A health expert who helped design the Liberal party’s approach to preventative health has called for a complete overhaul of the recently-announced Healthy Tasmania strategy.
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Be Well 4 Work client director Gordon Fyfe said for the state to become the nation’s healthiest population by 2025 – climbing from the bottom of the ladder – Tasmanians’ health outcomes must become the responsibility of every member of cabinet.
He called for the government to create a blueprint of issues relating to each department against which ministers could be held accountable.
“The preventative health strategy is nonsense. It’s no advance on that of the Labor-Green government and no advance on Labor’s,” Mr Fyfe said.
Speaking at the University of Tasmania preventative health panel discussion on Thursday, part of Research Week, Health Minister Michael Ferguson talked up his $6.4 million plan.
“We should expect no less than at least the average life expectancy and the average health outcomes,” he said.
“I would like to see people not being subjected to poor health outcomes because of their family background or employment.”
The panel, which included Heart Foundation chief executive Graeme Lynch, ABC Radio National presenter Norman Swan, VicHealth chief executive Jerri Rechter, 26TEN manager Sue Costello and University of Tasmania associate dean of research Angela Martin, also discussed health promotion messages, alcohol and food regulations and the role of education in health.
