Posted 22/10/21 1 mins read

Healthy Choices Policy directive: Even small changes generate momentum

smiling woman

When implementing the Healthy Choices Policy directive, ‘getting started’ can look a little different for each organisation depending on factors such as size, available staffing/resources, type of food services offered. If you’re looking for ideas on where your health service can start read on for our top suggestions. If you’re looking for ideas on where your health service can start read on for our top suggestions:

Start at the top - gain management support

Gaining executive support is a crucial factor for successful implementation. Start by:

  • Presenting your manager with a copy of the Policy directive
  • Highlight the timelines you need to work towards
  • Explain that the policy notes allocation of responsibility to a relevant executive level contact
  • Emphasise that this work requires a whole of organisation approach to be successful

Resources:

  1. ​Access our training module dedicated to getting management on board, including how to gain and maintain their commitment, overcome barriers to implementation and communicate effectively.
  2. Share our video with your leadership team: ‘Policy directive overview: for health service leadership’
  3. Share our video case study as an example: ‘Western District Health Service implements Healthy Choices’

Put it in writing develop or review your healthy eating policy

Now is a great time to develop or review your healthy eating policy. Healthy eating policies are a great way of ensuring that your organisations commitment to healthy eating is documented and clear to your staff. If your health service already has a healthy eating policy, its a good time to think about updating it in line with the requirements of the Policy directive. Our Nutrition Policy Advisors can provide you with specific advice to create or tailor a policy for your health service.

Want to start making changes? Look at your vending service

A vending machine that meets the requirements of the Policy directive can be a great first step in introducing changes. We have developed various planograms to assist you and your vending supplier in stocking vending machines so they meet the Policy directive requirements. Click here!

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