Doctors, health experts, and community organisations will converge in Western Sydney to map out a plan to embed prevention in all health initiatives across the state.
Western Sydney will host a preventive health summit over two days later this year, with doctors, health experts, consumer groups, non-government organisations, and government representatives taking part in the summit.
The NSW Preventive Health Summit on 7 and 8 October was part of the Minns Government’s response to the Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding and would focus on preventing disease and improving health outcomes in NSW.
A statement from NSW health minister Ryan Park said the summit would be informed by the Health of the People of NSW 2026 report and discussions were underway with a range of health system stakeholders.
The summit in Parramatta would cover topics such as:
- preventing chronic disease
- supporting mental health and wellbeing
- increasing the focus on healthy ageing
- focussing on priority populations including Aboriginal communities experiencing health inequities.
AMA NSW president Dr Fred Betros said the NSW government’s Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding report recommended that preventative health be a whole-of-government priority that was embedded in all health initiative decisions.
Dr Betros said Justice Richard Beasley had requested that the report’s recommendations be implemented within 12 months.
“That deadline expired four months ago,” he said.
“As a surgeon in Western Sydney, it is clear to me that we must urgently change our thinking on how the health system is managed – and preventative health must be central to any serious health reform agenda because, as all doctors know, failures in early care eventually show up across the whole system,” Dr Betros said.
“Greater investment in preventive health has been one of AMA NSW’s key focus points for some time.
“Our hospitals and emergency departments continue to face sustained pressure.
“Too often, gaps in prevention, primary care, chronic disease management, and outpatient services mean patients do not receive the care they need until they become acutely unwell and require hospital treatment.
“Bringing together doctors, health experts, community organisations, and government provides an important opportunity to identify practical and coordinated approaches to improving the health of people across NSW.”
NSW health minister Ryan Park said improving health outcomes would make a significant impact on people’s lives and reduce pressure on hospitals.
“We know that chronic disease impacts people differently in NSW,” Mr Park said.
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“The summit will focus on addressing these differences and improving health outcomes for the people across the state.”
NSW Health secretary Susan Pearce said the NSW health system was one of the highest performing in the world.
“We have a strong commitment to preventive health with a range of programs in place to tackle chronic disease,” she said.
“The NSW Preventive Health Summit is just one step in building a sustainable health system by identifying practical system-wide actions to boost and strengthen health prevention initiatives for the people of NSW.”
Health Services Union NSW secretary Gerard Hayes said the health workforce was an untapped resource of skills that could prevent health conditions becoming chronic or acute.
“Getting on the front foot with preventative health is obviously much better for the patient themselves, but it also means less pressure on our emergency departments and a smarter use of the health dollar,” he said.