Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in Salisbury

July 2008 – December 2009

The division successfully gained $175 000 funding for this project from the Department of Health and Ageing (Commonwealth of Australia) under Healthy Active Australia Community and Schools Grants

Aim: To reduce the prevalence of people who are overweight in the Salisbury Council area, a northern metropolitan area of Adelaide.

Target: Approximately 116, 000 community members in the Salisbury Council areas including Para Hills and Ingle Farm, Parafield Gardens, Salisbury East, Salisbury Downs and Salisbury North.

Services utilised to deliver the project: Four general practices, four schools, two primary health care centres, twelve council facilities, recreational facilities and libraries and the centre for health promotion, community health division at the Children, Youth and Women’s Health Services

Objectives

Increase services available and utilisation/ access of local community services promoting the '‘‘Healthy eating and Physical activity’' message

Increase community knowledge re: '‘Healthy eating and Physical activity’' message and availability of services locally

Improved quality and consistency of information and increase in number of times General Practices (GPs), schools and other community facilities (community houses, primary health centres, child youth health, libraries, pharmacist and more) give out '‘Healthy eating and Physical activity’' advice and direction / referrals

Increase self reported levels of physical activity and healthier eating from those involved in services / strategies (existing and new)

Ensure that organisations represented in consortium (eg.Para Hills Junior Primary School) promote a range of strategies and resources for students of the school and the parents within the community focussing on the importance of engaging in physical activities and health lifestyle choices to improve overall health and wellbeing

Improved communication,  coordination, collaboration and build capacity in  '‘Healthy eating and Physical activity’' related services available

Increase the opportunity and capacity of GPs (general practitioners, practice nurses and other staff in the practice), Schools and other Community facilities to work together and support their patients and their families to '‘Healthy eating and Physical activity’'

Funds will be used to:

·         Promote existing services by developing a website and booklet that will be distributed across Salisbury via the various providers

·         Promote existing national guidelines and resources by distribution

·         Develop and implement new initiatives in Salisbury East, Burton, Para Hills/Pooraka and Parafield Gardens areas by a school, general practice, primary health care service and council facilities (community houses and recreation centres) in the area. This might include: family fun days, Friday’s health day, School / Community garden or sports library, and /or specific programs.

·         Evaluate the project to demonstrate findings

·         Employ a project officer and associated costs, as well as cover cost of releasing teachers and general practice staff (general practitioners and practice nurses) to work on the project

The project is a four phase project including:

Planning phase (5 months, up to November 2008): This includes:

·         reviewing existing services

·         recruiting steering group

·         deciding on geographic areas and recruiting sub group members

·         planning the evaluation and collecting baseline data

·         refining any promotional materials re services available and

·         development of local strategy ideas

Implementation phase (8 months, up to August 2009): Will include:

·         obtaining copies of existing national guidelines and producing materials (booklet and web based) promoting local service and distributing.

·         implementing local strategies

Evaluation phase (2 months, up to October, 2009): this will include:

·         Process and impact data collection

·         Collation and feedback from steering group and sub groups

Final report and information dissemination phase (2 months, up to December 2009)