National Injury Prevention Strategy

Overview

The National Injury Prevention Strategy 2020-2030 (the Strategy) aims to create a national focus on injuries and their prevention. The Strategy will take a broad approach to injury and aims to address both intentional and unintentional injuries across all ages and population groups. The Strategy is currently being developed and recognises that:

• Injuries are the leading cause of death of all people aged 1-44 years;
• Intentional and unintentional injuries are preventable;
• We have demonstrated success in some areas, such as reducing road trauma;
• Australia has an aging population;
• There is a need for focused action on injury and it is rarely a focus of national attention.

Who is developing the Strategy?

The Australian Government Department of Health has engaged The George Institute for Global Health to lead the development and writing of the Strategy. The George Institute has partnered with the Australasian Injury Prevention Network, Monash University and the Ngarruwan Ngadju First Peoples Health and Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Wollongong to develop the Strategy.

What consultation has taken place to inform the development of the Strategy?

The Strategy has been informed by the advice of a range of experts who form the Expert Advisory Group. Face-to-face stakeholder consultation Round Tables were held in March 2019 across Australia to discuss the draft Strategy. Stakeholder consultations were held with key organisations (government, non-government, academia, and community) from August to October 2019 in Alice Springs and capital cities across Australia. Federal government feedback was sought in early 2020 and has informed the current version of the Strategy.

Has there been a review of the evidence?

The Department commissioned a Literature Review to investigate the burden of injury in Australia, evidence for interventions, and national and local strategies and frameworks for addressing injury. In July 2019, a collaboration led by The George Institute completed this literature review.

Why your views matter

The purpose of this consultation is to seek broader stakeholder and community feedback on the draft National Injury Prevention Strategy 2020-2030. The diverse perspectives, experiences and knowledge of all stakeholders and interested members of the community are valued and respected and will contribute to the final Strategy.

What are injuries?

The Strategy adopts the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander holistic view of health. Injuries are not just the physical harm caused by an external event, but the spiritual, emotional and cultural aspects of harm. This means that injury prevention should focus not only on reduced hospital bed days or lives lost, but also the safety and emotional wellbeing of individuals as well as the whole community.

The Strategy addresses these broadest definitions of injuries – the physical, cultural, spiritual and community cost of injuries. It addresses intentional injuries, including violence and self-harm including suicide and self-inflicted injury, and unintentional injuries, including road traffic injuries, falls, sports injuries, poisoning, drowning and burns. It should be noted that many of these latter types of injuries can also be the result of intended harm.