The future of the Hazelwood Health Study: Years 6 to 7

The Project Management Group would like to thank everyone who contributed to the recent extensive strategic overview of the Hazelwood Health Study. Late last year, the Minister for Health requested that we expand the Revised Project Plan due in July 2019 to undertake this review and advise the Department of Health and Human Services on what the overall study findings mean for the health of the Latrobe Valley community and the future scope of the study for years 6 to 10.

An Implementation Strategy was developed to describe the underlying principles, the process and the timeline for delivery including an extensive consultation process with key groups and stakeholders including our Community Advisory Committee, Clinical Reference Group and Scientific Committee. It culminated with a Community Engagement Session in Morwell facilitated by the Chair of the Latrobe Health Assembly with commentary by the Latrobe Health Advocate.

The HHS strategic overview, including a summary of what the findings from years 1 – 5 mean for the community, lessons learned relevant to future planning, and the revised project plan for years 6 – 10” was submitted to DHHS on 5 June 2019. In September, on advice from the Chief Health Officer, a refined Project Plan focussed on Years 6 & 7 and that meets the original contractual budgetary framework, was accepted.

This plan includes greater cross-stream collaboration and some adjustments from the project plan described in our original tender. We’re keen now to move on to this new phase of the Hazelwood Health Study.

The Year 6 & 7 project plan can be found here