 CPHCE Annual Forum
18 August 2009, UNSW
Attended by Libby Kalucy, PHC RIS
The Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity holds an annual forum as an occasion for reflection on the past year and for accountability to its numerous collaborators. This organisation is notable for its long term research relationships with diverse partners in NSW and elsewhere. The Centre has 49 staff, 37 FTE who have conducted more than 40 projects and produced more than 50 publications despite the challenges of being a widespread large organisation spread over three locations, and needing to be responsive and nimble in changing times.
The Forum provided an opportunity to hear more about the three major research streams: early childhood and equity; health impact assessment; and chronic disease management as well as a stimulating panel session on reform in primary health care.
A highlight of the Forum was a wonderful Ian Webster Health for All Oration in which Dr Alex Wodak spoke on the topic of Inequality and illicit drug use. He emphasised that inequality is the start and consequence of drug use and that racism is the twin to inequality. High inequality is linked to high drug use, mental illness, low educational achievement and high incarceration rates.
The widespread belief that addiction is brain disease is an example of biological reductionism, where drugs are seen as a mental health and moral problem rather than a bio psycho social problem. The futile ‘war on drugs’ has failed - it has increased production, consumption, range of drugs used, availability, purity and adverse consequences, and decreased the price of illicit drugs. Dr Wodak called for illicit drugs to be redefined as primarily a health and social problem, and for health and social funding to be increased to deal with the problem.
Dr Alex Wodak’s Forum presentations are available at
<http://notes.med.unsw.edu.au/CPHCEWeb.nsf/page/News+and+Events>
 Stars in Our Backyard
The Country Primary Health Care Conference
2 - 4 June 2009
Attended by Miriam Keane, Discipline of General Practice, Flinders University
The Country Primary Health Care Conference: Stars in Our Backyard, was held in Renmark in June. The theme of the conference, We’re all in this together: building stronger communities, was present throughout the plenary and paper sessions and in the general feeling of camaraderie that the conference radiated.
The pre-conference workshop Evaluating community partnerships and increases in their capacities with Peter Kenyon from the Bank of I.D.E.A.S (Initiatives for the Development of Enterprising Actions & Strategies), was well received by all. One of the key messages of this workshop was the advantages of sharing information and utilising all available resources. As such, all of the ideas presented are available free at <www.bankofideas.com.au>.
The conference program included several high quality plenary sessions in the mornings, of which the crowd favourite was undoubtedly Gavin Wanganeen discussing his experiences in engaging youth in making healthy lifestyle choices.
The concurrent paper sessions gave a good insight into the projects and programs that are being carried out in country areas across Australia. They were particularly useful for practitioners and program organisers to learn how other groups of people in similar areas to themselves are tackling the great diversity of challenges that are present in providing primary care in rural communities.
Delegates were also encouraged to participate in ‘come and try’ sessions. These sessions incorporated activities such as African drumming and clowning, as well as expeditions to local sites of interest. They proved to be extremely popular with participants, allowing us to meet and network with colleagues in a relaxed environment. They also enabled us to unlock the creative side of ourselves and consider how we could use that in our work and re-energised us for the afternoon sessions.
The Conference was wrapped up in a Q&A session with several of the keynote speakers and other representatives of research, government and service provision. This session provided good discussion and left delegates talking and networking throughout the closing afternoon tea.
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