WORKSHOP 1: 

Supporting the sustained implementation of chronic disease prevention initiatives in community settings

Date: Tuesday 30 April

Time: 11:00am - 12:30pm ACST 

Facilitated by:

• Dr Adam Shoesmith, Post Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Newcastle

• Associate Professor Nicole Nathan, MRFF Investigator Fellow, Hunter New England Population Health

• Ms Carly Gardner, PhD Student, University of Newcastle

 

Format: 

(i) Presentation on main concepts and current evidence in the sustainability field;
(ii) Interactive activity “think, pair, and share” where participants will:
•        Think of an chronic disease related initiative that has ceased delivery and reflect on why they believed it wasn’t sustained
•        Pair with other participants to share their insights about the initiative and what they believe are the top reasons why it wasn’t sustained
•        Share with the rest of the group the common reasons for their initiatives not being sustained;
(iii – part 1) Presentation on theories, frameworks, planning tools and their application in the field of sustainability;
(iii – part 2) Using the chronic disease prevention initiative used in the previous activity, participants will complete a sustainability planning tool, the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool (PSAT) and score this program. The PSAT will enable participants to assess this initiative’s current capacity for sustainability and identify factors that may impact on the initiative’s long-term delivery. Their responses will identify sustainability strengths and challenges which they will use to guide sustainability action planning for the initiative. Participants will identify and discuss the lowest scoring domain for their initiative, determine whether similarities were identified across groups and think of possible solutions or ideas of how they may address this issue;
(iv)  Presentation on how participants can map identified barriers and select appropriate sustainability strategies for their initiative using existing methods and sustainability taxonomies.

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WORKSHOP 2:

Strengthening Preventive Health through Evidence-Informed Lawmaking

Date: Tuesday 30 April

Time: 11:00am - 12:30pm ACST 

Facilitated by:

• Ms Sondra Davoren, Strategic Advisor, McCabe Centre for Law & Cancer

• Ms Sarah Durkin, Principal Research Fellow, Behavioural Science Division, Cancer Council Victoria

• Ms Sabine Otrowski, Quit Manager, Communities and Places, Cancer Council Victoria

• Ms Suzanne Zhou, Manager-Prevention, McCabe Centre For Law & Cancer

 

Good evidence, used properly, is crucial to the development, implementation and evaluation of preventive health laws. Therefore, understanding the role of evidence in the legal process, from legislation to legal challenges, is important in evidence-informed public health law making and effective collaboration between legal and public health professionals. 

In Australia and globally, evidence has been core to the justification, legitimacy, and effectiveness of watershed cancer prevention laws. Evidence to support Australia's tobacco plain packaging laws was scrutinised in domestic and international forums, and relied on to support the efforts of other countries’ tobacco control policies. 
 
In this workshop, participants will gain insights into the role of evidence in public health law-making. The workshop will provide an overview of the key principles in evidence-informed public health law making; how to get the best out of the relationship between researchers and lawyers; and, using Australia’s plain packaging experience, and Ireland’s alcohol warning labels as real-world examples, examine and discuss the use of evidence in legislative drafting and in legal challenges to public health laws. 

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WORKSHOP 3:

Beyond relief: Shifting towards food security throughout Australia

Date: Tuesday 30 April

Time: 11:00am - 12:30pm ACST 

Facilitated by:

• Vivien Yii; Lead, Food Systems; Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth)

• Veronica Nunez; Lead, Food Systems; Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth)

• Julian Fang; Lead, Food Systems; Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth)

• Dr Kora Uhlmann; Senior Research and Development Officer; Health and Wellbeing Queensland

• Amanda Watson-Tran; Program Manager, Healthy Food Environments; Preventive Health SA

• Alison Ward; Healthy Communities officer; Community Dietitian (Food Security); Public Health Services Tasmania

• Caitlin Saunders; Community Dietitian; Public Health Services Tasmania

• Adam Barnes; Principal Policy Officer (Public Health Division); NT Health

• Emily Welsh; Senior Grants Development Officer; Healthway

• David Hughes; ABA Projects and Food Security Section, Central Group; National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA)

• Dr Liz Moore; Public Health Medical Officer; Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT)

 

Not everyone has the same opportunity to exercise their Human Right to Food. Systemic challenges mean that some Australians are more likely to experience food insecurity than others, contributing to a higher risk of malnutrition, chronic disease, mental ill-health, and entrenched inequity across generations. Amidst mounting climate, health and economic stressors, and set against the backdrop of two national food security inquiries over the past three years, this interactive workshop will showcase a collection of stories and insights drawn from state/territory and national health promotion and policy initiatives aiming to promote greater household, community and population food security across Australia.

 

This workshop will explore the experiences of governments and health promotion agencies as they have made efforts to move beyond emergency relief models towards proactive, systemic approaches that target food insecurity. Attendees will hear directly from teams involved in projects ranging from community-led initiatives to statewide and national policy and research projects. Presenters will share examples, processes and insights about the way they have leveraged partnerships, relationships and community support to shift understanding and harness collective leadership to address food insecurity beyond conventional models, across a range of contexts, stakeholders and levels of impact. This session aims to facilitate the exchange and integration of first-hand knowledge between participants and workshop facilitators about initiating, advancing and sustaining collective action to address food insecurity. We will also aim to identify shared challenges and opportunities for working together across states/territories on national food security solutions. 

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WORKSHOP 4: 

Pillars for successful public health policy advocacy - lessons and learnings from recent examples to support development of an advocacy strategy

Date: Wednesday 1 May

Time: 8:00am - 9:20am ACST 

Facilitated by:

• Megan Varlow, Director Cancer Control, Cancer Council Australia

• Amanda Mcatamney, Manager Public Health Policy, Cancer Council Australia

• Paige Preston, General Manager Policy, Advocacy and Prevention, Lung Foundation Australia

 

Public health organisations play a critical role in shaping and influencing policy and our advocacy can be a powerful contributor to change when multiple elements are combined:  

• A united perspective that brings along communities. 

• Strategic planning and a long term goal.  

• Packaging with clear priorities and actionable asks. 

• Utilising latest evidence and focusing key messages to target audiences. 

• Leveraging relationships with key policy makers and collaborating with cross-sectorial stakeholders and communities.

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This workshop will take participants through how these critical pillars of advocacy have been used successfully by Cancer Council Australia and Lung Foundation Australia to achieve positive outcomes and policy impact, with examples including (but not limited to) significant investment in the national lung cancer screening program and skin cancer prevention campaigns. 

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Presentations will showcase relevant case studies to: 

• Illustrate the impact of cross-sector collaboration utilising strong evidence, and messages targeted to specific audiences accompanied by clear and realistic asks. 

• Harness a strong community driven narrative and values-based messaging to coordinate activity. 

• Combine the efforts of public health experts, amplified by strong investigative journalism to successfully lobby government to implement action. 

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The workshop will provide participants the opportunity to reflect on how to apply these pillars to their own work, and the tools to develop an advocacy plan to effectively leverage and amplify pressure to achieve the best policy success. Participants will be given the opportunity to workshop examples and practical experience at outlining an advocacy strategy. 

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WORKSHOP 5:

Embedding physical activity promotion within health care settings – Evidence, Opportunities and Case Studies

Date: Wednesday 1 May

Time: 8:00am - 9:20am ACST 

Facilitated by:

• Ms Kate Purcell, Senior Research Study Co-ordinator, The University Of Sydney

• Professor Cathie Sherrington, Professor and NHMRC Leadership Fellow, The University of Sydney

• Professor Anne Tiedemann, Research Education Academic Director, The University of Sydney

• Ms Roslyn Savage, Research physiotherapist, The University of Sydney

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Aim: to provide an overview of the evidence and highlight relevant case studies/approaches from Australia and internationally. Collaboratively discuss and explore opportunities to promote PA within health systems in Australia.

Promotion of PA by health professionals within health care settings is consistently recommended as a priority strategy in evidence -based policy frameworks including the WHO Global Action Plan on PA, ISPAH’s Eight Investments that Work for Physical Activity and the National Preventive Health Strategy. 

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However, promotion of PA is not part of routine clinical care and systematic implementation within the health system is lacking. Common barriers reported by health professionals include competing priorities, lack of time, difficulty accessing information about suitable PA options, lack of skills in behaviour change, resourcing issues, reimbursement barriers and lack of organisational support and relevant clinical pathways.

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This workshop will present an overview of the evidence on the effectiveness of promoting PA in health care settings, identify opportunities to influence  existing health inequities  and highlight case studies of effective approaches from Australia and overseas. 

 We will also present models of brief physical activity counselling that can be used in healthcare (e.g., 5As and COM-B) and strategies for training the health workforce and explore useful tools and resources. We will share insights from these case studies about effective approaches and areas we think could be improved. Together we will discuss and explore future opportunities and advocacy work that can support promotion of physical activity within Australian health systems.

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WORKSHOP 6:

Healthy places, Healthy people - Strategies that place human health at the heart urban planning and design

Date: Wednesday 1 May

Time: 8:00am - 9:20am ACST 

Facilitated by:

• Ms Obelia Tait, Director, Inhabit Place

• Ms Jennie Pry, (Former) Healthy Place Manager - Population Health, South Western Sydney Local Health District 

• Ms Alison Dunshea, Manager Healthy Places, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District

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The World Health Organisation and UN-Habitat estimate that the conditions of most of the 4.2 billion people living in cities globally are falling short of their guidelines for sustaining human and environmental health. And although there is a well-recognised connection between the public health and urban planning, there is less understanding about the indicators, methods and tools available to influence and measure health related outcomes at the place scale. 

 

In this workshop we will provide practitioners with ideas for re-connecting public health expertise with urban planning and placemaking expertise for the co-creation of healthy places and streets. We will draw on first-hand experience of two urban planning & placemaking tools recently utilised in south western Sydney by local council built environment practitioners and Population Health practitioners from the local health district.  The Healthy Streets design check and the Inhabit Place Audit tool are providing practical solutions to assist practitioners to put human health at the heart of neighbourhood and street design. 

 

The workshop will commence with a short overview that explains the rationale for healthy urban planning and placemaking and the intersectoral partnerships that make it happen. Recent projects and success stories will be highlighted to provide practical understanding of the public health benefits arising when these methodologies and tools are utilised in urban realm projects.  

 

From here the workshop will provide practitioners with skills-based activities, including undertaking a rapid assessment of a local public space utilising the tools. 

 

The workshop will conclude with findings being shared back to the group. 

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WORKSHOP 7:

How do we better address equity when implementing prevention policy and practice? Building prevention success stories

Date: Thursday 2 May

Time: 8:00am - 9:20am ACST 

Facilitated by:

• Ms Nadia Mastersson, Head, Prevention, The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, The Sax Institute

• Dr Scott Winch, Director, Aboriginal Health, The Sax Institute

• Dr Cassandra Lane, Research Fellow, National Centre of Implementation Science

• Professor James Smith,  Deputy Dean Rural and Remote Health, Professor of Health & Social Equity, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University

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Addressing equity in chronic disease prevention policy and practice is crucial for improving the health and wellbeing of all Australians. When delivering evidence-based policies and programs, it is therefore important to use implementation approaches that are not only effective, but also support equity and do not inadvertently exacerbate health disparities. A key challenge identified by policy makers in Australia is how to implement policies and programs for place-based contexts and priority populations, while retaining their proven health impacts on individuals and the broader population. 

This workshop will use insights from leaders in the field to stimulate a collaborative and informed dialogue between researchers, policy makers and practitioners on ways to better support equity when implementing prevention policies and programs. The objectives of the workshop are to foster partnerships, identify research gaps, and drive evidence-based policy recommendations. 
Specifically, the workshop will:

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• Present the latest research on applying equity considerations in practice, including the results of The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre’s newly released knowledge synthesis of implementation research

• Provide a forum for researchers, policy makers and practitioners to understand each others' perspectives on policy implementation and collaboratively identify opportunities to build evidence 

• Share success stories, experiences and learnings from Australian researchers, policy makers and practitioners who are working to address equity in their prevention efforts.

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WORKSHOP 8:

New Australian guideline and risk calculator for assessing and managing cardiovascular disease risk

Date: Thursday 2 May

Time: 8:00am - 9:20am ACST 

Facilitated by:

• Ms Natalie Raffoul, Healthcare Programs Manager, National Heart Foundation of Australia 

• Ms Lisa Kalman, Senior Program Officer, Healthcare Systems Integration Lead, National Heart Foundation of Australia 

• Ms Emily Bradburn, Senior Healthcare Programs Officer, National Heart Foundation of Australia 

• Professor Garry Jennings, Chief Medical Advisor, National Heart Foundation of Australia 

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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for significant morbidity and premature mortality in Australia. Risk assessment remains fundamental to the primary prevention of CVD and is utilised by general practitioners (GPs) to target pharmacotherapy to individuals who will benefit most. For the first time in over a decade, Australia’s Guideline for assessing and managing cardiovascular disease risk has been updated, incorporating a new CVD risk calculator and updated evidence-based recommendations. The guideline was developed by the Heart Foundation on behalf of the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance and with endorsement from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. The guidelines invited extensive consultation and input from a broad range of health disciplines through the formation of nine expert advisory groups consisting of GPs, specialists, epidemiologists and consumers.  

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The guideline offers new advice on the target age group for CVD risk assessment, and re-defined risk categories and treatment thresholds. It also introduces the concept of reclassification factors (including mental health, ethnicity and family history) as well as providing specific advice on pregnancy complications, inflammatory conditions, and the communication of risk. Specific recommendations, resources and practice points for First Nations peoples have been embedded throughout the guideline. The guideline is accompanied by a new Australian CVD risk calculator, developed through modification and recalibration of the New Zealand PREDICT equation. 

 

This interactive workshop will facilitate an extended discussion around the key clinical recommendations arising from the guideline, focusing on key changes that should be understood by public health professionals, researchers and policy makers. 

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WORKSHOP 9: 

Engagement with the remote food retail sector to facilitate action to improve health and wellbeing

Date: Thursday 2 May

Time: 8:00am - 9:20am ACST 

Facilitated by:

• Miss Georgia Day, Store Nutritionist, Community Enterprise Queensland

• Miss Claire Santos, Public Health Nutritionist/Dietitian, NT Health

• Mr Rex Tjami, Chairperson, Mimili Maku Aboriginal Corporation

• Miss Sarah Funston, Nutritionist, The Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation

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Description: Food retail environments drive food choices, with evidence supporting in-store strategies modifying product availability, placement and promotion being effective in reducing sales of unhealthy foods. Many remote stores in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have community-led governance structures, providing communities with the power to initiate change within their own food environment. This workshop draws on the experience and learnings in co-designing a continuous improvement initiative to drive health-enabling remote food retail environments through monitoring, action planning and evaluation, to improve nutrition and health in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. 

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Aim: The primary objective of this workshop is to share knowledge to facilitate scale-up of evidence-based strategies with remote store owners/managers in shaping health-enabling remote food retail environments. This workshop is designed to support community leaders and store owners (including directors elected by their community), researchers, policy-makers, nutrition and health professionals to continue to seek innovative solutions to improve population diet in remote communities.

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Format: To achieve this goal, the workshop will feature a series of concise case studies on: governance of remote stores and how to apply this knowledge in practice, the impact of nutrition policy for creating healthy food retail environments, and innovative evidence-based tools designed to support monitoring and measurement of health-enabling practices. Following these case studies, there will be roundtable discussions and a hands-on workshop where attendees will work in small groups to share and learn practical insights into the methods and approaches required to successfully drive health-enabling remote food retail.