Background

Australia has one of the best health systems in the world, and one of the highest life expectancies. Despite this, many Australians suffer from chronic illness, which is a growing problem facing the health system as the population ages. Chronic diseases - such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and arthritis - are estimated to be responsible for nearly 80 per cent of the total burden of disease and injury in Australia, and more than two thirds of all health expenditure. Diabetes and heart disease alone cost the Australian health system more than $6 billion per annum. These chronic diseases also have a disproportionate impact on some population groups, particularly Indigenous Australians.

To address these concerns, and to strengthen the focus of the health system on prevention, health promotion and the management of chronic disease, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) launched a four-year national program called the Australian Better Health Initiative (ABHI) on 1 July 2006. The Australian Government will contribute $250m nationally over four years and the WA Government’s contribution for state-based activities is $25m.

The initiative consists of eleven components across five priority areas for action; some of which are Australian Government administered, some State and Territory administered, and some mixed administration activities. The program is extensive and particular focus has been given to ensure that each of the program elements support and strengthen current activity within WA Health.

WA Coordination and Reporting

As part of the state-wide coordination role in relation to ABHI the Health Policy and Clinical Reform Division, within the Department of Health, will be responsible for collating data on the implementation of the initiative and providing feedback to the Commonwealth Government, other States and Territories and key stakeholders.

Evaluation and Monitoring

The National ABHI Evaluation Technical Reference Group will be responsible for ensuring that an appropriate evaluation and monitoring framework is established, that there is a coordinated approach to evaluating the outcomes of the initiative and that cross-jurisdictional processes are put in place to support evaluation and monitoring.

There will be an overall national evaluation, which will synthesise the outcomes of the individual elements of ABHI. The WA local evaluation of the individual elements will provide some of the data for the overall evaluation.