Health promoting health services - Hume region 2002 forum

One of the key strategy areas identified in the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (WHO 1986) was Reorienting Health Services. Over several years health services (including hospitals) have been considered as an appropriate setting in which to implement health promotion initiatives. Hospitals in particular are well placed to advocate for health promotion because of the central role they play in providing health services within the community. In rural communities the hospital/health service often represents the main concentration of health service resources, skills and technologies. This provides considerable opportunity to engage a broad cross section of the community through their client/ patient base as well as their own staff and personnel.

In collaboration with the Hume Regional Office of the Department of Human Services, three major rural hospitals (Goulburn Valley Health, Wangaratta District Base Hospital and Wodonga Regional Health Service) facilitated a Forum and Workshop on the 21st and 22nd of November, 2002 on the concepts of Health Promoting Health Services. The forum and workshop generated discussion about the benefits to the community and to the organisation of a health promoting health service and acknowledged some of the positive activities currently being implemented across the State.

The forum commenced with a presentation by Dr. Anne Johnson, Senior Lecturer in Health Promotion, Flinders University South Australia. Dr Johnson's presentation examined the origins of health settings and health promoting health services and why health services (in particular hospitals have a role in health promotion). Critical success factors involved in establishing a Health Promoting Health Service were also presented. Both of these powerpoint presentations are available in powerpoint.

Health Promoting Health Services powerpoint presentation (2193kb, MS Powerpoint)

Critical success factors powerpoint presentation (129kb, MS Powerpoint)

Scott Bennetts, project manager for the Health Promoting Emergency Departments Program (Inform Ed) presented the key strategies to ensure that health promotion concepts, values and standards are incorporated into the organisational structure of emergency departments (of the participating hospitals in metropolitan Victoria). In particular Scott outlined the background for the program, examples of some projects and lessons being learnt from the program. You can download the presentation in powerpoint. Visit InformED's website (www.inform-ed.com (external link)).

"Inform ED" Emergency Departments Promoting Health Program powerpoint presentation (478kb, MS Powerpoint)

Gaye Taylor and Tania O'Loughlin, Swan Hill Hospital were able to reflect on a couple of year's experience in the creation of a Health Promotion Unit within the hospital and its recent "My Hospital" initiative.

Swan Hill Health Promoting Hospital powerpoint presentation (495kb, MS Powerpoint)

Sue Kearney, Latrobe Regional Hospital (LRH) discussed the recent commencement of the Health Promoting Hospital Program and the various components necessary for the successful implementation over a three-year time frame. The LRH is the first Victorian hospital to be affiliated with the World Health Organisation's International Network of Health Promoting Hospitals.

Latrobe Regional Hospital "Towards a Health Promoting Health Care Service" powerpoint presentation (195kb, MS Powerpoint)

Barb Crawford, Goulburn Valley Primary Care Partnership spoke about the PCPs "Clean Air" project and the impact that it will have on the various PCP partner agencies and the impact on staff and patients / clients.

"Clean Air" powerpoint presentation (229kb, MS Powerpoint)

For more international information about Health Promoting Hospitals visit the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe website (www.euro.who.int/eprise/main/WHO/Progs/HPH/Home).

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