Marathon Health wins the 2022 Primary Healthcare Award for Promoting Healthy Living

A program to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has won the 2022 Murrumbidgee Primary Healthcare Award for Promoting Healthy Living.

The Integrated Team Care program is delivered by Marathon Health and supported 270 indigenous people and delivered 5,362 occasions of service improving access to health services and information in a bid to improve and support self-management and health literacy and reduce unplanned hospital admissions.

MPHN Board Chair Dr Jodi Culbert congratulated Marathon Health on winning the award.

“The Promoting Healthy Living award recognises projects that encourage healthy behaviours in all areas of life, such as school, the workplace and at home,” Dr Culbert said.

“This year we had a very worthy winner in the Marathon Health ITC program providing wonderful outcomes to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the Murrumbidgee region.

Marathon Health Care Coordinator and Indigenous Project Officer Karen Ingram said she was thrilled the program has been recognised with this award.

“We thank MPHN for recognising the efforts of the entire ITC team and the work we are doing for people in what is sometimes the most difficult time in a person’s life,” she said.

“The ITC program is empowering people to change their lifestyles and manage their health to reduce negative health outcomes.”

Two other nominees were recognised as finalists in this award category.

Active Ageing is a weekly exercise group for over 65s run by local accredited exercise physiologists Emily Carroll and Brodie Palmer. Active Ageing is evidence informed and targets individuals who aren't currently meeting physical activity guidelines. Through supported sessions participants are exposed to a gym environment, developing the confidence to exercise independently and form good exercise habits.

The Positive Living Skills program is a teacher led, evidence-based early prevention and intervention program for primary schools. The program offers teachers a suite of flexible lessons, resources, and professional development supporting them to teach mental health, social and emotional skills in the classroom. Teachers identified the accessibility, flexibility and organisation of the materials supported ease of implementation.