The Community Policing Board Mackay, in partnership with Queensland Police, launched an educational initiative ‘Anger Rage Regret’ on Tuesday 20 December 2022 in an effort to prevent and reduce assaults, and the associated health impacts, in the Mackay region.

Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) is a funder of the initiative, with NQPHN Executive Director Health System Integration and Innovation Karin Barron, Senior Contracts Performance Officer - MHAOD Dana Triffett, and Senior Contracts Performance Officer - NQ Health Priorities Madonna McLeod attending the official launch to support this important community initiative.

The initiative is designed to evoke thought and start the conversation about the tough topic of how to respond when we’re overcome by the emotion of anger - with the effect of reducing and preventing assault and the related health impacts in the community.

Anger Rage Regret education resources can be delivered by QPS Crime Prevention Officers or other community agencies in workplaces, community groups, and other interested sectors.

To learn more, visit https://www.angerrageregret.com.au

The evening was attended by representatives from THHS, Charters Towers Regional Council, and Charters Towers healthcare providers and community members commemorating the momentous milestone.

The focus of the virtual symposium was the ABC of Health Literacy—how people understand information about health and health care and how they act on it. The event highlighted the need for health professionals to support consumers to build their health literacy, with keynote speakers providing practical solutions and insights.

Professor Donald Nutbeam outlined the fundamental relationship between participation in education, literacy, and health outcomes, with individuals with lower levels of literacy being generally less responsive to health education, less likely to use disease prevention services and medicines as intended, and less likely to successfully manage chronic disease. By reviewing how we communicate health advice and information, Professor Nutbeam shared that it is possible to improve health literacy and health outcomes of the community.

Professor Nutbeam proposed improving health literacy by: 

• using simplified text and pictures in written communication (plain language) 
• applying shared decision-making techniques  
• helping people to learn (teach-back methodologies)  
• reducing barriers in accessing health services.

Behavioural Scientist Doctor Julie Ayre from the Sydney Health Literacy Lab introduced healthcare professionals to The SHeLL Editor, a free tool designed to support practitioners to provide better care to patients with unmet general literacy and health literacy needs.

Writing in plain language doesn’t come naturally for most of us, with Doctor Ayre reporting that an examination of COVID-19 public information materials showed an average reading level of year 12. However, she suggested we need to be working towards providing information and materials at a year eight reading level to meet the needs of health consumers. 

The SHeLL Editor was created to support healthcare providers with producing materials that reflect and meet the needs of the average reading level of the population by assessing and modifying text to an appropriate reading level.

The Editor provides prompts on the language used in the text analysed, providing objective and immediate feedback regarding the grade score reading level, readability, complexity, and the use of passive voice. The Editor providers users with suggestions on how to simplify text, using the CDC Health Thesaurus to offer simpler medical terms. The scope of use for the Editor includes patient education materials, signs, and posters for use in primary care clinics, social media content, and any other information or health advice produced for consumers.

The SHeLL Editor is free to access, with a tutorial available the first time the Editor is launched. 

To learn more or access The SHeLL Editor, visit https://sydneyhealthliteracylab.org.au/the-shell-editor/

Facilitated by Queensland Health and attended by representatives from across the Queensland health sector, the senate meeting saw discussion on how to look at healthcare differently and explored how healthcare can be better delivered to communities into the future.

The key themes investigated during the senate meeting included funding, workforce, infrastructure, sustainability, health system performance during COVID, continuity of care, keeping the patient at the centre of care, GP and primary care provider engagement, and better integration with Hospital and Health Services (HHSs).

Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) Executive Director Health System Integration and Innovation Karin Barron attended on behalf of NQPHN.

“Attending the senate meetings allows NQPHN to work with the sector and explore how NQPHN can better support primary healthcare providers into the future” said Karin.

The Queensland Clinical Senate represents clinicians from across the health system and provides strategic advice and leadership on system-wide issues affecting the quality, affordability, and efficient delivery of patient care within Queensland.

More information about the Queensland Clinical Senate can be found online here.