NQ First 2,000 Days Framework
Better Health North Queensland is pleased to introduce the NQ First 2,000 Days Framework for northern Queensland — which represents the ongoing commitment to improving maternal and child health outcomes for the communities in our region.
Better Health NQ is a collaboration between:
- Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service
- Mackay Hospital and Health Service
- North West Hospital and Health Service
- Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service
- Townsville Hospital and Health Service
- Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN).
It is led by the Chief Executives of those organisations and supported by the Better Health NQ Program Office.
Better Health NQ advocates collectively for the unique health and service needs of North Queensland, and collaborates with Queensland Health and the Commonwealth Government on initiatives that deliver region-wide benefits.
The NQ First 2,000 Days Framework is a priority area of focus for Better Health NQ and was developed through a Project Working Group of subject matter experts representing the following organisations:
- the five North Queensland HHSs
- NQPHN
- local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs)
- Health and Wellbeing Queensland.
The First 2,000 Days Framework
The first 2,000 days of life is a critical time in a person’s life, with early experiences being a predictor of health, development, education, and social outcomes — both in childhood and later in life. The development of the framework is an important milestone and represents what is needed to reduce health inequities in the region and ensure all northern Queensland children have a healthy start to life.
The framework covers:
- promoting good health in the pre-conception period
- caring for mothers and families during pregnancy, birthing, and the perinatal period
- providing the best start to life for children up to five years.
It also outlines the system enablers needed for effective maternal and child health services.
Reflecting Better Health NQ’s commitment to working in partnership across the system and with communities, this framework has been developed through consultation with consumers, community members, and stakeholders across the health and social services sectors.
Over the coming years, the framework will guide service planning, commissioning, delivery, and review across northern Queensland, and will be rolled out at scale to ensure consistent approaches to achieving maternal and child health outcomes for our region. As we progress, the framework will be extended to the first 3,000 days of life.