For 40 years VicHealth has been a preventative health leader, let's keep it that way

Community Health First is deeply concerned about the proposal to dismantle VicHealth and absorb it into the Department of Health.  

Preventive health and health promotion work are the unsung heroes of our health system. Often unseen and hidden from the spotlight, because when it works, it doesn’t make front-page news. Instead, it creates healthier communities, thriving neighbourhoods, and reduces the pressure on our hospitals and emergency departments.  

For almost four decades, VicHealth has been a local and global leader in health promotion, a respected and independent voice on public health, and a champion of change that saves lives.  

Victorians have benefited immensely from the vision of VicHealth to reduce the harms being caused by gambling, tobacco, alcohol, junk food industries and most recently vaping. Australia has some of the lowest smoking rates in the world, and much of that is because of the longstanding work of VicHealth and the QUIT partnership.  

Our organisations see firsthand the positive impact that prevention and early intervention programs have on our clients' long-term health outcomes. Community health organisations have been proud partners of VicHealth in delivering programs that promote healthier environments and help prevent disease. 

As rates of chronic disease rise, the health equity gap continues to widen, and the cost of living is forcing families to choose between health care and other expenses, we need greater investment in prevention, not less.  

We need organisations like VicHealth at the forefront of tackling these challenges and with the remit to take the bold action required.  

VicHealth is more than a funding body; it is a trusted partner and collaborator, a driver of innovation, and an incubator for world-leading preventative health initiatives.  

The decision to remove its independence and close its doors for short-term budget savings will have devastating consequences on our communities for decades to come.