Marathon Health Australia’s Post

As part of our ongoing efforts to bridge the gap between government and communities under the Human Development Leadership Programme (HDLP), the Principal Secretary, along with Mr. Arindam Bhattacharya, Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group, visited Mawphlang C&RD Block, East Khasi Hills on 11th November 2024. The purpose of this visit was to engage with key stakeholders from Village Employment Councils (VECs), Village Health Committees (VHCs), and Village Organizations and Self Help Groups (VOs/SHGs), focusing on strengthening grassroots leadership, addressing priority challenges, and exploring sustainable solutions. Key activities included site visits to a PMAY house, discussions on addressing school dropout rates, and reviews of water conservation projects that could support eco-tourism and job creation. Interactions with SHGs highlighted the importance of livelihood initiatives like piggery and underscored the need for sound financial planning to ensure sustainable household income growth. The visit also aimed to enhance health infrastructure, with a particular focus on VHCs, which have achieved significant progress, such as boosting immunization rates from 34% to 90%. The team also proposed introducing a community health nurse to improve maternal care and discussed ways to optimize the use of MGNREGS for greater employment generation. It may be mentioned that moving forward, the focus will be on empowering communities, building local capacity, and utilizing technology for sustainable development.

We’re just TWO weeks away from CPRA’s Day on the Hill! On November 5th, CPRA members from across Canada will be united in Ottawa, meeting with parliamentarians to discuss how recreation and parks play a vital role in promoting inclusion, health promotion, and reducing the burden on Canada's healthcare system. 💪 Recreation and parks are essential for fostering wellbeing, building resilient communities, and enhancing quality of life. Our 2025 Pre-Budget Submission highlights key recommendations to strengthen the sector: 🔹 Building a Healthier Future 🔹 Increasing Physical Activity in Canada 🔹 Expanding Workforce Readiness We’re working hard to prepare for these important conversations. What do you think is the most critical priority? Share your thoughts and help us shape our advocacy efforts. 📝 Read the full submission and join us in supporting these priorities: https://buff.ly/3YfLZ4A Recreation Nova Scotia Recreation NB | Loisirs N.-B. Recreation NL Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association BC Recreation and Parks Association ARPA | Alberta Recreation & Parks Association Recreation Manitoba Parks and Recreation Ontario Association québécoise du loisir municipal (AQLM) Recreation PEI

Happy Future Wellington day LinkedIn! What is it? We made it up, but stick with us here 😎 What will Wellington Shire look like in the year 2050? That’s a really great question, and it’s time to start thinking about it! We’re really excited to share Future Wellington - guiding the long-term planning and review of five essential documents that will steer our direction and decision-making towards 2050. These include: Community Vision Council Plan Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 10-Year Asset Plan 10-Year Financial Plan With rising costs, financial constraints, and a growing population, we need to responsibly manage our services and infrastructure. What we learn through this work will help us make the tough decisions we face about prioritising our spending for the next decade and beyond, considering Wellington's unique geographical and population challenges. These documents will all be revised at the same time to align with future aspirations, needs, and priorities. Following extensive community consultation and feedback, all five documents will be adopted by 31 October 2025. The community engagement process will kick off on 1 July 2024 by asking our community if our current focus areas—Environment, Economy, Liveability, and Services are still relevant to their needs or if they have evolved over the past four years. Starting in July, our community will be invited to participate in an online survey, to fill out a postcard or chat to us at the Future Wellington Roadshow that will travel across the municipality. To learn more about Future Wellington, or if you’re a local and want to take part in this journey with us visit https://lnkd.in/gpQCZerJ. And yes, collaborating across five strategic plans has been a HUGE job. But we can’t wait to dive in and get cracking on it over the next 18 months! 🤗 Future Wellington 🤝 Council Planning #futurewellington #councilplan #organisationalperformance #localgov #localgovernment

Today, I was invited to present at the Wodonga Council Chambers, contributing to the Wodonga 2050 Community Vision deliberative panel. Alongside Dr Heather Downey from La Trobe University, who spoke about climate change, water security, and the importance of green and blue spaces, I focused on the future of primary and community health care and its role in building a healthier Wodonga. Key messages from my presentation included: 1) Health and wellbeing services must be culturally safe, accessible, and equitable - especially in a diverse community like ours. 2) Primary and community health care should be a priority, ensuring access for all and reducing the reliance on hospitals for preventable conditions. 3) Promoting healthy lifestyles and strengthening social connections is crucial for a resilient, connected community. Subsequent questions and discussion explored how health and wellbeing goes beyond just hospitals, stressing the importance of organisation like Gateway Health - People living well in providing accessible, community-driven services across north-east Victoria and southern NSW. We also highlighted how investing in preventive health today will pay off financially and socially in the long run, reducing hospital admissions and fostering a healthier population. The audience’s engagement was truly outstanding, with insightful questions on how to improve healthcare access and ensure our services are inclusive of all residents. It was encouraging to see so many community members (including Steven Bruni) deeply invested in shaping Wodonga’s future health and well-being. The deliberative panel plays a vital role in ensuring that local voices and diverse perspectives shape our long-term vision, and today's session was a perfect example of that commitment. I’m excited about the path ahead as we work towards a Wodonga 2050 built on the values of health, equity, and community connection. Together, we can create a future where everyone thrives. #Wodonga2050 #PrimaryHealthCare #CommunityHealth #HealthEquity #Sustainability #CommunityEngagement #GatewayHealth

Did you know rural Australia plays a pivotal role in our nation's economy? With resources and rural industries accounting for 80% of Australia's exports, our rural communities are more than scenic landscapes—they are economic powerhouses. The Australians who live in these areas work hard to deliver these exports. They deserve equitable access to health care, but often can't receive it. We need better policies and equitable funding that supports the health of rural Australians, which in turn keeps the economy healthy. This National Rural Health Month, we celebrate the immense contributions and resilience of those who live and work in these vital regions. 🌳Join us in calling for equitable health care funding for rural Australia. #NationalRuralHealthMonth #RuralStrength #EconomicImpact #NRHM24 Susanne ( Susi ) Tegen Australian Physiotherapy Association Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) Australian Psychological Society (APS) Australian Rural Health Education Network College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand (CICM) The Council of Ambulance Authorities Inc. CRANAplus Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) Joint Colleges Training Services (JCTS) Mable

What other investments are this good? Put a dollar in and get up to five dollars value back. Improving our homes across Aotearoa New Zealand has so many benefits to health, productivity and resilience. https://lnkd.in/gzQ2s2P9

What is the Inland Healthy Cities Institute? Launching in June, the Inland Healthy Cities Institute (IHCI) is gearing up to advance the health transformation of our unique region: the Inland Empire. With more than 4.5 million residents, we face unique challenges unlike any other region in Southern California, and the IHCI is focused on addressing them-with the help of collaborative partnerships and by involving and energizing the residents of our community. Around the world, healthy cities initiatives have been shown to increase the quality of life for residents, turning locations into landmark communities that attract new families, and draw economic opportunity. In many ways, healthy city initiatives like ours work to highlight and focus efforts that are already underway, increasing utilization of beneficial programs already in place. Healthy city initiatives have been shown to address underlying barriers to health, and create lasting change. The Inland Healthy Cities Institute will focus on: 🌳 Gardens & Markets: By creating green spaces and cleaning up existing ones; holding and growing farmers markets, and building or resourcing community gardens. 🍎 Health & Wellbeing: By supporting health education accessible to all and offering community fitness classes and cooking workshops. 🎨 Arts & Recreation: By Initiating city beautification projects including community and school murals, and holding cultural performances, author visits, and lectures. ⚠️ Safety & Readiness: By offering trainings in substance misuse prevention and mental health, and providing easy to access medication drop boxes. 💰Community Prosperity: By holding small business summits and offering financial literacy training and career-building workshops. 🧑🏫 Leadership Training: By forming a cohort-based Leadership Academy to allow community champions to join and learn to help mobilize change in their community.

Today we celebrate National Recognition Day for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners. We spoke with Kirstie Towle, Project Manager, First Nations Pathways in Health at Charles Sturt University.   “As a First Nations individual deeply committed to healthcare, I am acutely aware of the disparities in First Nations healthcare that continue to affect our communities, especially in rural areas.   “Our people face a disproportionately higher rate of chronic diseases and encounter significant barriers to accessing healthcare. The commitment to not only sustain but also enhance the capabilities of health professionals in rural areas is a step toward healing and strength.   “Central to this transformative initiative is the empowerment of the First Nations workforce. It’s about acknowledging and integrating the rich heritage, knowledge, and practices of First Nations peoples into healthcare.   “Every step we take together in empowering our health workers and integrating First Nations perspectives in healthcare is a step towards healing, equity, and resilience.” #LiveStudyWorkRural #RuralHealth #NDoR2024 #FirstNations NAATSIHWP TEQSA PRV12018 (Australian University) CRICOS 00005F

Have you taken some time for yourself to get out and enjoy nature on #WorldMentalHealthDay? The effect of the natural world on wellbeing cannot be underestimated. A Government report into the impact of seven green prescribing pilot projects published earlier this year revealed that it is well worth investing in a ‘natural health service’. Those taking part in the pilots experienced big reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms, and significant increases in happiness and life satisfaction. From an economic perspective, there was a return on investment of £2.42 per £1 invested by HM Treasury, making it more cost-effective than some other interventions. Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is currently leading two projects to improve health and wellbeing through nature connectedness – Wilder Neighbourhoods in Stoke and a programme of wellbeing walks for patients of a GP surgery in Wolstanton, Newcastle (pictured below with the Trust's Shaun Rimmer). Participants in both projects have told us how spending time in a natural environment, socialising with others, has really lifted their spirits. Green prescribing could play a really important role in creating healthier communities and reducing demand for other more traditional NHS services. We’re keen to work with other GP practices across the county on green prescribing initiatives – please get in touch with s.pattison@staffs-wildlife.org.uk if you’d like to learn more! #MentalHealth #GreenPrescribing #NaturalHealthService #NHS

A must read for GP’s thinking about a change from their day to day practice. Drop me a message if you have any questions or are keen to discuss your future working plans further!