NSW HIA Project
About the the NSW Health Impact Assessment Project
The NSW Health and Equity Statement recommended that processes should be developed for undertaking rapid health impact appraisals and comprehensive health impact assessment. These form a set of strategies to ensure that proposed government policies, programs and projects improve health and address health inequalities.
The Centre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation (CHETRE) was successful in winning the tender to manage Phase 3 of the NSW Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Project, 2005-2007. Phase 3 will build on Phases 1 and 2 with a view to:
integrating HIA into the NSW health system as a tool to improve internal planning and decision-making, and as a way to engage external partners on initiatives which influence health outcomes.
Specifically, Phase 3 will be about:
- Leading and facilitating opportunities for debate and learning about HIA that can add value to the health system;
- Embedding the capacity of the health system to undertake HIA;
- Identifying and fostering key stakeholders within the health system to provide leadership and to embed HIA into current planning and decision making processes;
- Developing and maintaining up to date and relevant resources to support the impact and sustainability of the NSW HIA Project; and
- Facilitating intersectoral collaboration with external partners regarding HIA.
Phase 3 will build on the 'learning by doing' approach developed in Phase 2 where five sites were established to undertake HIA in NSW. We are hoping to establish up to 16 more HIA sites over the three-year project (8 in 2005/2006 and 8 in 2006/2007).
Other activities include:
- development a one day workshop for senior managers (to be held twice a year);
- development of a Masters level unit on HIA (to be piloted over two years);
- further development of the five-day training program for the developmental HIA sites and other stakeholders (eg. local government);
- ongoing development of resources as part of the training program;
- a special edition of the NSW Public Health Bulletin on HIA;
- a manual on HIA in NSW; and
- a colloquium on HIA in NSW to be held in late 2005.
Related ReferencesHarris P, Harris E, Harris-Roxas B, Kemp L. Healthy Urban Planning: Recommendations from the New South Wales Health Impact Assessment Project, Centre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation (CHETRE): Sydney, 2006. (Download PDF 78 KB) Harris P, Harris-Roxas B, Kemp L, Harris E. Learning by Doing: HIA within a capacity building framework, International Heath Impact Assessment Conference: HIA - Making the Difference; Cardiff, Wales, 5-6 April 2006. Download Powerpoint Presentation (3 Mb)
Harris-Roxas B, Neville L, Simpson S, Harris E. Learning by Doing: Building capacity to undertake health impact assessment. Australian Health Promotion Association Conference: 20/20 Vision, 20 Years from Ottawa, 20 Years from Now, March 13-16 2005; Canberra. Download Powerpoint Presentation (3.2 Mb) Harris-Roxas B. NSW HIA Project E-News, Sydney: CHETRE and NSW Health, 2003-2006. Newsletter Page Harris-Roxas B. Do weblogs have a role in promoting practitioner learning in HIA, 7th International Health Impact Assessment Conference; 5-6 April 2006; Cardiff, Wales. Download PDF (1.9 Mb) |
The project team found
that the introduction of HIA in NSW requires a structured approach,
beginning with an exploration of the feasibility of introducing HIA (Phase
1). This is being followed-up through the implementation of HIA within
NSW
Health with a focus on "learning by doing" (Phase 2).
This will be done through four main strategies:
- Build consensus on the purpose and processes for undertaking HIA
- Development of a communication strategy on the purpose of HIA and its methodology
- Undertake a limited number of HIAs to provide practical experience to inform policy development (see Illawarra Area Health Service, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Advancement and Mid North Coast Area Health Service HIAs)
- Increase the number of people within NSW Health who have knowledge and experience in undertaking HIA
Developmental Sites Case Study ReportsPrimary Health and Community Partnerships Case Study - Non Emergency Health Related Transport Policy. Download PDF (2,313 Kb)
Related ReferencesSimpson
S, Harris E, Harris-Roxas B. Health Impact Assessment: an introduction to the what, when and
how, Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 15(2): 162-167, 2004. |
In order to ensure that NSW Health had the capacity to undertake HIA, CHETRE was contracted by the NSW Centre for Health Promotion to:
- Explore the feasibility and mechanisms for the development of HIA processes in NSW
- Increase awareness in the NSW health system on the purpose and scope of HIA processes
- Identify key areas where capacity needed to be developed
This was part of the
project, known as Phase 1, which ended on 30 June 2003.
A report on the outcomes of Phase 1, developed in
consultation with key stakeholders in
NSW Health, has now been submitted
to the Department. The focus of the consultations was on the reviewing
Phase 1 and the developing an approach for the next step, Phase 2.
The HIA Project team will also be presenting the outcomes of
Phase 1 to different areas within the Department (e.g. Environmental
Health Branch colloquia) and to a range of
NSW Health forums (e.g.
Directors of Public Health) over the coming months to raise awareness of
the project and to seek input to Phase 2.
Related ReferencesHarris E, Simpson S. New South Wales
Health Impact Assessment Project: phase 1 report, Sydney: CHETRE,
2003. Download PDF
(Report) |
Publications
Publications related to the NSW HIA Project
Contacts
Contact the NSW HIA Project team.
Other Australian Initiatives
Information on the development of health impact assessment in other states.
Home > NSW HIA Project
