Making Prevention Everybody's Business: 2007 NSW Health Awards
The familiar saying that ‘prevention is better than cure’ is strongly supported by clinical evidence. But putting prevention into practice is not easy and benefits are not always immediately apparent. Reducing risk factors such as smoking, obesity, risky drinking and stress requires sustained action by individuals, families, communities and governments. Similar effort is needed to increase protective factors such as good nutrition, physical activity, healthy environments and supportive relationships.
What we are striving for in 2010 is a health system that directs greater effort and investment towards improving health and preventing illness while continuing to treat illness effectively. This will require new strategies for health promotion and illness prevention, which are supported by structural changes such as legislation, regulation and environmental changes. The principle of prevention will be embedded into NSW Health’s service delivery.
Winner
- Adult Health Check Events - The AHC provides an opportunity for local health services to screen clients for chronic disease in order that the disease can be detected early and managed successfully.
Finalists
- Reducing Intensive Care Multi-resistant Organism (MRO) transmission - This project aims to analyse the possible factors enabling patient cross-transmission of MRAB and implement preventative strategies.
- Water Watcher Armband - Keeping Kids Safe - Education and support program on the importance of adult supervision in preventing drowning.
Entries
- Aboriginal Youth Sexual Health and Didgeridoo Project - This unique Aboriginal youth sexual health didgeridoo and craft project developed because the Aboriginal community of Goulburn identified a need to educate and promote important health issues.
- Balance Group for the Frail Elderly - Task- specific training of walking and balance activities aimed to improve mobility.
- Be an Ambulance Hero: Dial Zero Zero Zero - This program aims to diffuse the confusion concerning emergencies, educate children that the emergency number in Australia is ‘000’ and develop their confidence and skills to call an ambulance.
- Caring for Moulamein and District Families - Promoting health and well being in the community through assessment and targeted programs.
- Control of influenza outbreaks in aged-care facilities - This study aims to measure the impact of influenza-like illness surveillance, rapid respiratory virus diagnosis and the use of anti-viral medication in control of outbreaks in aged-care facilities.
- Fairfield Falls Intervention Program - This project developed a multi-disciplinary Falls Intervention/Prevention service within the Fairfield Ambulatory Care Service.
- Get a Grip - Falls Prevention Program - Describes a comprehensive falls prevention program.
- Healthy Start to Life - Munch and Move - The Munch and Move project aims to reduce the rising level of childhood obesity by increasing physical activity and reducing intakes of energy-dense food and drinks of preschool children.
- Healthy Weight Strategy - To reduce the prevalence and impact of overweight and obesity in SWAHS through the development of an area-wide strategy.
- Improved functional outcomes in heart failure patients - Describes the introduction of an effective exercise rehabilitation program that was appropriate for heart failure patients in the Sutherland Shire LGA.
- Improving Quality of Life by Increasing Social Activity - This project aimed to investigate the nature and causes of low social activity and to develop strategies to address the issue.
- Karitane Toddler Clinic (KTC) - This project aims to facilitate positive changes in child behaviour by enhancing the parent-child relationship.
- Life…Live it Save it! - This project aims to increase community awareness regarding early recognition of signs and symptoms of potential life-threatening medical conditions, and seeking medical advice immediately.
- Mobile Staff Vaccination Clinic - A mobile immunisation clinic for staff was established and visited each ward and patient care area within the hospital.
- Stroke Prevention Program - Minimising the risk of stroke by providing education and facilitating positive lifestyle changes to reduce the burden of stroke in the Hunter region.
- Youth and Road Trauma Forum - The Forum’s primary objective is to reduce the fatality and injury rates of young people and to ensure that the community is aware of injury prevention, trauma care services and related resources available.
