COVID-19 impacts on healthy Baw Baw

A review of Baw Baw Shire’s integrated municipal public health and wellbeing plan has recommended council should allocate funds for health training and events.

The report also recommended strengthening operations between council, Central West Gippsland Primary Care Partnership and West Gippsland Healthcare Group.

The annual performance report outlined the actions and achievements of council’s plan over the past 12 months.

The four year strategic plan, commonly known as Being Healthy in Baw Baw, sets out directions for improving public health and wellbeing across the municipality.

The five key objectives of the plan include: improving mental health; preventing violence and injury; healthy eating and active living; reducing harm from gambling, tobacco, alcohol and other drugs; and, leadership for a healthy Baw Baw.

The report presented to council said it was the second year of the plan being an “integrated” plan with other health agencies including Central West Gippsland Primary Care Partnership and West Gippsland Healthcare Group.

For the past year, of the 115 actions identified, 63 actions were completed and 30 are in progress.

Officers reported one action is on hold and six had not begun.

The status of 15 actions was unknown, waiting for more information from lead agencies.

Actions reported as not started were impacted by a variety of issues including COVID-19 and altered project timeframes.

Cr Mikaela Power said the report showed council did a fantastic job in this area.

She said of the 115 actions, 63 had been completed.

Cr Power said the key to the work was all the people sitting around the table that made it happen.

Cr Jessica O’Donnell said staff member

Elizabeth Willems had been the driving force behind Baw Baw’s response to the plan.

She said it was about listening to the people on the ground doing the work and ensuring everyone in the shire received the best health service that can be delivered.

“I am very proud that we have an integrated plan, not all councils have a plan like this and we are all much better for it,” she said.