Health and wellbeing

The Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2021-2025 (MPHWP) identifies Council’s health priorities for the Shire over the next four years.  Each priority area has several strategies, and we will work with agencies and local groups to prevent or reduce public health issues and support our community to be healthy and well.

The four priority areas in the MPWHP are.

1. Tackling climate change and its impact on health – resilient and safe communities that are adapting to the public health impacts of climate change.
2. Increasing healthy eating – access to nutritious food and water for everyone, especially the most vulnerable.  People are supported to make healthy lifestyle choices through collaborative people and place-based approaches.
3. Improving mental wellbeing – Hepburn Shire’s diverse communities are celebrated, included and respected.  Social connections are strengthened through participation in community groups, clubs, arts, culture, nature and physical activity.  Everyone can access mental health services, housing, learning and employment.
4. Preventing all forms of violence – Everyone is able to live free from all forms of violence.  Prevention efforts focus on gender equity, while responding to the needs of our diverse population.

Being healthy and well is not just the absence of disease, it is the result of a combination of physical, social, mental, emotional and spiritual factors that influence a person’s ability to live a happy and meaningful life.  A holistic view of health and wellbeing is taken throughout the MPHWP, acknowledging the following priority groups:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
• People with disability
• Young people
• Early years and children
• Older people
• LGBTIQA+ community
• Culturally and linguistically diverse

Additionally, a gender equity and co-benefits lens was taken to all MPHWP priority areas, strategies and actions.

The MPHWP is on page 57 of the Council Plan and Community Vision(PDF, 4MB).