Community Health Impact Report Launched

Community health reaches over 608,000 Victorians amid growing demand and clients want to see more government investment

Community Health First, the initiative of Victoria’s 24 registered independent community health services, has just launched the 2023-24 Impact Report on the state of the sector, including a Client Sentiment Survey showing Victorian’s views and experiences of these essential services.

To read the full report CLICK HERE.

The report shows skyrocketing demand for health services in Victoria, with community health organisations expanding their reach by more than 20% in two years, now serving over 608,000 Victorians each year and reaching 87% of regional and rural Victoria.

Community Health First’s Client Sentiment survey demonstrates the impact of community health in reducing pressure on our hospitals, with more than 58% of clients reporting that the help they receive has reduced their frequency of hospital visits.

In response to these findings, Community Health First is calling for a 10% funding increase from the Victorian Government to meet the growing demand and rising cost of service delivery, which would match the investment into hospitals earlier this year.

The report highlights the pivotal role of community health in tackling pressing community challenges, including rising rates of chronic disease, mental health issues and social isolation. 91.2% of clients agreed that support from their community health service keeps them healthy and well, and 84.9% said that community health makes it easier for them to access the support they need.

Innovative collaborations and programs are being developed to address emerging health and wellbeing challenges in our communities. In the past year community health has been a lead partner in scaling women’s sexual and reproductive health services and establishing new mental health locals. Organisations have supported struggling Victorian families by expanding free dental services for public school children, helped regional communities recover following floods and fires, developed culturally appropriate services to address women’s pain in multicultural communities, and provided specialised services for kids with development delays helping them get the best start in life.

Community health has also been a key partner in rolling out Urgent Care Centres, with 92% of patients seen in the community rating the quality of care as good or very good, and an evaluation of the service showing that community health led centres are reducing demand on hospitals and ambulance services.

But at a time when many Victorians are struggling with the cost of living, more investment is needed to ensure affordable and accessible healthcare remains available. An overwhelming majority (94%) of community health clients urged the Victorian Government to improve funding to make local healthcare affordable and available close to where they live, with 80% reporting it will impact their vote at the next state election.

Quotes attributable to Anna Robinson, Chair, Community Health First:

“As cost of living pressures continue to impact more and more people in our communities, our commitment to accessible, affordable healthcare is unwavering. By introducing innovative outreach models tailored for diverse communities and those experiencing significant challenges with access to healthcare, we ensure that every Victorian can access quality care when they need it.

“Community health services save the Victorian Government tens of millions of dollars each year by preventing avoidable hospital presentations and other healthcare costs. One program alone has been demonstrated to have saved the health budget between $8-13 dollars for every one dollar invested in the past year and could be expanded to realise even more savings into the future.

“But lack of investment is driving long waiting lists for services and Victorians may soon struggle to get the support they need in a timely manner. Nearly half of clients identified time waiting to get an appointment as a key issue for them.

“Funding from the State Government for the Community Health Program has not increased for over a decade, despite record population growth and escalating health concerns, and 500,000 potentially avoidable emergency department presentations every year in Victoria.

“A 10% funding boost is urgently needed to ensure the burden on our hospitals doesn’t increase further, and that all Victorians can access a healthcare system that focuses on keeping them healthy, no matter who they are or where they live.”

About Community Health First

Community Health First is an initiative led by all 24 registered independent community health services in Victoria. Community Health First seeks to promote the central role of community health services in the wider health and social services systems and deliver better health and wellbeing outcomes for communities across Victoria.

Bellarine Community Health is a participant in Community Health First.

Community Health Impact Report Launched