The recently-formed national Social Determinants of Health Alliance (SDOHA) held its first Adelaide gathering on the 31st of October, including a public meeting attracting over 50 people, on the theme of ‘Social determinants – where to from here?’

Despite only having formed just over 12 months ago, SDOHA has successfully brought together over 60 organisations concerned to promote action on social determinants of health (SDH) and health inequities in Australia. In particular the Alliance has focused on the recently concluded Federal Senate committee inquiry on Australia’s response to the WHO Commission on the SDH.

The meeting heard from four speakers, including Prof Fran Baum and Dr Matt Fisher from the Southgate Institute, as well as Mr Ross Womersley CEO of the South Australian Council of Social Services and Ms Carmel Williams, Manager of Population Health Development with Healthfirst Network. They addressed a range of challenges but also opportunities for advancing policy action on SDH in Australia. The meeting was also positively reported in The Advertiser.

Presentations from the meeting and information on the Senate committee inquiry are available on the SDOHA website: http://socialdeterminants.org.au/