No. 13
Budget recognises prevention 
the key to a healthy future

The ACT Government has announced funding for a range of initiatives aimed at preventing or reducing risk factors for chronic disease, ACT Health Minister, Katy Gallagher, said today.

“The 2009-10 ACT Budget has allocated $11 million over the next three years to address issues such as childhood obesity, tobacco use in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, adolescent health and healthy workplaces,” she said.

The Minister said $2 million per annum had been allocated in the Budget to the Healthy kids, healthy future initiative to:
•	promote active play in early childhood;
•	develop social marketing materials to help families explore options to more passive pastimes, such as computer games;
•	encourage healthy eating habits and water as the drink of choice; and 
•	promote breast feeding.

Other initiatives funded included:
•	$750,000 per annum for workplace health promotion programs including health assessments, risk modification programs and referrals for people in need of further assistance;
•	$500,000 per annum for a Chlamydia awareness campaign;
•	$200,000 per annum to reduce tobacco use in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through peer education and a nicotine replacement therapy based intervention; and
•	$300,000 to conduct a feasibility study on establishing a centre for adolescent health.

“In addition to these activities, which fulfil 2008 election commitments, the Budget has allocated $4.2 million over the next four years to ensure that people with chronic diseases get improved access to services so they can better manage their condition and achieve better health outcomes,” Ms Gallagher said.

“This will result in reduced demand for acute services for this population group.”

The package of initiatives includes:
•	$1.7 million over four years to fund the development and implementation of telephone and web-based coaching;
•	$800,000 over four years to establish a patient care register of people with chronic health conditions to improve coordination of patients’ care needs;
•	$1.1 million over four years for home tele-monitoring to enable patients to safely transmit vital health information electronically to treating doctors, nurses and health professionals in ‘real time’; and 
•	$600,000 over four years for improved case management and care coordination.

5 May 2009
Media Contact: 	Kathryn Roberts   6205 0242(w)   0402 399 907(m)