Engagement, Policy

“Public Health is Everyone’s Business”

Man and women adding plants to a vertical garden

This is the popular catch-phrase of Sir Michael Marmot, Chair of the WHO’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health.  It is our experience that a partnership approach drives the best improvements in the health and wellbeing of people and communities.

The South Australian Public Health Act 2011 makes Councils responsible for creating Regional Public Health Plans (RPHPs).  Public health planning is informed by the State Public Health Plan which refers to four key priorities:

  • Promote – Build stronger communities and healthier environments
  • Protect – Protect against public and environmental health risks and respond to climate change
  • Prevent – Prevent chronic disease and communicable disease and injury
  • Progress – Strengthen the systems that support public health and wellbeing

Councils are required to review and update their RPHPs at least every five years. Councils can choose to do this individually or to form regional alliances/partnerships.

In the first five-year cycle of planning, a total of 31 RPHPs were developed across South Australia.  Some 48 Councils chose to plan regionally ranging from groups of two to eight Councils.

URPS has been helping several Councils with their public health planning review, including regional alliances in both metropolitan (the Eastern Health Authority) and regional areas (the Murraylands and Riverland Local Government Association).

Our team of social planners is passionate about public health.  They have specific expertise in qualitative and quantitative social research and analysis, institutional and community capacity-building and collaboration, co-design, and stakeholder and community engagement.

Let us know if you need assistance reviewing your RPHP.

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