Government announces Jean Hailes as the national digital gateway for women’s health

National not-for-profit organisation Jean Hailes for Women's Health is the proud recipient of $8.25 million in government funding until 2019 to become the national digital gateway for women's health and wellbeing. Federal Minister for Health Sussan Ley officially announced the launch of the Jean Hailes digital gateway on Friday, September 9 at the Jean Hailes office in South Melbourne.

Jean Hailes has been dedicated to improving the knowledge of women's health through every life stage for more than 20 years. This includes identifying the gaps in health knowledge and providing solutions. This funding will extend that reach, making Jean Hailes the official trusted independent source for any women's health and wellbeing issues, concerns and questions.

Jean Hailes has a unique three-part structure: medical centres offering clinical support to women across their lifespan on everything from chronic disease prevention to menopause and anxiety; a research unit in association with Monash University; and a translation and education unit to interpret and publicly share practical evidence-based findings.

"Establishing Jean Hailes as the national gateway for women's health and wellbeing provides women, health professionals and communities across Australia with all of the advantages of a onestop-shop for health issues," says Jean Hailes Executive Director, Janet Michelmore AO.

Jean Hailes offers current, lively information via its website, associated portals and social media channels, as well as a bi-annual magazine and printed materials that are distributed through health professionals, women and community organisations. Millions of women access the Jean Hailes website every year for trusted information and more than 13 million people read about Jean Hailes initiatives in the media in that past year.

Jean Hailes offers women:

• Evidence-based information translated from current reputable research
• Information tailored to different health literacy levels and a range of personal circumstances, including rural and regional communities, Indigenous women and those from low socio-economic backgrounds
• No wrong door: people can access health content across a wide range of topics, from chronic disease prevention to anxiety and menopause
• Responsive: quick to recognise and respond to the complex challenges for women's health in Australia, particularly the impact of chronic disease
• A trusted, independent mediator: Jean Hailes balances out the confusing messages bombarding consumers and health professionals delivering information that is factual and agenda-free

"Our only agenda is to help women, and we achieve this by offering readily understood and actioned health prevention messages," says Ms Michelmore.

Jean Hailes Deputy CEO, Dr Mandy Deeks says that the digital gateway will be able to help women across a variety of health-related areas. "It could be helping women recognise and manage anxiety, or helping women recognise the signs of cardiovascular disease – the biggest killer of women in Australia," says Dr Deeks. "Women want a trusted independent authority on health – not another 'Dr Google'. We're providing that for them.

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MEDIA CONTACT
For more information, please contact Janelle Carrigan on 0409 939 920 or email [email protected]