Prevention is better than cure with landmark passage of Preventive Health SA law

Landmark legislation has passed SA Parliament overnight to enshrine preventive health as a key part of our health system for the first time.

The Preventive Health SA Bill 2024 is the first of its kind in South Australia, recognising preventive health as a crucial area of health policy with a permanent place in the health system in South Australia.

Preventive Health SA consolidates key prevention functions in a single agency including obesity prevention, tobacco, vaping, mental health, suicide prevention, alcohol and other drugs, and the determinants of health as priority areas.

The agency has a significant agenda, with recent modelling showing obesity is now the leading risk factor in preventable health conditions for South Australians.

Around 38 per cent of Australians are impacted by health issues that could have been prevented if they reduced their exposure to risk factors including obesity, smoking, alcohol and drugs.

Preventive Health SA will lead evidence-informed and innovative action to prevent and reduce the burden of non-communicable health conditions and improve health equity across South Australia and future generations.

The Preventive Health SA Bill 2024 also establishes the Preventive Health SA Council to provide strategic advice with its members to be selected based on their diverse health knowledge, expertise and experience.

Preventive Health SA has already started to make its mark, with key achievements including:

• Strengthening tobacco and e-cigarette legislation including strengthening penalties, outlawing vaping stores, and strengthening smoke free areas.
• Introducing effective campaigns to reduce tobacco smoking and vaping, while increasing bowel cancer screening.
• Providing more than $9 million in grant funding to community-based organisations to facilitate prevention and health promotion efforts.

Quotes

Attributable to Chris Picton

With the passing of this legislation, the preventive health agenda is locked in place for the long-term future of all South Australians.

Addressing smoking, vaping, obesity and other health risks for South Australians is a key focus of Preventive Health SA.

As well as vaping, obesity, smoking, alcohol and drug use, increasing rates of chronic disease make Preventive Health SA’s activities vital for our community and to help reduce pressure on our health system.

Attributable to Preventive Health SA Chief Executive Marina Bowshall

One of the strengths of our agency is our collaborative approach across government, non-government and key sectors for policy and programs that benefit our community and population.

That’s how we will take forward our commitment to making South Australia an even healthier state across generations by implementing strategies that address the burden of preventable health conditions.