National Health Reform

Taking Preventative Action

8.3 Timeline for Implementation of Preventative Health Activities 2012

Implementation Timeline in 2012

Implementation activity

Infrastructure

• Data from Australian Health Survey released, providing comprehensive information on the population’s nutrient status,
  physical activity levels and chronic disease prevalence.
• The Agency, in conjunction with the NHMRC, to call for and award grants to the value of $3 million on activities able to translate research to policy and program design.

• All Medicare Locals in operation by mid 2012.
• Practice Nurse Incentives program commences with $390.3 million in funding over four years.
• Coordinated care for patients with diabetes commences with $449.2 funding over four years.

Obesity

• Community based healthy lifestyle programs continue in 90 communities through Healthy Communities.
• States and territories receive $128 million in facilitation payments to roll out Healthy Workers and Healthy Children.
• Public information campaigns will reinforce the importance of healthy lifestyles in reducing the risks of chronic disease.
• From July 2012, COAG Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Healthy Lifestyle workers employed in a fur ther 17 regions
  around Australia (now 57 regions in total), commence training and begin to deliver healthy lifestyle programs in Indigenous communities.

Smoking

• 1 January 2012 plain packaging legislation gazetted.
• $61 million National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health national anti-smoking social marketing campaign continues.
• $27.8 million targeted anti-smoking social marketing campaign continues.
• 1 July 2012 tobacco products must comply with plain packaging legislation.
• From July 2012, COAG Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Tackling Smoking measure workforce employed in a further
  20 regions around Australia (now 57 regions in total) delivering smoking cessation support and regional anti-smoking campaigns.

Alcohol

• $25 million National Binge Drinking Strategy Community Sponsorship Fund continues to provide an alternative to alcohol sponsorship for local community sporting and cultural organisations.
• $20 million National Binge Drinking Strategy Community Level Initiative – funding rounds continue to support community driven initiatives to tackle the culture of binge drinking, particularly among young people.
• $5 million National Binge Drinking Strategy enhancement of telephone counselling services continues and possible extension of social marketing.