Category: SiSU Health

With cardiometabolic disease including stroke and heart attack the leading cause of death in Australia, the Index captures metrics for key cardiometabolic risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, daily smoking and diabetes. 

Jointly launched at Parliament House in Canberra by Wesfarmers Health Managing Director Emily Amos and Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care the Hon Ged Kearney MP, the Index provides the most comprehensive, real-time view of Australia’s heart health driven by deidentified data collected from almost 500 SiSU Health Stations nationally.

Key findings of the inaugural Wesfarmers Health: Australia’s Health Index include:

• Australia’s 2024 Index score is 92, indicating the odds of having two or more health risk factors is 8% higher than it was in 2018
• Nearly one in two Australians have an elevated risk of heart disease
• Nearly 3 in 5 Australians do not get their blood pressure checked regularly
• Gen Z (aged 16 – 24) have the highest daily smoking rates
• Health debt from the COVID pandemic remains significant
• Nearly 1 million Australians are at extreme risk of a heart attack or stroke, with men at greatest risk
• The number of Australians with diabetes may increase by 1 million over the next five years
• Australian Capital Territory is Australia’s healthiest state or territory, with Tasmania the most at risk

The Hon Ged Kearney MP said the findings of the Index highlight critical health challenges, “Accessible and actionable health data is key to driving positive change. The health issues highlighted in this report are multi-faceted, affecting millions of Australians.”

Wesfarmers Health Managing Director Emily Amos said the Index is more than just a health snapshot.

 “Our Health system is at an inflection point with demand for health services growing at a faster rate than our ability to supply services, because of our ageing population and people who are living with more chronic disease. Wesfarmers Health sees an opportunity to support public health by providing free access to screening on SiSU Health Stations located throughout Australia. By producing this Index – the most comprehensive real-time data source on cardiometabolic health in Australia – we are also raising awareness and hope to support an effective public health response,” said Ms Amos.

The Index uses de-identified data from 3 million digital health checks on SiSU Health stations located throughout Australia to tracks changes in multiple cardiometabolic risk factor rates against a 2018, pre-COVID baseline of 100. Australia’s 2024 Index score is 92, with positive health outcomes still below the pre-COVD 2018 baseline. Reported annually, the Index will continue to track Australia’s health debt recovery back to pre-COVID level – as well as provide a score for each federal electorate against the national average. 

Director Cardiology, Mater Hospital Brisbane Associate Professor Karam Kostner who attended the launch said the Index provides a sobering view of the current state and trajectory of cardiometabolic risk across the general Australian population.

“It confirms the urgent need for policy makers at State and Federal levels to commit to more scalable, holistic and effective cardiometabolic screening and prevention programs together to build a healthier tomorrow,” says Dr Kostner.

Directly aligned with Wesfarmers Health’s mission to make health, beauty and wellness experiences simpler, more affordable and easier to access, the data comes from SiSU Health Station checks, widely available at Priceline and Priceline Pharmacy stores across the country. The health checks are free, self-service and take as little as five minutes to complete.

Wesfarmers Health: Australia’s Health Index can be found here: sisuhealthgroup.com/wesfarmers-health-index

The event took place at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and was the fastest selling event in Are Media history. Focused on women’s health topics including menopause, wellness, mental health, physical health, financial health and healthy eating, the day included a series of engaging panel discussions, cooking demonstrations and participatory sessions featuring some of Australia’s most trusted wellness experts and special guests.

Experts included Priceline Pharmacist Melissa Gannon, who took part in a Q&A with The Australian Women’s Weekly Editor and event host, Sophie Tedmanson, diving into commonly asked questions and concerns around key women’s health issues often presented to Pharmacists instore at Priceline Pharmacies.

On the event, Wesfarmers Health Head of Marketing – Retail Corrina Brazel, said “Priceline Pharmacy is thrilled to partner with The Australian Women’s Weekly on its Health Summit and Walk With The Weekly initiatives. Empowering women and shining a spotlight on some of the biggest issues in women’s health is a key element of the Priceline Pharmacy brand DNA. The Australian Women’s Weekly is the perfect platform for us to reach our audience in a unique way as we continue our investment in women’s health.”

The Australian Women’s Weekly Editor Sophie Tedmanson, said “This partnership with Priceline Pharmacy was the perfect fit for us to bring the event to life, given Priceline Pharmacy’s unwavering commitment to women and their health journeys, it was a great synergy between our two brands.”

Attendees also had the chance to get a free SiSU Health check at the event and went home with a range of product from brands exclusively stocked at Priceline Pharmacy including No7, Clear Skincare, Polished London and SWIISH.

Other guests and experts involved included MC Jessica Rowe, celebrity cook Julie Goodwin, fitness trainer Michelle Bridges, actress Jodi Gordon, radio and television personality Myf Warhurst, former model and podcaster Alison Daddo, TV GP Dr Ginni Mansberg, financial expert Effie Zahos, First Nations social and emotional wellbeing counsellor Dr Liz Dale, and CEO of Jean Hailes for Women’s Health, Dr Sarah White.

Priceline Pharmacy’s partnership with The Australian Women’s Weekly continues to inspire women to prioritise their health into September with the launch of Walk With The Weekly: an initiative encouraging women to walk for 30 minutes a day throughout September to improve physical and mental health and encourage community connection.

Health checks from the past two years shows that Australians are improving on key health metrics that were experiencing declines during COVID lockdowns.

The medical grade self-service stations are free to use and measure blood pressure, heart rate, height and weight for body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage. They also assess diabetes risk, perceived stress levels and smoking status, all within five minutes.

Priceline Pharmacy Retail Director Richard Pearson said: “Priceline Pharmacy believes health care should be accessible for all Australians. Our 310 health stations are in stores across every state and territory, from major cities to regional and remote towns. They’ve provided 1.2 million Australians important insights about their health and health risks, all in the time it takes for a script to be filled.”

The data provided by repeat users of Priceline health stations provide valuable insights into the health of the nation. Over the last two years* repeat users demonstrated a strong bounce back from the impact of COVID lockdowns:

• Users with high blood pressure (140/90mmHg or higher) decreased by 18%
• Users with high body fat percentage (risk level varies by age and gender) decreased by 6.4%
• Users with high BMI (BMI 30-35) decreased by 1.4%
• The number of smokers decreased by 9.1%
• Users achieved a net weight reduction of 12,471 kg.

During COVID lockdowns, all key longitudinal health risks had increased by the end of 2020.

Other top findings from Priceline health station data over the past two years* include:

• Amongst both women and men, the highest proportion of health station users were in the 25-34 age bracket
• Australian men, who represent 47% of users, are less healthy than Australian women across a range of key measures including high blood pressure (17% compared to 13%), high BMI (26% compared to 23%), high body fat percentage (55% compared to 32%), smoking prevalence (19% compared to 15%) and diabetes prevalence (6% compared to 4%)
• 65% on men are classified as either overweight or obese. This is 49% for women.
• Women are almost twice as likely to report high perceived stress levels compared to men.

*Longitudinal measurement of repeat Priceline health station users between 1 October 2021 and 30 September 2023.

The team has opened a new store down the road from its original location, boasting a refreshed store layout, new product ranges and a SiSU Health Station.

Priceline Pharmacy as a brand was established in 2002 when pharmacists Andrew Rewell, Jeff Thom and Karen Dougall partnered with retail chain Priceline to leverage its retail expertise into a pharmacy model.

Since then, Priceline’s store network has grown to more than 470 stores nation-wide, including over 390 pharmacies.

Cathi Scarce, Priceline Pharmacy General Manager – Customer Operations said, “The original opening of Priceline Pharmacy Pakenham was pivotal for both the Priceline brand and the pharmacy landscape. Combining an established dispensary with a strong front-of-shop retail offering was the foundation for the Australian pharmacy model we know today.”  

“Thanks to the support of our Franchise Partners, and our ongoing commitment to provide real, classic care to Australians when it comes to their healthcare needs, Priceline Pharmacy has become one of the most recognised healthcare retailers in the country.”

Pakenham Franchise Partner Jeff Thom said he felt a sense of pride and achievement reflecting on the big milestone, “It’s incredible to see how established the Priceline brand and our pharmacy has become over the last 21 years. Many of our customers have been with us for that time. People always ask if we’re happy we made the leap to Priceline…absolutely!” he said.

The celebrations spanned four days, kicking off on Thursday with a store visit from Priceline Ambassador Chrissie Swan, followed by a family fun day on Saturday including face painting, street entertainers, a petting zoo, in-store offers, raffles, mini makeovers and goodie bags for customers. The store event was amplified through letterbox drops, local press, and digital and social marketing support.