Health Protection core capability
Promotes and protects the public health of Victorians by monitoring notifiable diseases and responding to any disease outbreaks in order to control and minimise the risk of infection. This includes regulating the safety of food, drinking water and human environmental health hazards such as radiation, legionella and pesticides. Includes informing the community and health providers about public health risks and promoting behaviours and strategies to mitigate and avoid risk. It also includes the development of national policies, standards and strategies to promote improvements in public health generally and supports the health system to respond to national public health risks.
Critical Task Table 13: Agency roles mapped to the VPF, by critical tasks within the Health Protection core capability
Critical Task 13.1: Maintain an ongoing state of preparedness to respond to a public health emergency.
| Agency | Activity | Additional alignment to critical tasks |
|---|---|---|
| AV | Maintain an ongoing state of planning and preparedness to support a pre-hospital health response to a public health emergency. | |
| DH | Control agency for:
| 3.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5 |
| Ensure the health system can effectively respond. | ||
Implement legislation, programs and policies to minimise public health risk from (but not limited to):
| 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5 | |
| Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) responsible to support community access to appropriate health services through DH funded health care services and other primary, community and acute health services. | 13.3, 14.6, 14.8 | |
| Respond, manage and mitigate adverse health impacts and consequences in emergencies. | ||
| EPA | As a technical support agency provide advice to the control agency and support agencies on risks to the environment and public health, and the practical measures to reduce environmental and public health impacts of pollution and waste from the emergency and response activities. | 4.5, 4.6, 13.2 |
| CMAs and DEECA to provide advice and information services to recovery agencies, Councils, duty holders and community on; the environmental and public health impacts of pollution and waste, environmental clean-up methods and appropriate disposal of waste. | 4.5, 4.6, 13.2, 13.5 |
Critical Task 13.2: Identify and characterise risks and commence enhanced arrangements.
| Agency | Activity | Additional alignment to critical tasks |
|---|---|---|
| AV | Utilise control agency expertise and guidance to develop, plan and prepare for enhanced arrangements for identified risks. | |
| DH | Control agency for:
| 3.1, 13.1, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5 |
| Identify, investigate and manage outbreaks of communicable diseases. | ||
Implement legislation, programs and policies to minimise public health risk from (but not limited to):
| 13.1, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5 | |
| Reduce preventable death, illness and disability in all health emergencies and other emergencies with potential health impacts and consequences. | 13.3, 13.4, 13.5 | |
| Work closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities, Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) to enable the integrated delivery of culturally-safe, self-determined health and social services during emergencies. Work with these stakeholders to support the delivery of streamlined advice and holistic support during emergencies. | ||
| EPA | As a technical support agency in cooperation with the control agency, provide advice to the community on the harmful effects of pollution and waste and recommend actions to protect public health. | 2.1, 2.3, 13.5 |
| As a technical support agency provide advice to the control agency and support agencies on risks to the environment and public health, and the practical measures to reduce environmental and public health impacts of pollution and waste from the emergency and response activities. | 4.5, 4.6, 13.1 | |
| As a technical support agency provide expert advice to the Chief Health Officer on the risks of pollution and waste on public health, as required. | 4.5, 4.6, 13.3 | |
| CMAs and DEECA to provide advice and information services to recovery agencies, Councils, duty holders and community on; the environmental and public health impacts of pollution and waste, environmental clean-up methods and appropriate disposal of waste. | 4.5, 4.6, 13.1, 13.5 | |
| Provide a technical support agency role through approvals under the Environment Protection Act. | 4.6, 13.3 |
Critical Task 13.3: Prepare and support public and private health entities to manage and control public health risks.
| Agency | Activity | Additional alignment to critical tasks |
|---|---|---|
| AV | Collaborate with control authorities and health entities to plan for and effectively participate in the response to public health emergencies. | |
| Prepare for and collaborate with control authorities to support public and private health entities to manage and control public health risks. | ||
| DH | Control agency for:
| 3.1, 13.1, 13.2, 13.4, 13.5 |
Implement legislation, programs and policies to minimise public health risk from (but not limited to):
| 13.1, 13.2, 13.4, 13.5 | |
| Promote planning, emergency procedures, and the thunderstorm asthma and heatwave warning systems to the community, and health and emergency management sector. | 2.1, 13.5 | |
| Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) responsible to support community access to appropriate health services through DH funded health care services and other primary, community and acute health services. | 13.1, 14.6, 14.8 | |
| Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) responsible to develop and provide public health (health protection) advice to councils, other agencies and the community on a range of topics including safe drinking water, safe food, adequate washing/toilet facilities and communicable disease outbreaks. | 4.5, 13.4, 13.5 | |
| Reduce preventable death, illness and disability in all health emergencies and other emergencies with potential health impacts and consequences. | 13.2, 13.4, 13.5 | |
| EPA | As a technical support agency provide expert advice to the Chief Health Officer on the risks of pollution and waste on public health, as required. | 4.5, 4.6, 13.2 |
| Provide a technical support agency role through approvals under the Environment Protection Act. | 4.6, 13.2 | |
| Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) to develop and provide public health advice. | 4.5, 13.4, 13.5 |
Critical Task 13.4: Effectively communicate public health and clinical health management guidance to the health sector.
| Agency | Activity | Additional alignment to critical tasks |
|---|---|---|
| AV | Effectively communicate ambulance and pre-hospital clinical health management scope, guidance, and practice to the health sector. | |
| DH | Control agency for:
| 3.1, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.5 |
Implement legislation, programs and policies to minimise public health risk from (but not limited to):
| 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.5 | |
| Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) responsible to develop and provide public health (health protection) advice to councils, other agencies and the community on a range of topics including safe drinking water, safe food, adequate washing/toilet facilities and communicable disease outbreaks. | 4.5, 13.3, 13.5 | |
| Reduce preventable death, illness and disability in all health emergencies and other emergencies with potential health impacts and consequences. | 13.2, 13.3, 13.5 | |
| EPA | Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) to develop and provide public health advice. | 4.5, 13.3, 13.5 |
| ESTA | Provide clinical triage and pre-ambulance life support advice via the telephone and access to specialist referral services as required for medical emergencies. | 14.2, 14.4, 14.8 |
Critical Task 13.5: Effectively communicate the health risks, through public health promotion and prevention campaigns.
| Agency | Activity | Additional alignment to critical tasks |
|---|---|---|
| AV | Effectively communicate the pre-hospital health risks and collaborate in public health promotion and prevention campaigns. | |
| Councils | Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to DH to provide and promote advice on wellbeing in recovery. | |
| Relief Support Agency (RelSA) to DH and EPA to develop and provide public health advice. | 2.3, 2.5, 3.5 | |
| DH | Control agency for:
| 3.1, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4 |
Implement legislation, programs and policies to minimise public health risk from (but not limited to):
| 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4 | |
| Promote planning, emergency procedures, and the thunderstorm asthma and heatwave warning systems to the community, and health and emergency management sectors. | 2.1, 13.3 | |
| Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) responsible to develop and provide public health (health protection) advice to councils, other agencies and the community on a range of topics including safe drinking water, safe food, adequate washing/toilet facilities and communicable disease outbreaks. | 4.5, 13.3, 13.4 | |
| Reduce preventable death, illness and disability in all health emergencies and other emergencies with potential health impacts and consequences. | 13.2, 13.3, 13.4 | |
| EPA | As a technical support agency in cooperation with the control agency, provide advice to the community on the harmful effects of pollution and waste and recommend actions to protect public health. | 2.1, 2.3, 13.2 |
| CMAs and DEECA to provide advice and information services to recovery agencies, Councils, duty holders and community on; the environmental and public health impacts of pollution and waste, environmental clean-up methods and appropriate disposal of waste. | 4.5, 4.6, 13.1, 13.2 | |
| Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) to develop and provide public health advice. | 4.5, 13.3, 13.4 |
The department acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.