Collaborative networks

The Mitchell Institute at Victoria University works in collaboration with leading Australian health and education policy experts to deliver research and policies focused on improving health and education opportunities and outcomes, with particular attention to reducing the impacts of socioeconomic disadvantage.

We also provide independent, evidence-informed leadership relevant to the work of governments and others, to inform a systemic, effective and sustained approach to improving health and education in Australia.

Australian Health Policy Collaboration (AHPC)

The Mitchell Institute leads the Australian Health Policy Collaboration (AHPC), an initiative that brings together over 50 leading health organisations and 70 chronic disease experts to drive progress in preventing and reducing chronic disease.

We work through a nationally focused consensus-building process that brings together academics, clinicians, advocates and other experts.

We provide government, health services and professionals with clear and simple guidance on options for policy and practice strategies and initiatives to:

reduce preventable chronic conditions
improve the treatment and management of established chronic conditions.

AHPC publications

Key publications

Getting Australia's Health on Track

Getting Australia's Health on Track (2021, 2016) offers a national blueprint that includes 10 priority policy actions to significantly improve the health of Australians by 2025 to reduce preventable illness and disability. It informed:

Heart Health: The first step to getting Australia's Health on Track (2017)
Active travel: Pathways to a health future (2018)
Better data for better decisions (2018)
Self-care for health: A national policy blueprint (2020)

Australia's Health Tracker

Australia's Health Tracker is a set of national report cards tracking the health risk factors in the Australian population that contribute to preventable chronic disease.

Health Tracker by SES (2021), (2017)
Australia's Adult Health Tracker, (2019), (2016)
Australia's Children & Young People Tracker, (2019), (2016)
Australia's Gender Health Tracker (2020)
NSW Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Tracker (2020)
Oral Health Tracker (2018)
Mental and Physical Health Tracker (2018)
Australia's Health Tracker By Area: Smoking summary report (2020)
Australia's Health Tracker by Area: Alcohol Summary Report (2020)

Key foundational research

Two important publications provided a base for subsequent health research, which in turn informed several projects over the following years.

Chronic diseases in Australia: Blueprint for preventive action

Chronic Diseases in Australia: Blueprint for preventative action (2015) outlines principles, strategic priorities and action areas for improved population health in Australia.

Targets & indicators for chronic disease prevention in Australia

Targets & Indicators for Chronic Disease Prevention in Australia (2016 & 2019) proposes a set of national chronic disease targets and indicators to measure progress and enhance accountability for action.

Policy evidence briefs

Increasing research evidence translation & utilisation to improve population health outcomes 2022
Scaling, integrating and better supporting people with mental disorders to engage in employment and/or education (2022)
Improving tobacco cessation rates in priority populations (2022)
Improving mental health of young people in education (2021)
Improving Australia's Mental and Physical Health (2020)
Integrating health promotion in early childhood education and care settings (2020)
Supporting physical activity promotion in primary health care (2020)
Preventive health in primary care: scope and future development (commissioned background paper for the Primary Health Care Reform Taskforce)
Self-care and health: Learning from COVID-19 (2020)
Nutrition policy in Australia: Adopting a harm minimisation approach (2020)
Improving brain and body health. Linking dementia and chronic disease prevention (2019)
Integrating the prevention agenda for brain and body health (2019)
Sport participation and play (2019)

AHPC method

Recruit: Bring together leading experts in the field to co-chair expert working groups.
Brief: Develop briefing papers & policy options related to each priority area, co-authored by expert working group.
Convene: Convene expert working groups, made up of health professionals, consumers, academics & policy experts.
Agree: Reach consensus with each expert working group on what policy options should be the top priorities for action.
Finalise: Produce the final version of the publication & disseminate it to various stakeholders.
Advise: Inform & influence policy & practice

AHPC collaboration members

AHPC review & future planning

Mitchell Institute’s 2022 review of the AHPC working method and plan for future focus areas.

AHPC Symposium 2022 briefing paper

Four reports: Targets & indicators for chronic disease prevention in Australia; Australia's health tracker; Getting Australia's health on track; Better data for better decisions

Publications

See all our health publications.

Analyse evidence

We analyse evidence & data to understand how our education & health systems perform & develop new approaches.

Support debate

We stimulate public discussion to increase understanding of the health & education challenges & opportunities.

Advise policymakers

We assist & advise policymakers to make better use of evidence in designing & implementing reform.

Being equally well

Being Equally Well was launched in 2021 by the Federal Health Minister. This national policy roadmap provides recommendations for major improvements to healthcare services to prevent people with serious mental illness from dying up to 23 years earlier than other Australians, primarily due to preventable poor physical health.

Through 2022, the Mitchell Institute held implementation roundtables and advisory groups, the results of which culminated into the Being Equally Well Implementation Action Plan. Alongside this, a Medical Journal of Australia special supplement on Being Equally Well was published to support the recommendations.