Injury Matters recently #connected with Assunta Di Francesco, Health Promotion Coordinator from the South Metropolitan Health Service (SMHS), to learn more about the work and projects SMHS do to support health promotion and injury prevention.
Assunta leads the SMHS Health Promotion community program team. In this role, she and her team work collaboratively with local governments and other agencies in SMHS to implement best practice initiatives to create supportive environments and influence health outcomes.
What projects are the South Metropolitan Health Promotion community program team currently working on?
The SMHS Health Promotion team has five priority areas that we use to align our projects to. These priorities are:
- Reduce tobacco, vapes and other nicotine products
- Promote healthy eating and active living
- Reduce harm from alcohol use
- Optimise mental health and wellbeing
- Prevent injuries and promote safer communities
The team focuses on supporting the development and review of local public health plans across nine local governments, while also providing specialist health promotion planning, evaluation and grant funding advice across our five priority areas. For example, we are currently supporting Local Drug Action Teams to reduce alcohol and smoking related harm and have been collaborating with Curtin University on an article about healthy food environments in community settings. We recently delivered a Climate Change and Public Health Planning Webinar Series on heat-related harm, sustainable food systems and mental health and wellbeing. Now that our local government public health plans are published or are close to being published, we are working with our respective local governments to determine their priorities and how we can assist with public health planning activation. This is helping to shape our 2026-2027 Operational Plan.
How do you see injury prevention projects evolving over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, I expect there to be an increased focus on climate change and its effects on public health, particularly the impact of heat on injury and mental well-being. This will hopefully drive greater recognition of the importance of accessible cooling spaces and supports within local government settings. I also expect there to be a growing use and understanding of values-based messaging and co-design approaches when engaging with the community. Alongside this, I think there will be an increased adoption of mapping systems and AI tools to support data and planning.
What is the biggest challenge you see facing the injury prevention space?
The biggest challenge I see facing the health and injury prevention space is the rise in smoking, vaping and other nicotine products, alongside the broader commercial determinants of health. Addressing the impacts of climate change, particularly in relation to heatwaves and their effects on mental health and wellbeing, and sustainable food systems, is also a challenge I see in the future.
How can people engage and connect with the work being done by SMHS Health Promotion community program team?
You can send us an email! [email protected]
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