Municipal Public Health Planning Framework - Part A

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2. Introduction

Page content: Health planning role | Health planning concepts | Best practice municipal planning

2.1 Health planning role

The introduction and subsequent ten years of development of MPHPs in Victoria has clearly signalled an emphasis on a locally derived strategic planning approach, determined by local public health needs and priorities and directed at achieving local public health outcomes.

This planning approach is consistent with the existing legislative planning requirements in the Health Act and the Local Government Act. It reflects an emphasis on an enabling, rather than a prescriptive, legislative framework.

This approach recognises that Victorian local governments are well positioned to promote community health and wellbeing across their municipality. They also have a leadership role in community building (see Glossary) and have the ability to build capacity, by implementing strategies to enhance community health status and health equity outcomes.

2.2 Health planning concepts

The new MPHP framework uses the strengths of a number of approaches to public health planning including:

• Strategic local area planning A strategic and integrated approach to municipal public health planning promotes a model for integrating physical, social and economic planning, with community participation

• Social model of health Participation, sense of community and empowerment are interdependent social factors contributing to individual and community wellbeing.

• Health-promoting systems A strong relationship exists between people and place: people's health and wellbeing reflects their socioeconomic status, and accordingly, where they live. Different locations afford varying degrees of access to healthy environments, food, services, amenities, health information, education, employment, housing, and opportunities to experience sense of community and sense of place. A holistic approach ensures that the inter-relationships between all major issues impacting on individuals and families within the context of their local communities are taken into account. See Ottawa Charter.

• Focusing on health outcomes Utilising information from the Victorian Burden of Disease Study and other sources can identify issues and areas for consideration when planning health priorities.

• Participation and partnership approaches People increasingly share in planning and decision making and are empowered to affect the outcome of the process. Clients, community groups, government departments and other agencies need to participate in health planning, not only to ensure a match between local needs and priorities, but because participation itself promotes health. Clients/consumers and the wider community need to participate meaningfully to ensure appropriateness, community ownership of processes, programs and outcomes, and the promotion of accountability to the community for decisions on priorities and resource allocation.

Health planning needs to promote equality of opportunity regardless of gender, age, race, cultural background, ability or location, and address current disadvantage by affirmative action to promote equality of health outcomes. This acknowledges the differences between population groups and places, including rural and metropolitan communities.

At a municipal level, there is a need to develop an integrated planning approach that incorporates:

• Linkages between stakeholders' policies and plans.
• A local government governance role that provides leadership, advocacy and facilitation.
• Meaningful community participation.

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2.3 Best practice municipal planning

To have maximum impact, municipal public health planning must inform the content and be incorporated into the municipal Corporate Plan, and be integrated into all other Council plans. MPHPs need sufficient internal acknowledgement and commitment to bring health planning into the mainstream of Council planning. This is best practice planning, and is supported by the governance role of local governments.

Local governments:

• Are a sphere of government with the authority and responsibility of public health leadership, involving creating a vision and goals, promoting integrated planning, participation and community development, promoting partnerships and advocacy for local needs, establishing structures for corporate cooperation and facilitating change.

• Have an identified population and geographical basis. This enables a more coherent approach to a wide range of public health programs, with better coordination and sustainability of public health strategies and strengthening of public health infrastructure and capacity.

• Support collaboration for better health with other sectors at a local level.

• Plan, fund and provide a wide range of public health programs.

• Have a close relationship with their local constituencies and are well placed to consult with and support the active participation of local communities in public health programs.