My health for life makes healthy happen with Queensland pharmacies
Whether it’s eating well, maintaining a healthy weight or sleeping better, My health for life is now reaching more Queenslanders, following the August launch of a Pharmacy Referral Pilot across rural Queensland.
Proudly supported by Health and Wellbeing Queensland, the My health for life program Pharmacy Referral Pilot is now operating in Blackwater, Mount Isa, Chinchilla and Maryborough.
Key features of the pilot include simplified My health for life referral forms and targeted program promotions for the free 18-week program that provides Queensland adults with the opportunity to take up a health risk assessment and a healthy lifestyle program.
Early reporting generated by this collaborative approach shows the pilot has been successful in attracting Queenslanders to the program, and continues to strengthen the program’s engagement with the pharmacy sector.
Delivered by Diabetes Australia and the Healthier Queensland Alliance, key achievements of My health for life in 2022–2023 also include:
- 5 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Organisations now engaged to deliver the culturally adapted program
- South West Hospital and Health Service appointed its first My health for life facilitator
- Logan Healthy Living service incorporates My health for life for the prevention of type 2 diabetes
- An online, self-paced program format was launched in September 2022
- The program expanded in workplaces with a focus on blue collar industries, and
- Extra resources now engage families and culturally diverse communities.
Health and Wellbeing Queensland Chief Executive Officer, Dr Robyn Littlewood, applauded the expansion of My health for life, which is a significant step forward for the community outreach services of the program.
‘Health and Wellbeing Queensland is delighted that more people living in rural and regional Queensland are benefitting from the expansion of My health for life,’ said Dr Littlewood.
‘That the program encourages more Queenslanders to monitor their health and adopt healthier behaviours aligns with our health promotion and chronic disease prevention initiatives.’
My health for life’s holistic approach also supports participants to quit smoking and reduce alcohol intake to decrease chronic disease risk factors and enhance program participant’s health.
The expansion of the program will enable more people living in rural and regional Queensland, and priority population groups, including, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, to benefit from health risk assessments and a healthy lifestyle program.
