History of the Southland HEHA Programme

A successful Southland proposal developed for the District Health Board/Public Health Organisation Healthy Eating Healthy Action (HEHA) innovation fund gave rise to establishing a team of health professionals to manage and implement a 30 month programme in Southland.

The initial concept for the health promotion programme was developed from findings or consultation related to:

  • Southland Health Profile
  • Southland District Health Board (SDHB) District Strategic Plan
  • Southland Public Health Organisation (PHO) public consultation

 

2005 - 2006

  • Initial concept developed by Southland District Health Board
  • Consultation with health and social service agencies resulted in concept being modified
  • Engagement with Sport Southland
  • Final proposal approved and supported by PHOs, submitted to Ministry of Health and approved Dec 2005
  • Development of service specification

 

2006 - 2007

  • Dietitian and Physical Activity Advisor employed and Southland HEHA Programme sets up office at SBS Sports House in Stadium Southland, Invercargill.
  • Worforce Development Programme developed, implemented, evaluated
  • Healthy Lifestyle Programme called "Healthy Me & You" developed and piloted

 

2008

  • Liase with health and social service agencies to get participants referred into 'Healthy Me & You'
  • "Healthy Me & You" delivered February to April in Invercargill, Ohai, and Queenstown.
  • "Healthy Me & You" delivered May to July in Invercargill and Mataura.
  • "Healthy Me & You delivered August to October in Riverton and Invercargill.
  • "Healthy Me & You" delivered in October to December in Otautau, Queenstown and Invercargill.
  • HEHA Programme team presented at Aotearoa New Zealand Evaluation Association Conference in Rotorua, July 2008.

 

2009

  • Delivering condensed version of "Healthy Me & You" around Southland
  • Holding reunion sessions for precious participants of Healthy Me & You
  • Continuing evaluation of programme via interviews and measurements at 6 month timepoint
  • HEHA Programme team presented at Agencies For Nutrition Action Conference in Wellington, May 2009
    Commencement of data cleaning and associated analysis
  • Initial findings are expected in late 2009 / early 2010

 

"Healthy Me and You" has a strong evaluation component incorporated into both the design and delivery of the programme. As such, the team has been supported by both the Human Nutrition, and Social and Preventive Medicine Departments at the University of Otago where the Project Manager, Leanne Liggett is a doctoral student.   Preliminary evaluation results are expected in late 2009 and if the programme is found to be effective it is hoped that further funding will be sourced to continue the programme locally.