THE Hazelwood Health Study team is calling on Latrobe Valley and Sale residents interested in the long-term health outcomes of the mine fire to apply for membership on its Community Advisory Committee.
Health Study investigator Professor Judi Walker said the CAC worked in partnership with local residents and stakeholders to ensure the study team was hearing directly from the community about issues of significance to the study.
“However, to ensure the team hears from a wide spread of people, CAC membership is for a fixed term and new committee members are now being sought,” Professor Walker said.
“The CAC comprises of local residents as well as representatives from health and community service providers and local government.
“Together, these committee members share a commitment to the future wellbeing of the community.
“We strongly encourage anyone who is interested in providing input into the study, and communicating its findings to the community, to apply.”
Expressions of interest are being sought from Latrobe City and Sale residents, the latter community having been selected as the comparison group for the health study’s Adult Survey.
CAC positions are non-representative and voluntary.
“2017 will be an exciting year for the Hazelwood Health Study, with findings to be released from multiple study areas including infants, school children, adults and older people,” Professor Walker said.
“This makes it really important to have a diverse and vibrant CAC membership with strong connections to the community to help us understand and communicate these findings.”
Expressions of interest can be made until Friday, 24 February with the first meeting of the updated CAC scheduled for the second week of March.
Professor Walker said the selection of the final CAC membership would be “at the discretion of the selection committee to ensure equitable membership across the committee, including gender balance”.
For more information about the study, the CAC and the call for expressions of interest, visit hazelwoodhealthstudy.org.au/about/governance/community-advisory-committee or phone 5122 7392.
