The burden of chronic disease is increasing rapidly. In Victoria, approximately 70% of the total burden of disease is attributable to six groups: cardiovascular disease, cancers, injuries, mental health conditions, diabetes and asthma. Risk factors including lifestyle (with behaviours such as tobacco smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, diet, unsafe sex and intimate partner violence) and physiological states (such as obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol) are responsible for a sizeable proportion of the burden of disease in Victoria.

Victoria’s primary health care system must be able to respond in an appropriate and cost effective way to this challenge. This includes prevention, early detection and proactive management of chronic disease. These things are reflected in the deliverables of PCP work; Health Promotion, Integrated Chronic Disease Management, Service Coordination and Partnerships. 

GPPCP works with agencies in Integrated Chronic Disease Management to:
            •    Support planned and proactive care intended on keeping people as well as possible rather than responding to an illness
            •    Support the delivery of care that is empowering, systematic and coordinated care that includes regular screening, support for self management,
                  assistance to make lifestyle and behaviour changes 
            •    Support the coordination of care provided by a range of health services and practitioners (eg. GPs, Podiatrist, Physiotherapist, Counsellor, 
                  Dietitian, Nurse,Specialist, Dentist) 
            •    Support the integration of self management into care that is provided over time through the stages of disease progression.

Early Intervention in Chronic Disease
The Early Intervention in Chronic Disease (EIiCD) Project is a State Government initiative currently being implemented across Ararat Rural City and Northern Grampians Shire geographical catchment. The initiative began in this catchment in 2009 and receives ongoing funding from Department of Health (DH). The purpose of EIiCD is to reduce the impact of chronic disease in our local communities. This will be achieved two fold: 

1. Reorienting the service system to better care for and support people to manage their chronic illness (self management)
2. Intervening early in onset of a persons chronic disease (early intervention). 

The project is governed by a steering committee representative of agencies across the aforementioned geographical catchment (Grampians Community Health, Stawell Regional Health, East Grampians Health Service, East Wimmera Health Services, West Vic Division of General Practice, Ararat Rural City, Northern Grampians Shire and Grampians Pyrenees PCP). The initial focus of this work will centre around type 2 diabetes, informed by current Burden of Disease statistics for the area. The first step of this work is to develop consistent practice for delivery of diabetes care across the catchment.

        Better Access to Services Committee (BATS)
        
        Useful Documents and Resources