NSW Health Impact Assessment Project

Patrick Harris*, Ben Harris-Roxas*, Lynn Kemp*, Liz Harris*

Centre for Health EquityTraining, Research & Evaluation

7th International HIA conference presentation, Wales5th April 2006

‘Learning by doing’: HIA within a capacity building

framework

*Centre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation (CHETRE), School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia

chetre.med.unsw.edu.au

Where We’re From / NSW Health System

WHY WE DID THE WORK

• HIA within EIA (Historically)

• NSW Health and Equity Statement (Recently)

• Recognised need to build capacity to undertake HIA

• Ultimately to embed in policy and planning

OUR APPROACH Capacity Building Framework

chetre.med.unsw.edu.au

Organisational Development

Workforce Development

Resource Allocation

Partnerships

Leadership

• Infrastructure

• Sustainability

• ProblemSolving

Build Capacity

Source: NSW Health. A Framework fro Building Capacity to Improve health. Sydney: New South Wales Department of Health, 2001.

CCOONNTTEEXXTT

WHAT WE HAVE DONE ‘Learning by doing’

• Phase 1 & 2 - Awareness raising, exploration, early adoption.

• Phase 3 – Embedding in the ‘health’ system

• 11 sites undertaken HIA’s,

8 more late 2006

• Supported through:– Training

– Helpdesk

– Site Visits

• Communication and information dissemination– HIA E-News

– HIA Connect Website

• Strategic engagementPhotos: Ben Harris-Roxas

The First Day of Training

The Sites to date• Phase 2: (internal)

– 4 x Health proposals,1 x Planning proposal

• Phase 3: (internal and intersectoral)– 4 x Planning 2 x Health proposals– 8 next round

• ‘Learning by doing’ comments:– “Best way to learn - but time

consuming”– “It’s productive, enjoyable and

sustainable”

A HIA is being undertaken on a Major Metropolitan plan for

Sydney

HIA ‘Population Plan’ Bungendore

Photo: Ben Harris-Roxas

FINDINGS TO DATE – specific to sites

• HIA as intersectoral tool– but ‘health’ a problem for some

• Takes time and can be resource intensive– is complex but less so with experience– requires institutional recognition and

support

• Is highly context specific • Screening and scoping• SDOH / ‘Equity’ useful

IMPLICATIONS

• Strong on building from bottom up – e.g. Workforce devt

• Created a platform of experienced HIA teams

• Restructure (+ve and –ve)

• Questions around other levels to embed in system

• Action research

Table to embed in system

Level Organisational Development

Workforce Development

Resource Allocation

Partnerships Leadership

Macro e.g. Discuss Health Impacts (incl. HIA) in executive meetings with other agencies

e.g. Offering developmental sites places to other agencies

e.g. Providing resources for strategic HIAs

e.g. Engaging and collaboration and alliances with other

sectors

e.g. Generate leadership and uptake of particular aspects of HIA

Meso e.g. Develop organisational commitment to the adoption of HIA.

e.g. Dissemination of results from HIA devt sites

e.g. Support for sites to undertake HIAs

e.g. Engaging and collaborating with other sectors

e.g. Health Department statement of priorities for wider

engagement

Micro e.g. Developmental sites – building ability to implement HIA

e.g. Masters level course developed

e.g. Support provided for routine HIAs

e.g. Using HIA to promote/develop local partnerships

e.g. Showcasing and recognition of work on HIA

THE FUTURE FOR US

• Manual and MPH course

• Next round (community participation and policy proposals)

• Get away from CHETRE as HIA experts

• HIA practitioner network

• Collaboration– International research– 2007 conference

THANK YOU

Photo: Ben Harris-Roxas

More Information

HIA Connecthttp://chetre.med.unsw.edu.au/hia

chetre.med.unsw.edu.au