The Morrison Government is investing $23 million in three Victorian health projects that will help prevent chronic diseases and improve health and wellbeing of Australians.
In partnership with the Victorian Government, the preventative health projects aim to tackle chronic disease, obesity and reduce the number of avoidable hospitalisations related to cardiovascular disease.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said chronic conditions are the leading cause of ill health and death in Australia and account for 87 per cent of deaths.
“Each year, one Australian dies of cardiovascular disease every 12 minutes,” Minister Hunt said.
“These projects target a range of issues and build on our Government’s commitment to investing in health projects that save lives, improve lives and protect lives.”
Enduring Data Linkage Strategy, who will receive $3.5 million, are working on improving outcomes for Victorians with cardiovascular disease by routinely identifying patients who may be at high-risk of hospitalisation or re-hospitalisation.
In addition, $8.5 million will fund a range of initiatives to reduce readmission to hospital including the Health Helper program and the Cardiovascular Ambassadors nurse program, which together will make sure Australians get the follow up care they need after experiencing heart failure.
$3 million will be invested to rapidly identify unusual patterns of illness that may indicate a risk to public health. The software will be rolled out to emergency departments and other health services across Victoria so an early and appropriate public health response can be deployed.
The Healthy Kids Advisors Initiative will receive $8 million to focus on boosting healthy eating to help prevent obesity and chronic disease. The Initiative supports a dedicated workforce who will work in 13 targeted Local Government Areas to provide hands on support for healthy eating in places where children and families gather.
We know that health eating habits, together with regular physical activity and adequate sleep, help children reach their full potential while reducing the likelihood of preventable chronic diseases down the track.
Last year the Morrison Government launched the National Preventive Health Strategy, a 10-year plan to improve the health and wellbeing of all Australians at all stages of life.
The strategy seeks to improve Australia’s health system, fundamentally focused on the treatment of illness and disease, by increasing the focus on prevention – from illness to wellness, and from healthcare to health.
Our Government has invested $1.9 million in 2021-22 to build the foundations of this strategy, with the first steps for implementation already underway.
These projects were funded to help advance the objectives of the 2020–2025 National Health Reform Agreement Addendum and will assist to achieve the aims and targets of the National Preventive Health Strategy 2021-2030.