NCFH Launch

The National Centre for Farmer Health was officially launched by Premier John Brumby at Western District Health Service in Hamilton on Friday July 10.

Also in attendance were the Honourable Joe Helper (Minister for Agriculture), Mr Geoff Handbury AO (benefactor), Professor John Catford (Dean HMNBS, Deakin University) and more than 100 agricultural, health, research and community representatives.

New era for farmer health in Hamilton

The National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) is one of the most exciting initiatives in agricultural health in more than a generation - and it is based in Hamilton.

Evolving out of the Sustainable Farm Families program, NCFH has been in place since last year but will be officially opened at Hamilton Base Hospital, Western District Health Service on July 10.

Western District Health Service Chief Executive Officer, Mr Jim Fletcher says the NCFH is a partnership between Western District Health Service and Deakin University, and will provide national leadership to improve the health and well-being of farm men and women, farm workers and their families across Australia.

A conerstone of the centre has been support from the Helen and Geoff Handbury Trust and the Victorian government's Future Farming Strategy.

NCFH Director, Associate Professor Sue Brumby said that this will be achieved by bring together university research, service delivery and education and by focusing on five key-service elements: professional training and education, applied research and development, IT information hub, agri-safe programs and Sustainable Farm Families.

She says professional training and education will initiate and provide undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education for health professionals, including GPs, nurses, allied health practitioners, vets, agronomists and associated primary industry personnel.

"Applied research and development will expand the evidence base on effective interventions to improve farmer and agricultural worker's health while agri-safe programs will introduce innovative occupation health services to farm and agricultural workers," Ms Brumby said.

"Most agricultural people are aware of Sustainable Farm Families, and our work will have an emphasis on the dissemination of research results from the program," she says.

"And of course the creation of an IT information hub is vital today to increase knowledge transfer through web-based information and advisory services and professional networks."

For further information regarding the National Centre for Farmer Health please phone 55518533 or e-mail ncfh@wdhs.net