$20 million investment in chronic disease prevention to benefit Australians

SYDNEY, Wednesday, 4 September, 2013 – HCF and the HCF Research Foundation are partners in a new $20 million research centre announced today by the Federal Minister for Health and Minister for Research, Tanya Plibersek. The new Australian Prevention Partnership Centre will perform critical research providing evidence to health policy makers across the country about effective practices to improve lifestyle-related chronic disease rates.

This approach will ensure that preventative approaches are based on evidence and help with decisions regarding the most effective resource deployments. This will assist health care workers to prevent and manage chronic disease, strengthening Australia’s health and well-being.

This Centre brings together a variety of funding bodies and investigators from four states and territories using the insights of an extraordinary group of researchers, clinical practitioners and policy makers. This important partnership will help ensure that positive research outcomes can be implemented, with improvements resulting in health in an area of risk that affects all Australians.

HCF and the HCF Research Foundation are joined in funding the centre by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the Australian National Preventative Health Agency (ANPHA), the NSW Ministry of Health and ACT Health.

Shaun Larkin, HCF Managing Director said “This aligns well with HCF’s direction in caring for our member’s health and we are proud to be contributing the solution to this widespread and growing problem that we cannot afford to leave unchecked.”