Health Promotion

The Health Promotion Service (PDF) works across the North Metropolitan Health Service (NMHS) catchment area (PDF) and aims to keep the population healthy by preventing chronic diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, respiratory disease and some cancers) and injury.

Chronic diseases share common risk factors:

  • Smoking
  • Poor diet
  • Harmful alcohol use
  • Overweight and obesity
  • Physical inactivity.

Health Promotion professionals identify the causes of these risk factors and work collaboratively with local organisations and community to find ways to address them.

Our work is guided by the Western Australian Health Promotion Strategic Framework (external site).

Find out more about our work in the NMHS Health Promotion Service 2022-23 Yearbook

Healthy Population Program

We partner with local governments and other organisations to develop interventions that support healthy lifestyles for the whole community.

Examples of our work include:

  • Hosting Local Government Network Meetings for local government officers (see below).
  • Supporting local government staff leading the development of their Public Health Plans. Please see North Metropolitan Health Service Public Health Planning Development Guide (PDF).
  • Working with local governments implementing health promotion interventions, e.g. City of Vincent’s Smoke Free Town Centres project.

Priority Communities Program

We partner with service providers and the community to promote health and wellbeing in two priority communities where people are at a greater risk of poor health. Our efforts focus on reducing the uptake of smoking and vaping, reducing harmful alcohol use, preventing injury, promoting healthy eating and promoting physical activity.

Priority locality 1 includes Mirrabooka, Alexander Heights, Balga, Girrawheen, Koondoola, Marangaroo, Nollamara and Westminster.

Priority locality 2 includes Butler, Clarkson, Merriwa and Ridgewood.

Examples of our work include:

  • coordinating the Social Inclusion Mirrabooka and Surrounds group, who work to identify local issues and develop collaboratively tailored interventions (see below).
  • improving the quality of local health-related services and activities through provision of health promotion expertise and support.
  • the development of the Food budgeting and meal planning resource catalogue (PDF) as a result of a food budgeting scoping project conducted with financial counselling services.

Social Inclusion Mirrabooka and Surrounds (SIMS)

Healthy Service Program

We support NMHS hospitals and sites to implement the mandatory WA Health System policies on smoking (external site) and healthy food options (external site).

Examples of our work include:

  • Supporting Mental Health Services across NMHS to become totally smoke-free (see summary report (PDF) and infographic (PDF))
  • Developing a NMHS Smoke Free Policy and NMHS site specific Smoke Free procedures
  • Providing advice to NMHS cafés / canteens on healthier food and drink options.

More Deadly Tucker Cookbook

The More Deadly Tucker Cookbook is a pictorial, practical know-how resource for the Aboriginal community; highlighting convenience, cost, and nutritional information. NMHS previously sold hard copies of the popular More Deadly Tucker Cookbook which has lots of healthy tips and 40 tasty recipes with step-by-step instructions. Unfortunately, we are no longer selling these cookbooks. If you have any queries, please email DeadlyTucker@health.wa.gov.au

Blender Bike Hire

We loan our Blender Bike (PDF) to local community groups to use as a healthy activity at community events. For any enquiries and/or to confirm your booking please return the completed form to nmhs.blenderbike@health.wa.gov.au.

Last Updated: 29/10/2024