From the desk of HCCWA Executive Director, Clare Mullen
HCCWA x Healthway
Today I caught up with Carina Tan-Van Baren, Executive Director of Healthway. Healthway plays a vital role in keeping Western Australians healthy by investing in prevention, community wellbeing, and health promotion.
Our conversation focused on the role of health consumers and community members in shaping Healthway’s future work. As with all parts of the health system, we discussed the importance of consumer involvement at every level of decision-making — including at board level.
We chatted about opportunities to strengthen grassroots, community-led prevention, including Compassionate Communities, “staying in place” initiatives, and other place-based approaches that support people to live well where they are. We also discussed the potential for prevention work in Western Australia to place a stronger focus on preventing and addressing the impact of adverse childhood experiences.
It was also a chance for us to share the work we’ve has been doing since 2018 — supported by WA Health and WAPHA — on The WELL Collaborative.
Strategies for Action from the WA Healthy Weight Action Plan: “a community that supports maintaining a healthy life”
This is WA’s innovative approach to bringing together people with lived experience with academics and health practitioners to help shape policy and system change to achieve the vision of the WA Healthy Weight Action Plan: “a community that supports maintaining a healthy life”
It was a very productive conversation about the opportunities for lived experience perspectives to be front and centre when thinking about health promotion. We’ve agreed to keep meeting regularly over the coming year — so watch this space.
