SAHMRI’s leading role in landmark preventive health initiative

As well as leading preparation of the report, Prof Miller was invited by the Health Minister to sit on the Preventive Health SA Establishment Advisory Council, alongside fellow SAHMRI researcher A/Prof Odette Pearson, who is Co-Leader of the institute’s Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity theme.

“We were tasked with designing the role of the agency, and developing the legislation under which it will operate,” A/Prof Pearson said.

“It's important to have Aboriginal people involved in developing legislation and this happened in several ways.”

The SAHMRI Health Policy Centre continues to produce scientific evidence for Preventive Health SA, while also working operationally with agency on a day-to-day basis. Wardliparingga is partnering with the agency’s Aboriginal portfolio on the implementation of the SA Government’s public sector anti-racism strategy.

“We are flexible and responsive to quickly turn our research focus to where it can deliver the most benefits. When presented with a problem, we can engage our world-class expertise and technology to address it and rapidly identify solutions.”

The work of Prof Miller and her Health Policy Centre is capturing attention at a national level too, with Australia’s Governor-General, the Hon Sam Mostyn AC, requesting to meet with Prof Miller during Her Excellency’s visit to Adelaide last week.

“It was a great honour to meet Her Excellency,” Prof Miller said.

“She clearly has a deep interest in, and understanding of, how important preventive health is to our futures as individuals and as a nation.”

Prof Miller received a further honour last week when she was officially appointed as the President of the Public Health Association of Australia.

SAHMRI is a proud independent institute, exercising its flexibility and research focus in the areas of most need for better health.