Sustainable Farm Families Advisory Group. Meeting Two. 10 th September 2008 Level 16, Room 1 1 Spring Street Melbourne. 10:00am 2:00pm MINUTES

Transcription

1 Sustainable Farm Families Advisory Group Meeting Two 10 th September 2008 Level 16, Room 1 1 Spring Street Melbourne 10:00am 2:00pm MINUTES Documents Provided to Steering Group Members at Meeting Living Longer on the Land Case Studies of the Sustainable Farm Families Program in the Sugar and Cotton Industries RIRDC 08/ Welcome Professor John Catford welcomed everyone to the meeting. 2. Attendance and Apologies John Catford Dean Deakin University Susan Brumby Director Community Services Western District Health Service Mike Weise WestVic Dairy Dairy Australia Sylvia Barry Proxy Department of Human Services Emily Phillips Manager, Rural Policy Department of Primary Industries Warren Straw Portfolio Manager Department of Primary Industries Angus Howell Farmer Farmer Representative Pam Oddie Farmer Farmer Representative Bruce Gibson Agriculture Program Manager WorkSafe Victoria Jan Mahoney Program Manager Gardiner Foundation Margaret Proxy Victorian Farmers Federation Piccoli Non-Voting Members Stuart Willder Men s Health Education Western District Health Service Cate Mercer- SFF Program Manager Western District Health Service Grant Emily Moule SFF Project Manager Department of Primary Industries Liz Cotton Assistant Director Rural Primary Health Section Department of Health and Ageing Page 1 of 7 Meeting Two 10/09/08

2 APOLOGIES: Delwyn Seebeck Social Policy Committee Victorian Farmers Federation John Martin Director Centre for Latrobe University Sustainable Regional Communities Jamie Ramage Farmer Farmer Representative Rod Anderson Manager, Climate Change Adaptation Department of Sustainability and Environment 3. Starring of Agenda Items All items to be discussed 4. Current Program Status Major Program Department of Primary Industries Victorian Roll Out 50 Programs - Goal - 1,000 farmers Achieved 50 programs and 963 participants Department of Human Services Achieved 6 programs 133 participants One program outstanding DPI HWFCC 5 programs Confirmed Colac, Edenhope, Serpentine Gippsland and Kiewa Valley Tasmania 1 program 16 participants Industry sponsored DoHA 8 Final programs in NT, QLD, WA and NSW Geraldton 1 program 23 consents Train the Trainer 136 participants Vic, 2 NSW, 4 NT, 3 QLD, 4 TAS, 15 WA Evaluation Every program and trainer is evaluated. After each program the trainer is provided with individual feedback on the sessions that they delivered. The trainers are also provided with an overall summary of the success of the program. They are also provided with a copy of the participant comments. The benchmark for the program is based on a likert scale of 4, with the original program the preferred mean is 3.3, or a score equating to 82.5% for the session. The session with the lowest score is Rural Health and Action Planning. This has allowed us to review the two sessions. With Action Planning we have in partnership with DPI changed the structure of the session. Page 2 of 7 Meeting Two 10/09/08

3 5. Reports Published Living longer on the land Sustainable Farm Families in Broadacre Agriculture RIRDC 08/048 Living Longer on the Land Case Studies of the Sustainable Farm Families Program in the Sugar and Cotton Industries RIRDC 08/049 Dairy Report currently being reviewed Pam Oddie to be sent a copy of the Living longer on the land Sustainable Farm Families in Broadacre Agriculture RIRDC 08/048 and the Economic Evaluation. Confirm that Jamie Ramage has received copies Comments: Website it is important communication tool Cate Mercer-Grant to ensure that the website has a complete listing of where the programs have been run in the past (DPI and DHS) and also provide a list of upcoming programs. Comments: The published reports have been user friendly and helpful. In moving forward we need to look at complimentary products for selling the program and need to provide targeted information as an additional item to go with the reports. For example summary information (user friendly client focussed) available to the farming families and for the government agencies they get the full report. Also some information for how health providers can implement into their own health agency (and other audiences) which addresses their interest and level of understanding of the program. Important to look at the cost of the communication materials SFF has done a good job at media, reports and publications Further discussion with the Primary Health Branch for looking at addressing the health providers interest and level of understanding of the program Analyse who the target audiences are and what the use of the report is and develop targeted communications rather than the just the investor document needs to be more than the newsletter. Prepare a paper outlining the current communication of the SFF program and it s different strategies Important not to leave out the business outcomes. Also to address the affordability of the above suggestions Page 3 of 7 Meeting Two 10/09/08

4 Quarterly Participant Newsletters to current participants, to increase inclusiveness rather than annually. Past participants - program reminder about Sustainable Farm Families as a link through Agenda Item for the next meeting on SFF Communications Cate Mercer-Grant to provide in the next working papers some information on the current communications and the communication strategy Health and Agri-professionals Summit The 2008 Health and Agri- Professionals Summit will be held on Monday 15 th and Tuesday 16 th September in Dunkeld. The Summit has been fully subscribed and currently has a waiting list. Minister Helper will be opening the Summit on the Monday evening. The Summit on the Tuesday will address areas such as: Review of the findings from Workshop One; Highlights and postcards from key partner health agencies; Postcards to the future briefing on the National Centre for Farmer Health; Professor Joe Graffam Deputy Dean of Deakin University will be presenting on tips for health professionals in mental health; Trainer evaluation feedback and processes; Neil Barr, Department Primary Industries will be presenting on Victorian Agricultural Change; Respiratory update and the use of Piko machines; and Motivation for a 90% return rate to the program of participants Further summit details to be sent to Pam Oddie and Bruce Gibson 7. Future Farming Strategy First time a farming strategy that addresses social issues. The strategy funds two programs relating to the Advisory Group Sustainable Farm Families and National Centre for Farmer Health Strategy release in May 2008 Refer to PowerPoint presented by Emily Phillips (Not provided) Implementing the Future Farming Strategy Now a Rural Policy Unit - social issues Emily Phillips Farm Services Victoria service delivery arm of DPI Warren Straw Issue whole of government approach it is about social adjustment, the context is very important. The program is about dealing with people. FOR INFORMATION: For information only Page 4 of 7 Meeting Two 10/09/08

5 8. Health and Well-Being Farmers in a Climate of Change Extension of the Sustainable Farm Families Program (2.18M) over four years Extending to an additional 500 farmers across Victoria (25 programs x 20 participants/program for three years) Deliver a third year program to the 1000 farmers (under the initial program) Refer to PowerPoint presented by Emily Moule FOR INFORMATION: For information only 9. National Centre for Farmer Health (DHS) National Centre for Farmer Health at Hamilton to improve the health and wellbeing of farm workers and their families ($2.4M) for four years Received funding $1.0M from the Geoff and Helen Handbury Trust Investigate the causes and consequences of poor health in the farming community Develop cost effective policies and programs to improve mental, physical and social health outcomes Refer to PowerPoint National Centre for Farmer Health 10. Future Strategic Directions Discussion combined with Late Business Organise a facilitated strategic planning session 11. Late Business Angus Howell Angus has asked that the following items be discussed at the meeting: How the "Research Project" findings or indications, are communicated to former participants How the SFF program can become part of health core business in the rural community Discussion Comments Sue Brumby From the Living Longer on the Land recommendations, the program is being rolled out as funded by DPI and DHS If the Western Australian pilot is successful, WDHS will look at various models of program delivery Comments Liz Cotton DoHA is currently reviewing all of its rural health programs strong commitment by the government to Rural Health unrealistic to look at five year programs Generally SFF has received significant funding and there are a lot of programs that would like funding it would be useful to get an independent evaluation to assist with potential funding. Page 5 of 7 Meeting Two 10/09/08

6 Comments Jan Mahoney Where does WDHS see the program - will they let it go and have it embedded into health agencies and allow the local input to modify so it is more appropriate to the individual environments that the program is operating within. Comment Bruce Gibson Hang on as a local initiative, hand it over to an agency for further roll-out so it is not a duplication of services Comment Sylvia Barry Moving from a research project to mainstream, need to look at mainstream to see what is happening so it can be taken forward and embedded as a service Investment in health promotion through community health and PCP a lot of work could be done at a local level and those groups of providers could be given an imperative such as SFF and take the program forward It would be nice if the program could continue in the future as it is currently being funded in blocks, however need to look at current resources at a local level to keep it moving forward what it is going to be the benefit for the local community and what is the resourcing of the program need to review how sustainable the program is going to be with block funding on a recurrent basis. It is robust and evidence base is sound, perhaps don t need to keep evaluating get mainstream providers to think about SFF in context of their mainstream service provision. Mike Weise Mike asked about the future directions of SFF and the National Centre for Farmer Health Direction of farm families is the question and the need to diversify to maintain the impetus of the positive outcomes. Mike highlighted the fantastic results and influence on industry in particular the Dairy industry. Need to take advantage of the advances that have already been proven and the way to build on this. Comment Margaret Piccoli There is a large sum of money tied up in the delivery of the program and how to maintain this Comment John Catford The question remains that it needs to be addressed how the program will be delivered in the future or cascaded as a state/nationally based service, some models: Franchise Regional Coordinators Models such Breast Screen or Life Program Look at the networks that are already out there people are thinking more strategically, very important to look at novel ways of matching the groups with the program Comment Jan Mahoney Community self-funding There is plenty out there question is how you fund it and how you distribute the message An example is the growth of Super Fund ownership, they will then take care of their employees (i.e. farm workers) how do we tap into that. Comment Sylvia Barry Who are we tapping into i.e. NFF Noted that SFF have tapped into industry partners VFF, WestVic Dairy Broader discussion that needs to take place with the industry partners that farmer health is important Comment Warren Straw Getting industry to levy the program to fund programs is unlikely Page 6 of 7 Meeting Two 10/09/08

7 To get sponsorship is important Comment Bruce Gibson What service is the program delivering, is their duplication and does it become integrated as business as usual is SFF a better program, better outcomes Is it a question of substitution Comment Angus Howell Champions will ensure that it succeeds With Government funding for three years, it is critical that we start looking for further funding now. Is there a role for private health insurers in private/public partnerships fantastic program provides early intervention and will involve saving the private health insurers money as it helps keep their members healthy Comment - Susan Brumby At this time a significant percentage have health care cards and may not be accessing private health funds or even General Practice. Comment Liz Cotton Look at working with Coles/Woolworths etc. using them as sponsors as they build their profile as looking after their farmers Comment Pam Oddie Supported that industry as a source of funding for part sponsoring the program Comment Emily Moule Inequity between areas of the state to follow the sponsorship models Also that these businesses have their own core business to run, health programs not necessarily part of it Comment Margaret Piccoli Pressure needs to be put on the Commonwealth Government, that this program as a health intervention will save money and should be funded particularly with it s impact on chronic disease WDHS provide a working paper on different models or options of delivery moving towards the future for SFF for the December meeting 12. Business Arising/General Business Nil 13. Meeting Minutes Meeting Minutes Confirmed: Angus Howell Seconded: Liz Cotton 14. Future Meeting Dates and Venue December 3rd or 10th Melbourne DPI March 11th 2009 June 13th 2009 Cate Mercer-Grant to liaise with Rod and Bruce regarding guest speaking 1:50pm Meeting Closed Page 7 of 7 Meeting Two 10/09/08