Researchers keen to know community’s health issues

Researchers from universities and health services will visit Warracknabeal next month to gain a better understanding of the health issues for the Wimmera and Grampians regions.

The research team wants to hear from local community members about what they believe are their future health care needs. Ballarat-based researcher, Dr Renee Clapham is leading the study, which is supported by Ballarat Health Services, Ballarat Community Health, East Grampians Health Service, Stawell Regional Health, Wimmera Health Care Group, Rural Northwest Health and the Western Alliance.

Community members can have their say in improving the health of the community during two public information sessions at Warracknabeal Neighbourhood House and Learning Centre on August 15.

The sessions will be at 2.30pm and 7pm and light refreshments will be provided. Information sessions will also be held in Horsham, Stawell, Ararat and Ballarat - contact individual health services for more details.

HIC 2019: HISA calls for action on allied health informatics

The Health Informatics Society of Australia (HISA) has launched Australia's first allied health informatics position paper, calling on the allied health workforce to adopt a coordinated approach to digital health.

The position statement can be downloaded here.

Fourth Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022

The Fourth Action Plan of the  National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022 sets out an ambitious but practical agenda to achieve change and reduce domestic, family and sexual violence against women and their children across five priority areas more information

VicHealth Action Agenda for Health Promotion 2019–23

This four-year plan consolidates the last six years of VicHealth’s work and outlines how we will meet our vision of 1 million more Victorians with better health and wellbeing by 2023.

Click here for more information.

Hep B and C: Busting the Myths

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C: Busting the myths! Some myths about viral hepatitis just don't die. This simple, colourful poster explains clearly what they are. Easy on the eye and a great learning tool, order now.

Access here.

2019 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey 

The Melbourne Institute publishes the latest findings from the HILDA Survey each year, allowing Australians to see how different aspects of their lives have changed over time.

The report explores nine topics including:

• Households and family life
• Household economic wellbeing
• Work-family conflict
• Serious illness conditions
• Health expectations and health outcomes

Fit to Drive? New resources now available to support conversations with patients 

Recent coronial reports on road deaths in Victoria have highlighted the importance of the licensing authority’s medical review process for ensuring road safety.

The VicRoads website now provides easy access to information for health professionals, includingpractitioner fact sheets outlining health professional obligations and the VicRoads Medical Review process. New patient fact sheets addressing the impacts of various medical conditions on driving and driver’s legal obligations are also available to support health practitioners’ discussions about driving with patients.

Moving Pictures: Dementia resources for Australia’s multicultural communities

The Moving Pictures project, led by the National Ageing Research Institute, has developed dementia awareness film and media resources for Australia’s multicultural communities. The resources include films, comics and a mobile-optimised website and are available in Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi, Mandarin and Tamil.

Strengthening Seniors Inclusion & Participation SSIP

Expressions of Interest are now open to organisations wanting to be SSIP Activity Partners. The SSIP LGBTI project seeks to reduce social isolation and loneliness among older lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans/gender diverse and intersex (LGBTI) Victorians and build new, culturally safe opportunities to engage with mainstream organisations within an environment of trust.

The SSIP LGBTI Project will support and mentor Activity Partners in metropolitan and rural/regional Victoria to build relationships, share information, generate ideas, promote a partnership-building and co-design approach to project activity planning and implementation, and ensure LGBTI seniors’ interests are represented.

The project is lead by Switchboard Victoria and more information can be found here

VicHealth want to hear from local government health planners

Do you or someone you know work to plan healthier communities? Our new survey aims to get feedback from practitioners in local government, community health and primary care partnership about what sort of support they need to improve public health through Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plans and Integrated Health Promotion Plans. Submissions close Friday 23 August. 

Have your say here.

The Victorian Parliament is conducting an inquiry into early childhood engagement of culturally diverse families. Early childhood engagement is from 0 to 8 years and could involve programs and services relating to health, learning, childcare, play groups, family centres, sport and recreation, and local libraries. 

For more information and for posters to give to your clients click here.  Submissions can be made until 11 October 2019.

Meaningful Ageing Australia’s Community Survey 

Meaningful Ageing Australia are currently hosting a community survey and gathering answers from people aged over 65 to hear about their experiences of ageing and what gives them a sense of meaning, purpose and connectedness in their lives.

Please take ten minutes to answer the questions and share your experiences.

2020 Community Connections Grants are now OPEN

If our community is to thrive it is important to promote community connections.

We know that connections matter. That strong ties with family, friends and the community provide people with happiness, security, support and a sense of purpose. And that this connectedness builds resilience in people.

For more information click here.

The Aboriginal Community Infrastructure Program is an important investment by the Victorian Government which enables Aboriginal organisations to build new community infrastructure or to repair, refurbish or expand existing community infrastructure to meet the emerging needs of Aboriginal Victorians. 

Improving Aboriginal community infrastructure is fundamental to the pursuit of self-determination and social and economic development for Aboriginal Victorians.

For more information click here.

The Australian Government is inviting eligible organisations to apply for grants to develop and deliver free training to frontline workers across Australia to better recognise and respond to all people who experience sexual violence. Applications close September 4

Grants program for local carer groups 

Did you know that if you’re part of an informal group of local carers, or an organisation such as Neighbourhood Houses or a local council, you can apply for funding under Carers Victoria’s Supporting Carers Locally Grants Program?

Applications for funding close 5.00pm Monday 19 August. Visit the Carers Victoria website for more information about the program and how to apply

The Supporting Carers Locally Grants Program is now open for applications

Grants from $1,000 to $20,000 are now available for local carer groups and organisations such as Neighbourhood Houses and local councils to provide opportunities for carers to be healthy, active and connected to other carers.

For more information and to apply for a grant go to https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/victorian-carers

Communities with high levels of connection, social cohesion, an understanding of their strengths and vulnerabilities and equitable access to resources and systems are often better-equipped to respond to and recover from extreme weather events, natural disasters and other major emergencies.

• Seed Innovation Grants up to $50,000 for one year: these grants support the researching, testing or piloting of a new idea or approach.      
• Scaling-up Innovation Grants up to $300,000 for two years: these grants support the expansion or replication of a proven innovation with the potential to be transformative on a broader community or systems level.