Health committee election time

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 294, 11 July 1989, Page 6 (Supplement)

Health committee election time

This article on how Community Health Watch Committees work is submitted for publication from David H Lord, Manager Service Development & Quality Assurance, Wanganui Area health Board.

Now that they are here, Area Health Boards have to find some way of keeping in touch with public opinion. What's more, if they are to get into the act of promoting health as well as treating ill health, they must find some way of infiltrating the existing community systems.

In fact, health promotion involves more than just infiltrating community systems - it's more a matter of permeating the whole of society's structure. However, to help an Area Health Board function properly there

must be channels which will carry information and ideas both ways between the health board and the community. If this happens and the public become more aware of health problems, then they are

more likely to be prepared to help find a solution to those problems. Health promotion very much involves people looking after their own health and the health of those around them. Obviously the Wanganui Area Health Board cannot set up a public relations office or a health promotions office in every community in the region. Even if it did, most people would just walk right past the door without even looking in. Own health It is an unfortunate fact that too many of us don't want to think about our health in a serious manner unless we are in need of treatment. What the Area Health Board has dome has been to set up Community Health Watch Committees throughout the area. A Community Health Watch Committee looks at the health services that are provided in its comrhunity and what the needs in relation to health services are. If these needs can't be met

locally, then it recommends to the Area Health Board ways in which these can be met. Because of their interest in health issues in their own community, committees try to promote health by getting the local people to participate in various community health promotional activities. Obviously there are any number of voluntary groups and in some cases, business groups, that are akeady involved in promoting health and in some cases in treating ill health. Committees are able to promote these organisations as far as it is appropriate for them to do so. One of the com-

plaints often heard from community groups of various sorts is that they don't have an appropriate channel through which to reach their local bodies. Community Health Watch Committees provide a liaison between community groups that work in the health field and the Wanganui Area Health Board. Their closeness to the local scene also means that these committees can help the Board in gathering information about local needs and conditions and the like. The first Community Health Watch Committees were set up by the Area Health Board in 1986. This was done as a response to communities expressing an interest in having one of these committees. Those appointed

to these committees had a three year term of office. Re-election It is time now to hold another round of public meetings so that people can be nominated for appointment for the next three years. These people will have to be really interested in their local community and in health issues related to that community. The appointments are for three years from the time of the public meeting. The committee can nominate replacements for people who leave during their term of office. If they feel that they want extra representation for some particular expertise or to represent a particular group, then they can make a recommendation to this effect to the Area Health Board. Community groups It should be noted that the Committee works in its own community with people who are already there to try and promote health. This may well mean involvement with a local service organisation in promoting some aspect of health. The Committee might want to be involved with local organisa-

tions in promoting a smoke-free day in the area, for example. There are lots of other areas that are health related but are not strictly health issues. Things like having firewood for winter and having the garden looked after can be important for the overalt health of older people. In many communities these services are already available, but where this is not so the Community Health Watch Committee could well take an interest. The Committee is not to be expected to operate such a service, its place is more to find someone to organise it. There is no doubt about it, if we want to live our lives to the full and really enjoy them, we have to do something about looking after our own health. If we don't want our taxes to escalate all the time, then we've got to do something about reducing the amount spent on health treatment services too. Community Health Watch Committees can make a positive contribution in these areas. They've got real potential if communities will get right behind them and if they will choose the very best people to serve on them.