Everyman: Improving men s health for a healthier Queensland. Queensland Election 2012

Transcription

1 Everyman: Improving men s health for a healthier Queensland Queensland Election March 2012

2 Improving men s health for a healthier Queensland Labor has a proud record of improving health care for all Queenslanders. We are delivering Australia s largest health infrastructure program, and by international standard we have a high quality health care system which delivers excellent clinical and health outcomes. We also have some of the highest ratios of doctors to population; and we have one of the world s longest life expectancies. But for Queensland men, life expectancy continues to lag behind that of women. There remain too many diseases which hit men disproportionately. And most, if not all of these, are avoidable. Queensland men are already benefiting from our record investments in new health infrastructure; from our record employment of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals; from our record spending on mental health; and from our record spending on services like surgery and specialist consultations. But there is still more to do. Compared with women, men in Queensland have a lower life expectancy, are more likely to have a preventable disease, and are less likely to get a preventative health check up. A re elected Bligh Government will tackle this issue head on. We will deliver a sustained and concentrated focus on men s health, with the biggest investment in targeted men s health programs in our state s history. Labor s plan will mean more Queensland men will benefit better health, with new programs tailored specifically to their needs, including Man Vans delivering men s health pit stop checkups, new specialist prostate nurses, and men s mental health initiatives. Under Labor, the health of Queensland men will get the focus it deserves. ANNA BLIGH PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND PAGE 2

3 What this policy means for our community A re elected Bligh Government will put a spotlight on men s health, and deliver more funding to services for men in each stage of healthcare: men s health promotion, early detection and prevention, treatment, and post treatment services. ACTIONS New Man Vans to deliver up to 800 Men s Health Pit Stop workshops across Queensland over the next four years a fivefold increase. Pit Stops provide preventative health checkups into community locations where men typically gather: like hardware stores, men s sheds, and sporting clubs around Queensland. Pilot Queensland s first Prostate Cancer Nursing program, with 12 new specialist Prostate Cancer Nurses, mirroring the incredibly successful Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Nursing initiative. Support the expansion of the MATES in Construction initiative with a grant of $500,000 over four years to conduct more Life Skills Toolbox Talks each year. Support the expansion of the Bussta Gut Challenge with a $500,000 grant over four years. Our challenges While our health system continues to get better at preventing, detecting and treating disease and injury, our changing lifestyles are causing an increase in preventable disease. These diseases, like cancers, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, adversely affect our quality of life and contribute to a significant proportion of deaths which can be prevented or avoided. Unless we can reverse these trends and change our behaviour stop smoking, drink less alcohol, eat a healthy diet and keep active it is possible that this generation of children will be the first to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Lifestyle factors can explain high levels of diseases, for example: 81 per cent of lung cancers are due to smoking 84 per cent of coronary heart disease and 69 per cent of strokes are due to high blood pressure and cholesterol, physical inactivity, increased body weight and smoking 74 per cent of diabetes is due to increased body weight and physical inactivity. Australian males fare much worse than females in the health arena most notably suffering death rates from cancer, heart disease, suicide, motor vehicle accidents and drug abuse that are between 1.6 and 3.4 times higher than women. On average, men in Queensland live 4.5 years less than women, with a life expectancy of 79.4 years compared to 83.9 years. As well, Queensland men are more likely to smoke than women; Queensland men are more likely to be overweight than Queensland women; and Queensland men are less likely than PAGE 3

4 Queensland women to utilise preventative health checkups. Critically, rates of incidence of avoidable diseases are higher in men than women: According to Diabetes Australia (Qld): Men have a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes than women and more men are overweight or obese, increasing their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Heart disease/ stroke: For 45 year olds, the risk of having a stroke before age 85 is 1 in 4 for men and 1 in 5 for females. Suicide rates amongst Queensland men are almost four times higher than Queensland women. Our achievements Overall, Queenslanders experience good health and a good quality of life. Our success in disease prevention, early detection and better treatment of disease means Queenslanders are living longer. Over the past decade the Queensland Government has backed its commitment to world class health care by investing nearly $68 billion in the state s health services, including an additional $11 billion provided in the budget. Our hospitals have been rebuilt, health services have been upgraded in every part of the state and the number of doctors, nurses, and other health professionals has increased by 70 per cent to just over 50,900. But keeping Queenslanders healthy is not something government can do alone. That s why we are providing Queenslanders with information about staying healthy, and what to do if you need health care advice as part of the Healthier Queensland campaign. The Healthier Queensland website ( provides information on healthy living, including fresh food recipes and tips to keep active and stop smoking, a range of health conditions and illnesses, local health services and referral services to 13HEALTH. And because preventive health is a national issue, we are working in partnership with the Australian Government through the National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health (NPA PH) to support programs for children, workers and communities as well as national social marketing campaigns. One of the greatest successes in preventive health in Australia and Queensland has been the decline in smoking. We have cut smoking rates in men by half a percent in one year; the proportion of men leading active lifestyles has increased by 4% in four years; and the mortality rate for heart disease continues to drop. To address the growing burden of chronic disease, the government has delivered actions across Queensland since 2005, as part of the Queensland Strategy for Chronic Disease 2005 to This strategy addresses barriers to quality chronic disease care, ways to reduce current and future pressures on the acute hospital system by reducing avoidable hospitalisations, and the impact of chronic diseases and risk factors on individuals, families, and communities. Key initiatives of the strategy include the opening of integrated health services at Logan Beaudesert, Innisfail and North Lakes, and an increase in physical activity and nutrition coordinator positions as well as alcohol and tobacco prevention positions within Queensland Health and the non government sector. PAGE 4

5 We have also partnered with the Australian Government and non government organisations to deliver screening programs so the onset of chronic disease can be prevented or quickly treated. Screening is also about delivering services in locations which people can easily access. That is why the government partnered with the National Stroke Foundation in 2009 to deliver free blood pressure checks at participating pharmacies across the state to help reduce the number of Queenslanders having preventable strokes. Anna Bligh s plan to improve men s health 1. Man Vans and Men s Health Pit Stops The Queensland Government introduced the Men s Health Pit Stop initiative to deliver preventative health checkups in community locations where men typically gather, like hardware stores, men s sheds, and sporting clubs around Queensland. This innovative program currently runs around 40 Pit Stops each year, delivering preventative health checks to approximately 4,000 Queensland men. Men s Health Pit Stops use the setting and analogy of a mechanic s workshop to educate men about the regular tune ups and checks their bodies need. Each Pit Stop has a variety of different stations that men rotate through, such as maintaining a healthy chassis (weight and girth); monitoring their hydraulic health (through heart and blood pressure checks); inspecting chips in the duco (skin checks); and keeping their shock absorbers in good order (mental health). Health professionals are on hand to provide information, advice and referrals to GPs as necessary, but the Pit Stop is an intentionally informal and non medical environment for men s comfort. A re elected Bligh Government will invest $9.2 million to deliver up to 800 Men s Health Pit Stops over the next four years at community locations like major hardware stores, sporting facilities, and other men s gathering places a fivefold increase. These Pit Stops will be supported and promoted by a fleet of Man Vans that transport the staff, equipment and educational information to each Pit Stop location. This funding boost is expected to deliver a preventive health check up and education session for up to 80,000 men over the next four years. ACTION New Man Vans to deliver up to 800 Men s Health Pit Stop workshops across Queensland over the next four years a fivefold increase. Pit Stops provide preventative health checkups into community locations where men typically gather: like hardware stores, men s sheds, and sporting clubs around Queensland. PAGE 5

6 2. Queensland s first prostate cancer nursing program According to the Cancer Council, prostate cancer occurs mainly in men over 50 years of age and is the most common male cancer in Queensland men, excluding non melanoma skin cancer. One in five Queensland men are likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 85. Prostate cancer claims almost 3,000 lives a year in Australia around the same number as breast cancer. Queensland Health predicts that prostate cancer will rise dramatically in the next ten years. It is estimated that by 2016 there will be approximately 5000 cases of prostate cancer being diagnosed each year in Queensland. The treatment of prostate cancer often leads to incontinence, sexual dysfunction and psychological trauma creating added complexity in the ongoing treatment of prostate cancer. These issues can have a significant impact on the patient s quality of life and psychological state. Prostate cancer patients suffer from depression at two to three times the community average. Studies also indicate that suicide is more prevalent among older men with prostate cancer, perhaps as much as four times more common than among women of a similar age. Importantly, a 2009 Senate Select Committee inquiry into men s health said prostate cancer was a highly complicated disease requiring increased research efforts and enhanced treatment and support services. A re elected Bligh Government will boost support for men with prostate cancer. We will pilot a new program of 12 specialist prostate cancer nurses over the next 4 years. Specialist prostate cancer care nurses will play an important role in caring for men suffering from prostate cancer. They would bridge the gap between primary, secondary and tertiary care and would provide valuable advice, support and practical assistance throughout the various stages of treatment. Prostate cancer care nurses would assist in closing gaps within the existing healthcare system by: Serving as an educational resource for the patient Providing information on the various treatment options Coordinating and explaining the treatment process Clarifying and reinforcing information provided Providing continuity of care across multiple settings Providing emotional and social support Assisting with referrals to other specialists in the multi disciplinary team Working closely with general practitioners, urologists, physiotherapists, social workers, dieticians and pharmacists Queensland Health, in partnership with the Movember/Prostate Cancer Foundation, has recently established Queensland s first public prostate cancer nursing position in North Queensland. We will build on this by appointing a further 12 more specialist nursing positions in areas of high prostate cancer incidence and with growing populations of men, such as areas of Brisbane, Townsville, Toowoomba, the Gold Coast, Mackay, Cairns and Gladstone. PAGE 6

7 We will do this in partnership with not for profit organisations like the Movember / Prostate Cancer Foundation and ManUp! Qld, a community based not for profit organisation dedicated to providing support for men living with prostate cancer. ACTION Pilot Queensland s first Prostate Cancer Nursing program, with 12 new specialist Prostate Cancer Nurses, mirroring the incredibly successful Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Nursing initiative. 3. Health and wellbeing for construction workers MATES in Construction is a charitable organisation created by the Queensland building and construction industry to deal with high suicide rates within the industry. According to MATES in Construction (MIC), the suicide rate for young workers in the Queensland construction industry is more than twice the national average for men. This means a construction worker is up to six times more likely to die from suicide than from an accident at work. Since its launch in October 2008 more than 10,000 workers have participated in the program s General Awareness Training, 1,000 are functioning as Connectors and 100 workers have been trained as Suicide First Aid workers. The program has case managed more than 1,200 clients over the same period and on average intervenes in workers suicidal thoughts once or twice per week. The real number of interventions is impossible to estimate as the local network on sites help workers every single day without this necessarily coming to the attention of the program. The strength of the program is that it builds lasting capacity within the community assisting workers on site helping each other. Evaluation of the MIC program has shown that the program has a high social validity within the industry and it is clear that the program has a major impact on attitudes to mental health and wellbeing on sites. During General Awareness Training (the base level training within the program) up to 5 per cent of participating workers request follow up calls and help from the program while between 20 and 30 per cent volunteer to participate in Connector training A mate who can keep you safe while connecting you to help as they see they can play a positive role in looking after their mates through the program. The idea of MATES in Construction is as basic as MATES helping MATES. The program has been awarded the prestigious national LIFE Award in 2009, 2010 and 2011 as well as high commendation at the Premiers Mental Health Week Achievement Awards in It is universally supported within the industry receiving support and donations from Unions, Employer Associations, Employers and workers. The program has been supported by Queensland Health since its early inception but the comprehensive support from the industry has allowed private fund raising at the rate of 4 industry dollars per government dollar adding to the value of the program. PAGE 7

8 To boost this important program, a re elected Bligh Government will provide a grant of $500,000 over the next four years to MATES in Construction. This will help fund an extra MIC field officer, resulting in up to 3,000 extra workers getting offers of help each year. Research also shows building and construction workers are at risk of preventable diseases. A recent lifestyle survey of 1,000 local construction workers revealed more than two thirds of construction workers are overweight or obese, with over one third having blood pressure considered at risk. The survey also showed 34 per cent of Queensland construction workers are current smokers and 64 per cent are consuming a risky level of alcohol. To help combat this, a re elected Bligh Government will provide a $500,000 grant over four years to promote and expand the Bussta Gut Challenge. Run by the building industry superannuation fund BUSSQ, the Busta Gut Challenge provides health promotion seminars site by site for construction workers. It delivers personalised programs to support weight loss and health improvement, including health assessments, regular weigh ins and information and advice. ACTION Support the expansion of the MATES in Construction initiative with a grant of $500,000 over four years to conduct more Life Skills Toolbox Talks each year. Support the expansion of the Bussta Gut Challenge with a $500,000 grant over four years. PAGE 8

9 For further information: For further information about this or any other of Anna Bligh s policies: info@qld.alp.org.au Authorised and printed by A Chisholm 16 Peel Street South Brisbane 4101 PAGE 9