Embracing progressive initiatives to create a healthy community and workforce

The PHN has published a Preventive Health Framework that aims to leverage established systems and associated projects to inspire healthier people and communities. The framework will also support an increased understanding of how primary health care clinicians (allied health, general practitioners, nurses, pharmacy) contribute to a person's wellbeing.

Chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, impacting significantly on health costs. Key risk factors associated with chronic disease include poor diet, physical inactivity, tobacco smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, high body mass and high blood pressure. These risk factors are largely preventable and can be reduced or eliminated through behavioural changes or managed with medical treatments.

Australia’s National Preventative Health Strategy states that, in the context of health, prevention includes taking measures to keep people healthy and well and to avoid the onset of illness, disease or injury.

HNECC PHN CEO, Richard Nankervis said, “The goal of prevention is to maintain and improve the health and wellbeing of the entire population, while simultaneously reducing health disparities between priority population groups and the general population. The aim of our framework is to guide our programs and initiatives to increase the likelihood that people across our region will stay healthy and well for as long as possible.”

Preventative health measures can be applied at a population based, individual and/or community level, and across all stages of a disease spectrum, to prevent further decline over time. Two of Australia’s most significant preventative health success stories have been reductions in road deaths, and reduced rates of tobacco smoking.

Prevention is a foundational component already built into the work the PHN undertakes and is achieved through an interdisciplinary approach to holistic care for each person and each community, whether they are healthy or significantly unwell.

The PHN is strongly invested in supporting primary health care professionals to implement an interdisciplinary approach to preventative health care across the region through commissioning, educational opportunities, pilot projects, and resource development. The PHN leverages its partnerships with other organisations to ensure collaboration and a cohesive approach.

A critical gap in the current domestic family violence (DFV) environment has been identified and addressed with the development of a pilot program providing timely primary health care, including both physical and mental health, for the victim and their children.

The nurse-led outreach service developed by the PHN has been successfully launched on the Central Coast and implemented over the past 12 months.

Domestic Family Violence (DFV) is well recognised in Australia as a social issue, what is less recognised is its significant health impacts. DFV is the leading contributor to the burden of disease for women aged 18-44 years of age, higher than smoking, obesity, and alcohol misuse. The PHN is leading a range of initiatives focused on getting help to people experiencing domestic and family violence faster.

The outreach pilot program identified many barriers to accessing health care for DFV victims including other priorities in escaping from DFV, but also increasing costs and waiting times to see GPs and specialists.

General Practitioner, Dr Colette Hourigan, is leading the outreach program. “Working in this project has felt like third world medicine in a first world country. Due to their circumstances, even the most basic needs of the women and children are unmet. Women in these situations do not have money, time, or security to address the health needs of themselves or their children.”

“We’ve seen a wide range of issues in women including substance abuse, depression, and PTSD. Children are presenting with hearing loss and delays in their development, particularly in speech and language. We’re also seeing first nations women overrepresented in this cohort.”

The pilot model is based on evidence, with an innovation element that assertively offers best practice health care to women, children, and young people where they are residing whether this be within a DFV refuge, crisis accommodation or other alternative accommodation.

The Primary Care Outreach team (consisting of a specialist nurse working in tandem with a trauma informed general practitioner) provides immediate essential health and assessment services to DFV victims and their children, and link them with the health and specialist supports they need to prevent lifelong impacts resulting from their physical and mental trauma.

The program has been operating across three women’s refuge sites. Over the past 12 months the program has assisted 50 women and 30 children to access the health care they need.

The PHN has launched “Bounce into better health & wellbeing”, a campaign designed to encourage and raise awareness of the benefits of healthy lifestyles, and to support local primary health practitioners’ preventative care efforts.

The Bounce into better health & wellbeing campaign will support the Hunter New England and Central Coast areas and provide primary health professionals access to tools and resources to improve preventative care of patients across the region.

Dr Alison Koschel, PhD Executive Manager Populations, Access and Performance at HNECC PHN said the link between unhealthy weight and higher rates of morbidity is a major driver for the campaign and one of Australia’s key public health issues.

“Behaviour change toward healthier lifestyles is needed if we are to curb Australia’s current obesity crisis,” explains Dr Koschel.

“Discussing the benefits of a healthy weight is part of the routine care of people who are overweight or obese or at risk of chronic disease. However, it can be hard for primary health professionals to start this sensitive conversation with patients. This campaign will better equip health professionals with the resources needed to support their patients.”

Richard Nankervis, CEO of the HNECC PHN, supports the importance of raising awareness for maintaining a healthy weight for improved heart health.

“Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, amongst other chronic diseases", said Mr Nankervis. "We welcome the launch of the Bounce campaign during Heart Health Week, as it will be a great contributor to improved heart health”.

As part of its 2022-2025 Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategy, the PHN has developed an internal LGBTQIA+ Ally Collaborative. This group acts to promote an inclusive work environment where Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer employees and their families are accepted and valued and enjoy a workplace free of prejudice and discrimination. The volunteer employee-led group endorsed the PHN’s 2022 & 2023 ACON Pride in Health & Wellbeing Membership and LGBTQIA+ awareness training for staff. Collaborative co-Chair, Charles Broadfoot, was recognised for his efforts in establishing the collaborative with work peers by receiving a 2023 Australian Pride in Health + Wellbeing Award.

The Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategy is critical to delivering the PHN’s community, workforce and cultural objectives and aligns to the PHN’s strategic purpose of “keeping people well in our communities through innovation, performance, collaboration and local engagement.” Informed by the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and referencing the PHN’s Values, team capability framework and staff, the strategy is a key deliverable within the PHN’s People & Culture team.

HNECC PHN Chief Executive Officer, Richard Nankervis, said of the Strategy “we are challenging ourselves to ensure that diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our workforce, our culture, and our actions. The three-year strategic guide will assist the PHN to further develop our inclusive culture by defining goals, actions, and targets.”

The Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategy includes a continued focus on First Nations Peoples, Culturally & Linguistically Diverse groups, and other priority groups defined by Age, Gender, Carer status and LGBTQIA+ identification.

The strategy has also initiated an accessibility review across all four PHN offices to support the access and inclusion of people living with a disability. The strategy acknowledges that employees living with a disability should feel valued and be treated equally and with respect. The lived experience and knowledge of employees living with a disability contributes significantly towards the design and delivery of the PHN’s commissioned services, and the strategy supports the PHN in its objective of making full accessibility a reality for all staff and visitors.

Another successful initiative related to the development of the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategy, is the First Nations Collective, an employee-formed and led group that contributes First Nations voices to the development of both internal and external PHN projects. Enshrined in the PHN’s First Nations Health and Wellness Framework, these voices have informed key priorities for the PHN to engage with First Nations communities, to partner in improving care, and to build First Nations cultural responsiveness.