Building capacity for effective health promotion action in the Eastern Metropolitan Region Action Plan July 1999 - June 2002

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Foreword

The Eastern Metropolitan Region, Department of Human Services (the Department), recognises that health promotion is critical to achieving a health care system that supports the population to optimise their long term health and well-being. This action plan provides an overview of the commitment and vision by the Department, in partnership with service providers, to strengthen regional coordination and capacity to prevent disease and injury and to promote good health.

Regional human services in their planning, purchasing and delivery across the broad health care continuum are a critical part of the health system and it is vital that prevention and health promotion objectives are embedded in their overall business. This plan documents current regional health promotion infrastructure, capacity and activity, and the specific actions needed to strengthen and build our capacity to deliver effective health promotion action.

In response to the increased emphasis on prevention and health promotion, the Department has formed a regional public health team including health promotion, health protection, disease prevention and emergency management roles. The health promotion position has responsibility to develop better coordination and capacity for community based health promotion, the basis for the development of this action plan. In particular, the reform of the primary health and community services system will be supported by this action plan through the development of tools and infrastructure required to move the focus of care to prevention and more sustainable health outcomes.

This action plan is aimed at the various program areas within the Department itself and service providers to support effective health promotion action at the regional and local level. It is an important step in strengthening the effort of those already actively involved in health promotion and in drawing on the potential of a wider range of contributors, both in the mainstream health care system and in other sectors.

I would like to thank all those involved in the collaborative development of this plan which I hope will continue in implementation to make these actions effective in practice at the local level.

Pam White
Regional Director