PROVIDING advocacy and leadership in community health and child safety projects, Penola’s Anne Johnson AM was recently recognised for her efforts in reducing the rate of child deaths caused by unintentional and preventable injuries.
Awarded a 2018 Flinders University Distinguished Alumni Award for her significant contribution – particularly to Kidsafe SA – Dr Johnson has had a significant impact on rural health sectors across regional areas.
Dr Johnson was Kidsafe SA president for 15 years, on Kidsafe Australia national council for 10 years and crafted a 12-month scholarship position with the charity to develop a strategy to link Kidsafe SA with rural and remote communities.
During that time Dr Johnson contributed to the collaborative national movement in child injury prevention, which led to a 60pc reduction in child deaths caused by unintentional and preventable injuries.
Taking on the role of Patient Journey Initiative Steering Committee chair originally for three years, Dr Johnson then stepped into the role of Flinders University associate professor of public health with a strong interest in health access and equity issues.
While still on the committee, Dr Johnson moved to Penola in late 2007, experiencing first-hand patient issues impacting regional Australia.
In a SA Health document, Dr Johnson outlined her experiences working in rural areas and her commitment to ensuring patient outcomes improved for rural residents.
In 2008 she created a consultancy business, which she ran until retiring in late 2016.
Dr Johnson’s career started in 1984 after receiving a scholarship from the Adelaide Children’s Hospital to study a diploma of teaching (nurse education) at Flinders University, the only course of its kind in South Australia at that time.
Although her father died when she was 13, Dr Johnson said he was a great inspiration for her study.
“I was excited to study at Flinders as my dad had been encouraging of me to be the first in our family to study at university,” Dr Johnson said.
“I was fortunate to make that dream come true.”
Just over a decade later, she returned to Flinders to study her PhD with a focus on public health and organisational change.
Through research she became known as a national and international expert on health promotion, health literacy and increasing community participation in health services.
“My PhD equipped me with high-level theoretical knowledge, critical thinking abilities, research and writing skills,” Dr Johnson said.
“It enabled me the freedom to focus my work on areas I was passionate about making a difference in.”
