Health and wellbeing

Understanding health and wellbeing

Victorians’ health and wellbeing is high by international standards and significant gains have been made in recent years. Overall, the health and wellbeing of people in Port Phillip also relatively high.

Available data shows that we are similar to the Victorian average in terms of general wellbeing, life satisfaction, daytime safety, resilience, levels of psychological distress, participation in health screening activities (for example, blood pressure checks), neighbourhood cohesion, social trust, and fruit, vegetable and water consumption.

Our community has some favourable health factors compared to the Victorian average.  This includes levels of physical activity and obesity, smoking rates, income and socioeconomic indicators, and some chronic disease. Port Phillip also has lower rates of family violence.

However, we also experience some less favourable factors. Areas of concern include use of alcohol and illicit drugs, housing affordability, people experiencing homelessness and sexually transmitted infections.

VicHealth defines health equity as “the notion that everyone should have fair opportunities to attain their full health potential and that no one should be disadvantaged from achieving this potential if it can be avoided” (VicHealth 2020).

Detailed information on Port Phillip’s population and health outcomes is available below.

Council's role in health and wellbeing

Local government is well positioned to directly influence the conditions that support health and wellbeing.

We have a legislated responsibility under the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 to prepare a Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan every four years.

To recognise the important role Council plays in supporting health and wellbeing across all our activities, we have integrated the planning, implementation and evaluation requirements of Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan into the Council Plan 2021-31.

This means we are working to protect, improve and promote public health and wellbeing in everything we do.