Latrobe Health Assembly, in partnership with Latrobe Regional Hospital, Latrobe Community Health Service and Gippsland Primary Health Network, have developed a five-year plan to improve the experience of those living with chronic disease in Latrobe Valley.
The Latrobe Chronic Disease Action Plan provides a roadmap for the Latrobe Valley community, stakeholder organisations, private providers, industry, and groups that advocate and offer care and education for people with chronic disease and their carers and families. The Action Plan is intended to be one component of work being delivered across Latrobe Valley to improve health and wellbeing for those who live and work in the area.
The Action Plan is a direct result of various consultations, community forums and workshops with both service providers, consumers and carers to ensure it meets the specific needs of people living within Latrobe Valley. Providing the community with the opportunity to help shape the Action Plan gives them control over their own healthcare.
Reflecting a five-year commitment from the partnering agencies, the Action Plan has been structured around the chronic disease continuum of care, prioritising the middle three stages for the community: Early Detection, Self-Management, and Community-Based Treatment and Care.
Some statistics on chronic disease in Latrobe Valley:
- 33% of adults in Latrobe Valley have two or more chronic illnesses
- The number of adults Latrobe Valley with a Body Mass Index (BMI) in the ‘obese’ range is over 50% higher than the state average
- 14.1% of persons in Latrobe Valley are providing assistance to persons with a disability (i.e., carers)
Latrobe Health Assembly Chair, Tanya Rong, says the Action Plan is “an important milestone for the Latrobe community. It is the result of many hours of dedication, collaboration and willingness of health agencies, community leaders and partners to work together to improve chronic disease management in Latrobe Valley.”
“It offers a coordinated, collaborative, multi-faceted approach to health improvement and it is a great example of listening to community needs and ensuring that those needs are met with this new Action Plan,” concluded Ms Rong.
View the Latrobe Chronic Disease Action Plan here: https://www.healthassembly.org.au/lv-chronic-disease-plan/
