Healthy Canberra: Local Community Embraces Preventive Health Plan

Canberra is in the final stretch of its most ambitious preventive health push to date. The 'Healthy Canberra: ACT Preventive Health Plan 2020-2025' is tackling the fact that nearly half of all Canberrans live with one or more chronic diseases, including mental health conditions, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, despite the ACT having the highest life expectancy in the country.

A Roadmap for Prevention

The plan, now in its second three-year action period covering 2023 to 2025, focuses on five priority areas: supporting children and families, enabling active living, increasing healthy eating, reducing risky behaviours, and promoting healthy ageing. The current action plan emphasises equity, a life-course approach, evidence-based practice, and innovation to address modifiable risk factors like tobacco use and obesity.

For residents seeking individual guidance, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) publishes the 'Guidelines for preventive activities in general practice', widely known as the Red Book. It is used as the main preventive-care reference in Australian general practice and is a key resource for GPs at clinics across Canberra.

Free Services Making a Difference

Canberrans can access free preventive health services through five Walk-in Centres across the ACT, including locations in Dickson and Belconnen. These centres offer medical advice without an appointment, removing common barriers to early care. Healthdirect is also available on 1800 022 222 for those who need telephone guidance before visiting a centre.

Community members are using these resources alongside local active-living infrastructure. The running and cycling trails around Lake Burley Griffin, for instance, are popular for regular physical activity, while parkrun events in places like Tuggeranong draw hundreds each Saturday morning, all aligning with the plan's goal of enabling active living.

Why This Matters Now

The 2023-2025 action plan is the current driver of preventive health policy in the ACT. It continues the work that began in 2020, targeting the chronic disease burden that affects so many local families. With the plan due for renewal in 2025, now is a critical time for residents to engage with available programs and provide feedback that will shape the next phase of Canberra's preventive health strategy.

For any personal health concerns, the advice remains the same: consult a local GP or visit one of the Walk-in Centres. The Red Book may guide your doctor, but your own commitment to small, consistent changes, a regular walk along the lake, swapping a sugary drink for water, or quitting smoking, is where real prevention begins.