National Health Priority Areas in Victoria (NHPA)

The National Health Priority Areas initiative is a collaborative effort endorsed by the Commonwealth and all State and Territory governments.

The NHPA initiative seeks to focus attention from the health sector on diseases or conditions that have a major impact on the health of Australians and offer potential for significant health gain; the NHPA initiative spans the continuum of care from prevention and early detection, through to treatment, rehabilitation and continuing care, palliative care and research.

The NHPA encompasses seven areas:

• Cardiovascular health and stroke
• Cancer Control
• Mental Health (with a focus on depression)
• Injury Prevention and Control
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Asthma
• Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions

Nationally NHPA work operates on a number of levels: the National Health Priority Action Council (NHPAC), a subcommittee of Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council (AHMAC); the NHPAC Expert Advisory Groups; the Jurisdictional Networks; cooperation with the National Public Health Partnership Group (NPHPG); and activities within jurisdictions.

NHPA work in Victoria is led by the Victorian member of NHPAC, Dr John Carnie, and the NHPA support function is currently located in Health Development Unit, Public Health Group, Department of Human Services, which is managed by Karen McIntyre.