Prevention

What is preventative health and our role?

Preventative health is all about staying one step ahead of disease. It focuses on helping people live healthier, longer lives through early detection, proactive care, and community-wide health initiatives.

Brisbane South PHN offers various supports to practices to strengthen prevention and deliver consistent and high-quality care.

For healthcare professionals, this means supporting patients to make informed lifestyle choices, keeping up with evidence-based management, and identifying risks early via a structured and step-by-step improvement program. By making prevention part of everyday practice, we can improve outcomes, reduce avoidable hospitalisations, and build healthier communities together.

CVD risk prevention

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the 2^nd biggest killer in Australia. In 2022, CVD was the cause of 45,000 death. The Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander people experience a higher risk/burden of CVD compared to general population (AIHW, 2025). Improving CVD risk assessment is one the simplest and most effective way to prevent severe complications such as heart attacks and strokes.

About the QI activity for CVD risk assessment:

1. increase use of CVD Risk calculator

   • understanding your patient’s risk is the first step to protecting their heart. 

   • The Australian CVD Risk Calculator helps healthcare providers to identify their patient’s risk over the next 5 years.

   • this activity aligns with our National CVD risk guideline.

2. Conducting Heart Health Checks (HHC)

What is Heart Health Check?

• it’s a 20 minute check up to for CVD Risk assessment and management.

• MBS opportunities: Item 699 and 177

3. MO CPD Activity

   • We also provide RACGP approved MO CVD activity for CPD hours.

Other related resources for CVD:

• Healthpathways Cardiovascular Risk Assessment (CVRA)

• PHASES - Home | phasesqld.com

• PDSA: mfi-pdsa-final_cvdriskcalculation_2025final.pdf

Obesity prevention

Australia has one of the highest rates of obesity in the world. About 14 million Australians are living with overweight or obesity - that’s 2 in every 3 adults, and 1 in 4 children. 

Obesity is a risk factor for several chronic diseases and early death. By identifying your patients who are experiencing obesity or who are at risk of developing chronic conditions due to obesity will contribute to improving the health outcomes of your patient population. 

Brisbane South PHN offers quality improvement coaching to general practices in the Brisbane south region focused obesity prevention. The 2 target ages that coaching is centred around are young adults and 45 – 49 year olds.

Related resources:

• National Obesity Strategy 2022-2032

• Making Healthy Happen Action Plan 2024-2026

• Ask: Starting the conversation about weight – Health and Wellbeing Queensland 

• E-learning for obesity

• RACGP - Obesity – recommendations for management in general practice and beyond 

• BMI calculator – Health and Wellbeing Queensland

• BMI Calculator for Child and Teen 

• Engaging with adolescents about healthy weight 

Support from our Quality Improvement Coordinators

Our Quality Improvement Coordinators can support your practice with quality improvement activities focused on improving the health outcomes of your patient population and reducing risks of chronic diseases. More information is available on our Quality Improvement page[JW1] .

Please email us at [email protected] to book in a quality improvement session. 

Prevention resources

• RACGP – Guidelines for preventive activities in general practice (Red book)

• RACGP – Smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity (SNAP)

• RACGP – Putting prevention into practice

• Health and Wellbeing QLD website Clinicians Hub

• Prevention programs in QLD Prevention programs in Queensland

• HealthPathways Brisbane South