health problems, a more proactive approach is tofocus on health promotion, health protection and prevention across the life span.This includes taking action on the social determinants of health to promote equitable health outcomes acrossAustralia, particularly in relation to Aboriginal people especially those living in remote communities. It involveseliminating or reducing common risk factors,such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physicalinactivity and the harmful use of alcohol. It alsoinvolves developing effective responses topublic health emergencies and natural disasters,controlling important emerging health threats,and addressing the health related aspects ofclimate change.We delivered in 2009-10Public Health Coordinators are now inplace across Health Service Delivery Areasworking with staff to implement communitybasedstrategies to address chronic disease.Key focus areasFocusing on health promotion and minimisingunhealthy behaviours and their impacts.Improving health awareness to reduce costpressures on the health system that are derived frompreventable chronic diseases.Assist in ‘closing the gap’ in health outcomes and lifeexpectancy between Aboriginal and non Aboriginalpopulations in the Territory.Building staff capacity and expertise in health promotion is critical to success. A total of 139 Departmentalstaff attended health promotion quality training using the Quality Improvement Planning System ProgramIV in Population Health was granted under the Commonwealth Productivity Places Program. Twenty-ninepeople attended Health Impact Assessment training in Alice Springs and Darwin.Launched the Northern Territory Chronic Conditions Prevention and Management Strategy 2010-2020 inNovember 2009. The strategy was developed in collaboration with non-government, private and Aboriginalhealth sectors and serves as a framework to guide the prevention and management of chronic conditionsfor all sectors across the Territory. It is intended for use by a broad range of stakeholders - overnment, nongovernmentand private health sectors, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, research andeducation organisations and consumers.Implemented activities highlighted in the Cardiac Services Review including Nutritionists working withOutback Stores, Arnhem Land Progress Association (ALPA) and individual store managers to implementnutrition policies. Training packages titled ‘Eat Better, Move More’ were also developed for communitybased staff.Implemented the Department’s Smoke Free policies in all community health facilities. This has included freeaccess to Nicotine Replacement Therapy and counselling for staff. Tobacco control activities commenced inthe majority of East Arnhem communities, including roll out of health promotion resources in local languages,brief interventions offered to health centre clients, QUIT smoking programs and community education.To prevent outbreaks of disease the Department integrated and enhanced existing surveillance systems24Department Health and Families