Transforming VicHealth to Proactively Respond to Citizen needs

Australia has a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a healthy, sustainable, equitable and prosperous future by taking bold action to build back better, fairer and greener after the coronavirus pandemic. For VicHealth, an independent Victorian Government Statutory Authority reporting to the Minister for Health, this has taken the form of an Action Agenda for Health Promotion looking to create a Victoria where everyone can enjoy better health and wellbeing.

Underpinning this public action plan however is a number of internal strategies, as well as a major organisational transformations. These transformations: spanning across people, processes, systems and location, include the ICT Core System Replacement Project to replace all of VicHealth's legacy systems, as well as stakeholder, project and grant management systems that will help achieve greater citizen satisfaction.

Ahead of the 5th annual Innovate VIC Showcase on July 13, we caught up with Paul Crapper, Chief Financial Officer & Executive Corporate Services/Acting CEO at VicHealth. Paul shares details of the back-office transformation underway and explores how it is helping support the broader 10-year VicHealth strategy.

Transforming to Meet Modern Needs

"VicHealth was seen as not proactively responding to the needs of Victorians in the health promotion and seen by the Victorian Government, the Board, and stakeholders and partners, as too internally focused.

In response to feedback from the Victorian Government, the Board, and stakeholders and partners, VicHealth has delivered a significant period of transformation over the last 3 years to prepare for its delivery of its next 10-year strategy. 

The three-year transformation strategy included:

1. Organisational restructure focused on the appropriate size of organisation with a reduction in staffing costs but an increase in health promotion delivery staff numbers and the engagement of Research Fellows, and partnerships with partners and stakeholders.
2. Focused reduction of external consultancy and program support costs through building of key capabilities within the organisation.
3. Development and delivery of a fully integrated grant, project, and stakeholder management ICT platform to enhance health promotion information, decision making and governance.
4. Move to a new office to promote greater collaboration across the organisation and with partners and stakeholders.
5. Implementation of new ways of working including adoption of systemic thinking within its health promotion activities.

Ultimately the transformation aims to achieve greater stakeholder, partner and Victorian Government satisfaction and confidence in the health promotion investments, programs and achievements of VicHealth." 

To learn more about VicHealth's back-office stakeholder engagement transformation and other innovation projects - join Paul Crapper and 25+ other Victorian senior innovation government leaders at the upcoming Innovate VIC Showcase taking place at Pullman Melbourne Albert Park. For more information, view top sessions and *secure your complimentary seat.