Chronic conditions: health professionals

Chronic Conditions and Prevention Unit

The Chronic Conditions and Prevention Unit works towards reducing the burden and impact of chronic conditions for Territorians.

Role

The role of the Chronic Conditions and Prevention Unit includes:

  • providing strategic advice on a range of issues, strategies and policies that relate to chronic conditions, towards improving the health of all Territorians
  • coordinating the promotion, implementation and monitoring of chronic condition and prevention strategies
  • facilitating the development of common understandings of the social determinants of health and the impact on chronic conditions
  • contributing to strategies aimed at closing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health, particularly in rural and remote communities of the NT
  • supporting the chronic conditions workforce to deliver better chronic care.

Contact

Chronic Conditions and Prevention Unit
PO Box 40596
Casuarina NT 0811

Director
Phone: 08 8985 8176

Chronic conditions prevention and management

A good life starts with good health. NT Health and key partners are commencing development of a new framework aimed at keeping all Territorians healthy and well so they can enjoy life with their family and friends. This new framework will build on the Chronic conditions prevention and management strategy 2010-2020 to better prevent and manage chronic conditions across the NT.

Chronic conditions prevention and management Strategy 2010-2020

The Chronic Conditions Prevention and Management Strategy 2010-2020 serves as a framework for building and strengthening a system-wide response to prevent and reduce the impact of chronic conditions for all people in the NT and across the continuum of care.

The NT Department of Health has worked with partners in the non-government, private and Aboriginal health sectors and consulted widely with other stakeholders to develop the strategy.

Read the Chronic Conditions Prevention and Management Strategy 2010-2020.

Eight key action areas have been identified to enable change using system approach:

  • action on social determinants of health
  • primary prevention
  • secondary prevention and early intervention
  • self-management support
  • care for people with chronic conditions
  • workforce planning and development
  • information, communication and disease management systems
  • continuous quality improvement.

The Chronic Conditions Prevention and Management Strategy 2010-2020 Implementation Plan 2017-2020 is the final triennial plan for the Strategy. The Plan is the result of collaboration between the NT Department of Health its key partners and stakeholders across health and non-health sectors. The Implementation Plan pulls together achievable actions that will contribute to reducing the burden of chronic conditions on Territorians with an emphasis on Aboriginal people living in remote areas. Health services are encouraged to use the Plan as a guide in identifying their priorities to support people who are at risk of developing chronic conditions and those who are living with chronic conditions.

In 2020, the Department of Health completed the evaluation of the Northern Territory Chronic Conditions Prevention and Management Strategy 2010 2020 to assess: the implementation and impact of Strategy as well as ways to improve the development of a future Northern Territory chronic conditions strategy.

The summary findings of the evaluation can be described as follow:

Implementation: The Strategy is an NT-wide strategy to guide health providers to improve prevention and management of chronic conditions.  Due to the lack of agreed process including lack of agreed key performance indicators, the evaluation found inconsistencies in implementing the strategy across the health sector.

Impact: The evaluation found there was some improvement in life expectancy for most population groups.  The rates of potentially preventable hospitalisations due to chronic conditions remain high, no significant changes in low birthweights and mortality rates due to chronic conditions.

Improvement:  The key proposed areas are Aboriginal leadership/ stewardship, further strengthen stakeholder engagement beyond partnership to collaboration, include consumer input and consider a Wellbeing approach. A shorter duration for the strategy ie 5 to 6 years as well as focus on small and achievable priorities.

Chronic Conditions Self-Management Framework 2012 – 2020

The NT Chronic Conditions Self-Management Framework was used in conjunction with the NT Chronic Conditions Prevention and Management Strategy.  The Framework was developed to:

  • provide guidance/assistance to health professionals to deliver evidence based self-management support
  • ensure clients are prepared and empowered to self-manage their health
  • work towards sustainable systems and practice change by policy teams and clinicians.

Contact

Chronic Conditions and Prevention Unit
PO Box 40596
Casuarina NT 0811

Director
Phone: 08 8985 8176

Publications

Key documents

Other publications

For more publications on preventable chronic disease, including strategies and frameworks, go to the Department of Health ePublications site.

Contact

Chronic Conditions and Prevention Unit
PO Box 40596
Casuarina NT 0811

Director
Phone: 08 8985 8176