Right Time Right Place for Prevention: Community Health First Budget Submission

Community Health First today published its 2024/25 Victorian Budget Submission following two weeks of briefing Victorian MPs at Parliament House.

Community Health First’s delegates briefed MPs from across the political spectrum on the unique and important role that community health has delivering essential and community-based support to millions of Victorians every year.

As emergency departments and acute care around the state continue to experience high demand and long waiting times, community health can play a pivotal role in reducing demand on our hospitals, improving patient outcomes and improving the health and wellbeing of our communities.

Quotes Attributable to Chair of Community Heath First, Anna Robinson
“Community Health First has put forward a Victorian Budget Submission that will reduce demand on Victoria’s hospital system through investing in targeted prevention and early intervention programs delivered right here in our communities. Specifically, Community Health First’s Budget Submission proposes to:

1. Alleviate the burden of chronic disease on hospitals by providing tailored support to reduce hospital presentations and bed days for patients with chronic conditions.

2. Deliver on the planned surgery reform by optimising community-based non-surgical pathways through evidence-based support for osteoarthritis patients and prehabilitation for high-risk planned surgery patients.

3. Reduce the number of emergency department presentations by engaging frequent users and supporting them to connect with necessary preventative supports.

4. Alleviate strain on regional and rural health services by expanding access to preventative health services for communities that need it most.

Research shows that for every $1 spent on preventative healthcare measures, $14 is saved in future healthcare costs.

“Community Health Services are uniquely placed to deliver effective, evidence based early intervention support that reduce will strain on Victoria’s stretched hospital system and ensure that Victorians have access to the right care, in the right place and at the right time.

“Our budget submission sets out the case for change. The Allan Government has an opportunity to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities and avoid tens of thousands of public hospital presentations per year more by investing in community health programs detailed in our Budget Submission. We have done the research, run the pilots, crunched the numbers and we know that what we are proposing will significantly contribute to reducing the strain on the health system in Victoria,” Ms Robinson said.

About Community Health First
Community Health First is an initiative of all 24 registered, independent community health services in Victoria. Registered community health services operate across metropolitan, rural and regional Victoria, operating out of more than 190 sites across Victoria, employing more than 10,000 people to support many millions of Victorians each year.

For Community Health First’s full Budget Submission www.communityhealthfirst.org.au
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