Alyssa Fritzlaff
THE Latrobe Health Advocate’s quarterly update has identified Latrobe’s top health aspirations.
Jane Anderson released the update last week.
It contained information collected from October to December 2021.
The top aspirations identified by Latrobe Communities during this period were Health Equity and Access to Services.
People reported that not everyone has the ability to access vaccinations within
government timelines and delivery settings, particularly people who have experienced
trauma or are living with mental illness.
Healthy lifestyles was also among the top aspirations.
In the LGBTIQ community, Social Inclusion was an aspiration. Ms Anderson heard about a new program targeted at LGBTIQ people in Latrobe.
The program is focused on adolescents but is open to all people.
During this quarter, COVID-19 had hit a peak in the Latrobe Valley.
At the same time, 95 per cent of eligible people in Latrobe were recorded as being double vaccinated.
The Advocate heard from people who wanted to know how to comply with COVID-19 rules.
Some reported struggling with “what appeared to be inconsistency and the unreliable frequency of information that relates to them.”
“A key element of my role is to elevate the voice of communities and enable systems
change that leads to improved health and wellbeing of Latrobe communities,” Ms Anderson said.
“In this report I am sharing people’s experiences which provide great insights into
what is concerning them and what solutions they can see that will support people in
Latrobe to experience better health and wellbeing.”
In the update, Ms Anderson mentioned her submission at a panel hearing about the
proposed Delburn Wind Farm.
In her submission she said she had consistently put forward the view that governments and industry need to involve communities in the design and decision making processes.
The Advocate also shared her concerns when meeting Chief Environmental Scientist, Mark Taylor and staff at the Environmental Protecting Authority during the quarter.
