SOUTH AUSTRALIA LEGISLATES TO LAUNCH PREVENTIVE HEALTH AGENCY New Preventive Health SA Council to provide strategic advice and drive evidence based agenda
Filmed in Adelaide, South Australia | November 2024
On 28th November 2024, the SA Parliament passed legislation to make preventive health a key part of South Australian health system for the first time, through a new agency aptly named Preventive Health SA.
Preventive Health SA will lead evidence-informed and innovative action to prevent and reduce the burden of non-communicable health conditions and improve health equity across the South Australia population.
The Preventive Health SA Bill 2024 also establishes the Preventive Health SA Council to provide strategic advice with its members to be selected based on their diverse health knowledge, expertise and experience.
Through the delivery and implementation of evidence based policy and programs, Preventive Heath SA are working to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities for South Australian communities.
Australian Health Journal spoke to Chris Picton MP, Minister for Health and Wellbeing, in the South Australian Government about the key focus of the agency will be to address smoking, vaping, obesity and other health risks for South Australians.
“As well as vaping, obesity, smoking, alcohol and drug use, increasing rates of chronic disease make Preventive Health SA’s activities vital for community and to help reduce pressure on the health system”, says Health and Wellbeing Minister Chris Picton MP.
The new Preventive Health SA CEO, Marina Bowshall talks about the agency making a big impact in helping people stay healthier, and the long term benefits.
With collaboration from health professionals and researchers, legislation for this initiative has been created to implement evidence-based strategies that can lead to meaningful long-term health improvements for the community.
“One of the strengths of our agency is our collaborative approach across government, non-government and key sectors for policy and programs that benefit our community and population.
That’s how we will take forward our commitment to making South Australia an even healthier state across generations by implementing strategies that address the burden of preventable health conditions”, says Marina Bowshall
Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) South Australia Branch President, Dr Mary Brushe, said a new agency focussed on preventive health will help ease the pressure on the state’s stretched hospitals and ambulance systems.
“Keeping people healthy and well means they’re less likely to need hospitals or call an ambulance, because around half of all chronic diseases are preventable,” says Dr Brushe.
-
Australasian College of Paramedicine makes case for multi-disciplinary care
Despite being seen primarily as emergency responders, paramedics have long been providing care in the primary care space. As such, their increased involvement in primary and urgent care is a natural progression that can lead to improved health outcomes for communities. Urgent care clinics, which treat non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses, have been a recent introduction. However, when these clinics were initially proposed, paramedics were left out of the opportunity, despite being experts in urgent, acute, unplanned, and unscheduled care. They work in these types of situations every day in the ambulance service and should be utilised in these clinics to improve patient outcomes. Working as part of multidisciplinary teams with doctors and nurses can further enhance the outcomes for local communities.
-
Pharmacist Prescribing Model gets further support from state health
A full scope pharmacist prescriber model allows pharmacists to independently prescribe medicines within their professional competence, without requiring prior doctor authorisation. It extends pharmacists’ role beyond dispensing to include assessment, diagnosis of minor and chronic conditions, initiation and modification of therapy, and ongoing patient monitoring. This model integrates pharmacists into primary care teams, aiming to improve timely access to treatment, reduce pressure on general practitioners, and enhance continuity of care. Pharmacists use their clinical knowledge, patient records, and collaborative pathways to ensure safe prescribing. The model emphasises training, regulation, and accountability to maintain high standards of patient safety.
-
Integrating oral health care across non-dental professionals
Poor oral health can contribute to or exacerbate several systemic health conditions due to the close connection between oral bacteria, inflammation, and systemic processes. These conditions include cardiovascular health, diabetes, respiratory health, cognitive health, pregnancy and birth outcomes.
