National Preventative Health Strategy Launched

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon launched the National Preventative Health Strategy after a visit to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne today.

The Taskforce responsible for the Strategy has made several findings, set a number of what it describes as 'ambitious' targets, and made 35 recommendations and 139 sub-recommendations.

The Government will consider the Taskforce's recommendations alongside those of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission. Some of the recommendations, such as the establishment of a National Preventative Health Agency, are already in train.

The Strategy identifies seven strategic directions to ensure a comprehensive approach:
1. Shared responsibility - developing strategic partnerships - at all levels of government, industry, business, unions and the non-government sector, research institutions and communities;
2. Act early and throughout life - working with individuals, families and communities;
3. Engage communities - act and engage with people where they live, work and play; at home, in schools, workplaces and the community. Inform, enable and support people to make healthy choices;
4. Influence markets and develop coherent policies - for example through taxation, responsive legislation, and through coherent and connected policies;
5. Reduce inequality through targeting disadvantage - especially low socio-economic status (SES) groups;
6. Indigenous Australians - contribute to Closing the Gap; and
7. Refocus primary healthcare towards prevention

The action proposal likely to be of greatest interest to the dental community is for a review of economic policies and taxation systems, and development of methods of using taxation, grants, pricing incentives and subsidies to:

• promote the production of healthier food products, including reformulation of existing products;
  
• increase the consumption of healthier food and beverage products;
  
• decrease production, promotion and consumption of unhealthy food and beverage products; and
  
• promote healthy weight.

A soft drink tax could generate wide support amongst those seeking to reduce dental decay rates.