Feature Articles The Changing Face of Healthway
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The Changing Face of Healthway
Written by MF
Wednesday, 01 February 2012
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Healthway appears to be applying stronger health messages as it distributes tax funds to arts, racing and sporting organisations, as well as involve itself in research and health promotion. With the recent increased medicalisation of the Healthway Board (see inset) doctors have more reason to take an interest. The organisation has shown sensitivity to criticism from the WA Sports Federation over the conditions imposed on only about 10% of grant applicants; those with food, beverage or alcohol co-sponsorship arrangements in conflict with Healthway’s core values, particulary where children are involved.
According to Healthway, its “board and expert advisory committees are representative of its primary stakeholder groups, to ensure that the needs and objectives of those groups and sectors are considered while focusing on the health promotion objectives of Healthway”. Executive Director David Malone says the people who approve grant applications and set policy have a primary obligation to follow Healthway policy and legislation, and deal appropriately with any conflicts of interest. Healthway must spend 30% of its budget on sports and 15% on arts sponsorship under legislation. Health promotion grants (17%) are far less restrictive. One major point that David made, which was not evident in their website material, is that the vast majority of sporting groups that apply already have co-sponsors, and only a minority have potentially ‘unhealthy’ food, drink or alcohol co-sponsors, for which 10% (of the total) have extra conditions attached to their grant. The condition(s) may be to quarantine participants from unhealthy messages, without dropping the co-sponsor necessarily. “We are dealing with record numbers of sporting organisations applying for grants each year and I can’t think of one, out of the thousands that we deal with, or has been a partner of Healthway in the past, now ceases to apply for funding,” he said, adding that the WA Sports Federation is unique in shunning Healthway. “The Act requires us to get a net health promotion benefit for each dollar spent so there are rules attached to each grant.” (See inset.) “We monitor attrition and I can only think of one sporting organisation that has previously been funded by Healthway and now doesn’t apply.” David believes the $30m figure that the WA Sports Federation puts on buying out unhealthy sponsorship in WA is exaggerated by 6-7 fold, based on their past experience with tobacco companies and their own research. Research - how valuable? How best to influence health and behaviours is as much a philosophical argument as hard science, yet Healthway spent $2.88m on research of the latter in 2010-11 (currently 13% of the total spend and open to change by the Board). While stating that its policies are evidence-based, is the research it sponsors of real community benefit or simply soaking up funds that could be used to get kids out on the paddock more for a greater health benefit? There is a growing move towards ‘translational research’ that seeks to make a tangible difference to communities that provide funding. Healthway annual reports outline success stories but there is nothing on the website to justify the expenditure in terms of community returns. Good research can help us rethink things. For example, recent research suggested those concerned that 80% of Australian children drink sugary drinks should realise 77% are purchased in supermarkets and 60% drunk at home, which is where our health messages should be directed. Deciding what is ‘unhealthy’
A committee of experts decides, as David explains. “The Brand Advisory Committee's primary purpose is to provide advice to Healthway's sponsorship advisory committees and Board – non-binding advice as to the risk that co-sponsorship arrangements will undermine health promotion objectives. Committee members have expertise in the areas of nutrition, alcohol, dietetics, health promotion policy and practice, the health and wellbeing of children, and marketing and sponsorship promotions. Membership of the committee is approved by the Board.” Current sponsorship advisory members are: Prof Steve Allsop (Chair), Ms Narelle Finch, Ms Holly Ransom, Prof Rob Donovan, Ms Karen Adie, Dr Christina Pollard, Mr Steve Pratt, Mr Gary Kirby, Ms Jane Martin and Mr David Malone. WA doctors on Healthway sports sponsorship A sizeable 39% of docs we surveyed last year said Healthway grants should be withheld where sports have “fast food or unhealthy beverage” sponsors, while 30% agreed with the less stringent Healthway stance of applying conditions (and 28% said ‘no’ to withholding grants). When asked if Healthway should have to makeup funding lost when a children’s sporting body dropped sponsorship from a fast food or unhealthy beverage company, 45% said ‘yes’, 33% replied ‘maybe with conditions’ and only 19% said ‘no’. Interestingly, of those with kids, 26% said their child has participated in a sport with an associated ‘unhealthy’ product advertised. Healthway Board Members Current Board Members are given as.... A/Prof Rosanna Capolingua (Chair – Health Minister appointed).
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