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Through key conferences and forums and report releases, including the National Prevention Summit in early April and the recent Australia's Health 2008 Conference in Canberra, the need for reform and a focus on preventive health in this country is becoming more self-evident. Although there have been significant gains in health research and better health outcomes in some areas, the gaps that lie in the health of disadvantaged populations, particularly Indigenous Australians is a challenge for policy makers to create change. 

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Strategic Directions

Here is a summary update of AIHPS work and research program.

Roundtables

In the last six months of 2008, we will be holding two Roundtable/Forums to discuss key issues for Health Reform in this country.  The next of these will be the Citizen Engagement Summit to be held on 16th September 2008 (see below) in Brisbane.  Further information about the final event for 2008 will be posted as it becomes available.

National Prevention Summit

Since the National Prevention Summit, AIHPS and VicHealth are now keen to see action on the prevention agenda move forward over the coming months.  In order to maintain and build the momentum that we believe has been established due to the recent efforts of the new government  and many other groups in Australia, AIHPS and VicHealth have identified a number of areas of work that we believe could help with this.

We shall commission a series of discussion papers to advance the five major themes identified at the National Prevention Summit.  The major themes were:

- Establishment of a nationally authoritative body to identify and review evidence for, and advise on prevention policy and practice in Australia.
- Investigation of appropriate funding models and levels of investment for prevention and the promotion of lifelong health and wellbeing.
- Establisment of systematic methods to secure informed citizen engagement in setting priorities for prevention and health promotion and reviewing achievements.
- Establishment of better and more coordinated approaches and methods to improve knowledge exchange and uptake into policy and practice.
- Explore opportunities for increasing the capacity of existing health professionals, as well as employees in other sectors to promote health and deliver prevention and health promotion initiatives.

Further information in relation to the outcomes of the National Prevention Summit, including the updated Platform and Discussion Paper, program and those attending the event have now been posted on the AIHPS website.

Citizen's Engagement Research Program

This program continues to make excellent progress and the case studies monograph is now available on the AIHPS website.  

On the 16th September 2008 a National event will be held in Brisbane, to look at the outcomes of the ongoing research project and then to hold a deliberative forum workshop session to analyse and discuss ways forward in different thematic areas.  This event will be a novel and innovative approach to engage participants in a technique that has been successfully by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) in Western Australia.

The registration form and flyer are now available via the AIHPS website.

Further information about this project, Case Studies reports and Forum information have now been posted on the AIHPS website.

VicHealth Discovery Grant

AIHPS has been successful in its VicHealth Discovery Grant application to undertake a study entitled Listening to citizen' views about chronic disease prevention and health promotion. 

Further information on this study will be posted on the AIHPS website in due course.

AIHPS continues to apply for other national competitive national grants and these outcomes will be reported as these details are released.

AHHA Think Tank - 4th July 2008

AIHPS was invited to participate in a Think Tank hosted by the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA) held on July 4 in Sydney .  Associate Professor Elizabeth Parker from QUT attended representing as an Academic Partner on behalf of AIHPS. 

The topic was ‘Health Workforce-how can we reform the workforce to meet the challenges of demographic change and increased chronic illness?’  Approximately 25 interested participants attended from government health departments, universities and hospitals. 

Prof. Hal Swerissen was the guest facilitator who introduced the topic with a provocative summary of key issues.  The outcome of the Think Tank was to develop an AHHA policy position with recommendations.

AIHPS and the AHHA will working collaboratively to further discuss and debate policy and health reform.  For more information about the AHHA please visit their website http://www.aushealthcare.com.au/index.asp

ANZHP

The Australian Health Policy (ANZHP) open-access journal is ready to receive manuscripts that promote debate and understanding about health policy developments and practice in the regions.

A special thematic series has been recently published on the topic of Obesity and the Law, with a further special edition to be published in the next few months around Workforce and Public Health.

For article submissions and for further information visit the ANZHP (BioMed Central) website

Marketing and Communications

The AIHPS website is continually being updated and we would appreciate your feedback and comments.  We also welcome publications and other activities to be promoted on our website for health and policy related information.

More Details


Latest publications

Health Care reform: looking back to go ahead
Southby RF. 2008. MJA; 189 (1): 33-34

Using deliberative techniques to engage the community in policy development: A case study
Gregory J, Hartz-Karp J and Watson R. 2008. Australia and New Zealand Health Policy; 5:16


 Latest News


State News
     
May

Hospitals failing six out of nine benchmarks

June

Dismantling rural services bad policy
NSW Treasurer Michael Costa tells Canberra to finance hospitals
New measures to aim at prevention
Community health services in NSW upgraded


National News
     
May

One-stop shop for Centrelink, Medicare
More spending cuts in mental health
Health needs must over-rule Treasury
Private health appeals for access to $10bn infrastructure fund
Health revamp eyes private funds
An odd pill for a sick industry
Ageing boomers 'will not bankrupt healthcare'
Commission recommends federal health takeover
Rural health incentives fail

June

GPs increase, but so does daily burden
No proof that we're the fattest in world
Better access avoids any referendum
Wider role for allied health staff backed
Aged care population older, frailer
Private health 'will recover'
Heart disease rate 30pc higher among Aboriginies


International News 

May

Hospital-only doctors on rise in U.S
E.R's are busy, but few patients are uninsured
Costs of overtreating patients
Health costs pinch employers
Health Savings Accounts favor the wealthy

June

Rising employer premiums threaten employee coverage in Washington
Australians more obese than Americans, study finds
Microsoft, Kaiser to launch new health-records program
Communities to get $300million to tackle health

More News


Latest Events


2008

July:  AHHA Victoria Branch Meeting - National Health Reform Agenda - A Victorian perspective
         (Melbourne, Australia)
         AHHA Think Tank -  Health Workforce - how can we reform the workforce to meet the
         challenges of demographic change and increased chronic illness?
         Population Health Congress (Brisbane, Australia)
         Health Insurance Summit (Sydney, Australia)

September: AIHPS Citizen Engagement Forum (Brisbane, Australia)
                   AHHA 2008 Congress  (Canberra, Australia)

More Events

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