PCP Integrated Health Promotion - Case study
Details of PCP contact
Name of PCP
South Coast Primary Care Partnership
Contact Person
Vicki Bradley
Position/Title
Manager Health Promotion.
Phone No.
5674 0900
Email Address
hp@southcoastpcp.org.au
Identified Partners
Partner Organisation
Roles and responsibilities
with regard to the project
Contact person details
Bass Coast Community
Health Service
Lead agency and auspice
Carly Davis, Health
Promotion Worker (author)
Case Study Title
Bass Coast Community Health Service Planned Activity
Group (PAG) Garden
(name, position)
Summary/Abstract (200 words)
The Planned Activity Group Garden was established as a result of feedback from members
of Bass Coast Community Health Service’s (BCCHS) Planned Activity Group (PAG) via the
Modified Landcare for Older People Project and the Spring Planting Activities Project.
The goal of the garden is to improve access to fresh produce and to improve the nutritional
status of the members of BCCHS’s PAG. The project began in October 2009, with the use of
funding from BCCHS’s Healthy Lifestyles in Bass Coast Project and donations from local
businesses. Since this date, construction and planting of the garden has taken place, with
produce being tended to and harvested by PAG members, volunteers and staff. The
intention is any excess produce that is grown, is to be utilised by the Community Kitchen
run from BCCHS’s San Remo site. Early indications suggest that there has been an
improvement in the members’ confidence in undertaking physical tasks; increased access to
healthy foods; an increase in gardening in their own homes; with an increase in growing of
fruits and vegetables at home.
Background
Name of Project
Priority goal
Bass Coast Community Health Service Planned Activity
Group Garden
To improve the members of Bass Coast Community Health
Service’s Planned Activity Group access to fresh produce and
to improve their nutritional status.
To increase the growing, preparation and consumption of
healthy food by members of the Planned Activity Group.
Priority issue(s)
The target group is often seen as being disadvantaged in the
community. Some issues include social isolation, chronic
illness, financial disadvantage, loss of independence and for
some a loss of partner.
South Coast Primary Care Partnership - PCP Integrated Health Promotion Case Study Sept 2010
BCCHS Community Garden (Access to Healthy and Affordable Food)
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Target group
DH IHP expectations
2009-12
Bass Coast Community Health Service’s Planned Activity
Group
IHP Program Logic expectation(s) 2009-12 this piece of work
relates to:
· Implement integrated health promotion programs that
address the health and wellbeing issues of significance to
consumers and the broader catchment population, are
implemented based on the model of the social determinants
of health and consistent with the Integrated Health
Promotion kit.
· Integrated health promotion practice engages with hard to
reach population groups and vulnerable communities.
· Social equity principles are embedded, particularly equity
of access, into all levels of engagement from strategic policy
to implementation and evaluation.
· Evaluation capacity building embedded into integrated
health promotion practice at all levels.
· Focus effort on the chosen statewide health promotion
priority – Access to Healthy Food.
· Implement improved integrated health promotion
performance measures including annual provision of case
studies for dissemination through the PCP web site.
· Demonstrate use of evidenced based interventions –
Community Gardens.
· Embed evaluation practice with the planning and
implementation of health promotion. Evaluation capacity
building provided to this partnership for future planning and
evaluation.
· Use a continuous quality improvement approach to the
integrated health promotion plan with routine evaluation of
interventions as above.
Background
How the project was selected as an activity to be
pursued by your partnership.
The garden was established based on feedback from the
members of the PAG. PAG members were previously
involved in projects including Modified Landcare for Older
People Project and the Spring Planting Activities Project.
Comments regarding these activities included “We wish
these activities were ongoing because I can’t do this at
home”,”I haven’t gardened for years” and “It’s great doing
this activity together and being able to get our hands dirty”
Project management and governance arrangements.
The project is managed by the Health Promotion Worker and
the PAG Coordinator. Feedback is sought from PAG staff and
volunteers. Discussions surrounding the garden take place at
PAG staff meetings held monthly.
The Health Promotion Worker (HPW) consulted with the PAG
Co-ordinator, PAG members and staff, the Community Team
Co-ordinator, Healthy Lifestyles Project Worker through the
Allied Health Team Co-ordinator, Dietitian and Healthy
Lifestyles Project Co-ordinator.
The Project Team met monthly and was made up of
representatives from the stakeholder groups.
South Coast Primary Care Partnership - PCP Integrated Health Promotion Case Study Sept 2010
BCCHS Community Garden (Access to Healthy and Affordable Food)
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As of May 2010, the Healthy Lifestyles in Bass Coast Project
has finished therefore the many of the above workers are no
longer involved in the PAG garden.
Sources of evidence used to inform the decision.
-
It has been found that 9.4% of adults living in the
Bass Coast area have experienced food insecurity
(Community Indicators Victoria Survey, 2007)
-
The NHMRC recommend that adults consume 2-4
servings of fruit a day and 4-8 servings of vegetables
a day. Data from a National Health Survey suggest
that the majority of those over the age of 65
surveyed eat only one or two serves of fruit (both
male and female) and 3 serves of vegetables
(National Health Survey: Summary of results 20072008, ABS)
-
The cost of fruits and vegetables increase according
to the level of remoteness (NSW Healthy Food Basket
Coast, Availability and Quality Survey, 2007)
Post project evaluation of the Landcare for Older People
Project where participants stated - "It’s great to be able to
see what we have achieved", "great to see jars filled with
seeds", "the interest of doing something different".
Notable data from the outcome evaluation of the Landcare
for Older People Project
30% decrease in poor health rating
46% increase in physical exercise
3% increase in excellent health rating
The project.
The PAG Garden is located in the grounds of the BCCHS San
Remo site. The project involves PAG members, health
service staff and volunteers. PAG staff are HACC funded,
HPW is Department of Health funded.
Two raised garden beds were funded through the Healthy
Lifestyles in Bass Coast Project, which was funded through
the Department of Health and Ageing. Donations of
vegetable seedlings and other garden supplies were sought
from local traders.
Members are encouraged to tend to the garden on each
visit; to harvest any produce for utilisation in meals for the
group; and to take home any remaining produce.
A volunteer has been employed to assist in maintaining the
garden.
It is planned that excess produce from the garden can be
used by the San Remo Community Kitchen.
How the project links and aligns with the PCP’s
strategic plan and any catchment-wide strategic
priorities
The South Coast Health Promotion Catchment Plan (SCPCP)
South Coast Primary Care Partnership - PCP Integrated Health Promotion Case Study Sept 2010
BCCHS Community Garden (Access to Healthy and Affordable Food)
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describes shared goals, objectives and strategies of plan
partners including the BCCHS. The BCCHS PAG Gardens
Project is one of four gardens in the South Coast catchment.
They link to the SCPCP strategic plan via the Health
Promotion Access to Healthy and Affordable Food priority
area; objective to increase the growing, preparation and
consumption of food by sectors of the community identified
as having greatest needs. Each community garden within
the catchment slightly different target groups depending on
the local community.
Objectives
1. Improve the PAG members’ level of fruit and
vegetable consumption
2. Through the garden, provide a source of fresh fruit
and vegetables for cooking and nutrition activities
Project participants
BCCHS – Community Team including the HPW, PAG Coordinator and staff, Community Team
Cooordinator; Healthy Lifestyles in Bass Coast Project Worker; Allied Health Team staff
including Dietitian and Occupational Therapists; volunteers.
PAG members
Methodology and approach
Key project activities.
Planning for the garden commenced in October 2009. As a result of this planning two raised
garden beds were established to enable members to sit whilst working in the garden.
Donations of vegetable seedlings and other garden supplies were sought from local traders.
The PAG Coordinator and staff liaised with the ‘Healthy Lifestyles in the Bass Coast Project’
Team to link PAG members in to the ‘Healthy Lifestyles in the Bass Coast Project’ nutrition
activities.
PAG members have been encouraged to be involved in preparing nutritious meals utilising
garden produce and being actively involved in tending to and harvesting the garden.
Vegetables that are planted have been seasonal, with an aim to produce vegetables year
round.
Throughout the year, activities involving the use of the garden were undertaken. Such
activities have included spring planting; a BCCHS Dietitian presentation to the group about
healthy eating and cooking for one or two. Any excess produce from the garden will be able
to be utilised by the San Remo Community Kitchen.
Resources such as evaluation tools, planning tools or other resources.
A project brief was completed by the Healthy Lifestyles in Bass Coast Project Worker; the
HPW completed a plan on QIPPS.
The HPW developed a pre and post evaluation tool.
The workers, volunteers and group members have also had access to a Stephanie Alexander
Kitchen Garden book.
Monitoring or continuous quality improvement strategies employed.
Ongoing monitoring of the garden through PAG staff and HPW.
South Coast Primary Care Partnership - PCP Integrated Health Promotion Case Study Sept 2010
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The evaluation tool developed by the HPW is in the process of being validated by the SCPCP.
How the project was integrated with other areas of PCP activity
BCCHS allied health staff have been involved in meetings that discuss the garden, and have
suggested tools to utilise that may make working in the garden easier for members.
Produce from garden is also available to Community Kitchen members and BCCHS staff.
Communication strategies such as the use of minutes, reports, meetings, media – local
newsletters, newspapers, local radio, flyers advertising activities and events, brochures,
word of mouth in local community were employed.
Results
Impacts and outcomes
Two garden beds have been constructed and planted. Group
members have been regularly tending to and harvesting from
the garden. PAG staff have recently been completing a journal
of when and what produce was harvested and how that
produce was utilised by the groups or individuals within the
groups.
There has been evidence that there is increased skills and
knowledge of gardening in local environment, increased
consumption of fruit and vegetables and increased confidence
undertaking physical tasks.
See below for a selection of responses from evaluation.
Evaluation responses
BCCHS PAG garden.doc
Status and
sustainability
Currently the garden is being utilised, with the majority of
produce at harvesting stage. PAG members are being
encouraged to go outside and pick produce when they come
into the centre for use in morning teas and lunches and to also
take home.
It is planned that the groups will undertake some spring
planting, which will involve the groups visiting the Barb Martin
Bush Bank to undertake some native planting followed by
planting of seedlings such as tomatoes.
On an ongoing basis, the HPW is in conversation with PAG
workers and volunteers. The HPW is to be in contact with
group members to incorporate the members in planning what
they would like to grow, via a possible focus group session
with the members and staff.
Evaluation will take place again in November/December 2010.
Conclusions
South Coast Primary Care Partnership - PCP Integrated Health Promotion Case Study Sept 2010
BCCHS Community Garden (Access to Healthy and Affordable Food)
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Key success factors.
-
The involvement of a volunteer to assist in the upkeep of the garden.
The initial impacts highlighted by post evaluations
Produce being harvested and utilised in meals for the PAG
Key challenges.
Securing funding and donations for the construction and planting of the garden.
Limitations of the project.
The garden is currently only being used by specific members or groups of the community
and not all. The garden is small and the volume produced is small.
Due to the age range of members, it may be possible that group members had difficulties in
completing the evaluation, which may have impacted results.
Small group numbers have resulted in data that cannot be said to be statistically significant,
none the less; it seems early indications suggest there has been a positive impact of the
garden.
How activities and improvements will be sustained.
Ongoing communication and development by the HPW and PAG Coordinator will ensure that
the garden is maintained. Funding sources will be researched for the possibly expansion of
the garden, with the possibility of including more members of the community.
Relevance of your findings to other areas of PCPs activity.
Learnings from PAG Garden can be translated to other small scale community gardens being
implemented in the health promotion plan in other areas of the catchment.
Future directions.
The HPW will continue to help plan and evaluate the garden alongside the PAG Coordinators
and staff.
References (optional)
Replace the text here with your response.
List any key references used in the case study, using the Harvard system of referencing. If
you are planning to present your case study at a conference, this section can be structured
to meet the conference requirements.
South Coast Primary Care Partnership - PCP Integrated Health Promotion Case Study Sept 2010
BCCHS Community Garden (Access to Healthy and Affordable Food)
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