The VHA, in collaboration with its community health members have recently released an advocacy brief. The document, titled Community Health Services, a major platform for realising the goals of health reform, will form the basis of the VHA's advocacy efforts on behalf of community health services.
Overview
Over the past three years, the VHA has advocated on behalf of Victoria's public health sector for a reformed health system that prioritises the principles of comprehensive primary health care.
Within Victoria, primary healthcare is about much more than the provision of health services. It incorporates equity, social justice, community participation and responsiveness to local population needs that results in a 'balanced system of wellbeing, health promotion, illness prevention, rehabilitation, effective management of ill health and illness treatment'. It encompasses an understanding of the social, economic, cultural and political determinants of health.
Transitioning of Community Health
The legislation enacting the changes to the structure of community health centres proclaimation date for this legislation will be 31 March 2009, from which time these changes will come into effect. Community Health Centres will be registered Community Health Services for a a period of 90 days following 31 March 2009, and during this time they will be required to apply to the Department of Human Services. Community Health Centres are in the process of preparing for these changes to their structure.
Primary and Community Health Interest Group - February
At the recent meeting of the Primary and Community Health Interest Group the Department of Human Services, Service and Workforce Planning Branch provided an update regarding the skills reforms currently taking place within the Vocational Education Training Sector in Victoria. This presentation also provided information regarding training opportunities available to services.
Presentation - Dan Jefferson, Manager, Workforce Strateg and Regulation, Service and Workforce Planning Branch, DHS 
Victoria's Community Health Sector - A Model For Success
Victoria has an established network of Community Health Services which provide a broad range of primary health care in every local government area. This sector is a vibrant and dedicated platform for the delivery of expanded primary health care. In 2008, the VHA developed the paper, Victoria's Community Health Sector - A Model For Success.
Victoria's Community Health Sector - A Model For Success
Marketing of Community Health
The VHA has been working on a Marketing of Community Health Project since August 2006. The aim of the project is to promote and consolidate the evidence that community health interventions and partnerships deliver cost beneficial health improvements to Victorians across the health continuum.
The VHA, marketing firm Mitchell and Partners and the Leader newspaper group have developed a media campaign which highlights the work undertaken by community health services. The campaign will consist of fortnightly advertisements that will run in local newspapers for a 52 week period.
This project has commenced with a series of advertisements running in local papers across Victoria.
