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Name of the Community: Viborg County
Country: Denmark
Number of inhabitants: 233.657 (October 1st 1999)
Programme started year: 1981 (establishment of a cross-sectorial group responsible
for prevention and health promotion)
International Safe Communities Network Membership: Designation year: 2001
Info address on www for the Programme: www.vibamt.dk
The programme covers the following safety promotion activities:
For the age group
Children 0-14 years:
• Health Promoting Schools:
The purpose is to provide pupils with sufficient knowledge and
competence to be able to be in charge of their own lives and to influence their
surroundings in a health promoting way. The project is carried out at 6 schools and is a
co-operation between schools, municipalities, health care staff, labour and management and
The Danish University of Education. An important part of the project is the co-operation
with the local communities.
• Traffic campaigns
Campaigns about the use of safety equipment, e.g. bycicle helmets
• Jobs Without Injuries
The purpose of the project was to provide grade 7 pupils with sufficient knowledge and
competence to be able to avoid accidents and injuries in connection with spare time jobs.
Schools, municipalities, The Danish Confederation of Trade Unions, The Danish Employers'
Confederation and Viborg County all participated in the project. An evaluation has shown
that the project has resulted in a 25% reduction in accidents and injuries as regards the
target group. The project is well-rooted in the schools' education programmes.
• Children's accidents
Every year 150,000 Danish children under the age of 15 are treated in Danish casualty
departments as a result of accidents and injuries. Recent studies show that 1 child in
every 4 in the age group 11-15 years has had an injury demanding treatment in the course
of a year. Every 3rd death in the age group 0-14 years of age is due to an accident. In
the beginning of 2001 the Healthy City Network issued 2 manuals about the prevention of
children's accidents aimed at the age groups 0-6 years and 6-15 years respectively. 5,000
manuals were destributed nationwide. (Viborg County is chairman of Healthy City Network,
Accident Theme).
Youth 15-24 years
• Traffic campaigns etc.
In the period 1998-2002 campaigns deals with high speeds and alcohol.
Since 1994 two young people injured in traffic accidents
(so-called traffic informants) have visited schools and educational institutions and given
lectures about their accidents and life as seen from a wheel chair. The purpose of these
visits is to inform other young people about traffic risks.
In the years to come the County will - in co-operation with the
municipalities and the police - disseminate knowledge of injuries which may occur if seat
belts are not used.
In order to increase road safety efforts a road safety guide will
be engaged. This guide will be responsible for the carrying-out of campaigns and will also
have to reach out towards certain target groups such as young male drivers, companies and
organizations.
• Fire works campaigns
An activity recurring every year is the fire works campaign carried out right before New
Year's Eve.
Adults 25-64 years
• Traffic campaigns
See Youth 15-24 years
• Work Place Evaluations (APV)
A systematic evaluation of risks at the County’s work places is included in work
place evaluation work in Viborg County. The purpose is to ensure the development of the
best possible work environment for all employees where everybody contributes with his/her
experiences and thus ensuring the best possible prevention. Based on these evaluations a
number of initiatives aimed at preventing work-related injuries and accidents has been
accomplished in various sectors of the County.
- Ergonomic work environments
Within ergonomic work environments the notification of
accidents and injuries implies that the number of accidents and injuries among employees
working with mentally handicapped adults in living units and activity centres is far too
high.
In 1998 an education programme was initiated with the purpose of
training two employees in each living unit/activity centre to become ergonomics guides.
This programme was created in co-operation with the Directorate of Labour Inspection and
the Occupational Health Care Service.
• Courses
- Ouch! My back
- Me and my work environment
- Basic course in systematic work environment efforts
Elderly +65 years
• Fall accidents
Fall accidents are the most frequent cause of accidents and injuries among elderly people
and it is the most expensive diagnosis in the health care service. Less than 30% of those
who had normal walking functions before the fracture regain their usual level of function
abilities. More than 20% die within a year after the fracture.
In the beginning of 1999 the Healthy Cities Network (Accident
Theme) issued 3 manuals about the prevention of fall accidents among the elderly:
prevention of falls in hospitals, in nursing homes and in private homes. 5000 manuals were
distributed nationwide.
The purpose is to implement documented knowledge of fall
prevention into daily routines in hospitals and the primary health care service and also
to develop cross-professional and cross-sectorial activities and co-operation models in
order to reduce the number of fall accidents, serious injuries and falls among the
elderly.
• Rehabilitation projects
Viborg County has initiated 3 different rehabilitation projects (including rehabilitation
in connection with thigh bone fractures) in collaboration with a selection of
municipalities. The purpose of the projects was to test different models in order to
create a coherent effort in the rehabilitation process from the moment the patients are
hospitalized and till they are back home and have to function in their own homes. The
purpose was also to ensure that the patients – once they were discharged from the
hospital - would be able to maintain a satisfying level of functioning.
At the following environments
Home:
• Children's accidents (see 0-14 years)
• Fall accidents (see +65 years)
Traffic:
• Viborg County Council's superior vision is to avoid traffic accidents involving
personal injury on the roads in Viborg County - irrespective of an increased traffic
level.
In the period 1998-2001 an amount of approx. DKK 115 million has
been invested in the prevention of traffic accidents.
The goal implies that the number of killed and seriously injured
persons on the roads in Viborg County must be reduced by 40% before the end of 2012,
starting in 1998.
• Plans for road safety, road construction ("black spots", cities, bicycle
paths etc.), maintenance, campaigns (drunk driving, speed, cyclists, safety equipment),
education etc.
• Transport in connection with special arrangements (festivals etc.) and night bus
transport service.
Courses - slippery roads course
- first aid (and elementary fire fighting)
Occupational:
• Bus guidance
Guidance in connection with the purchase of buses is an initiative implemented in order to
ensure clients and staff against traffic accidents and also to prevent the staff from
sustaining work-related injuries as a result of inexpedient work postures.
• The purchase of buses
In order to prevent accidents, injuries and staff members being worn-out in connection
with job functions in buses a bus guide to purchasing new buses was prepared in 1998. The
guide was worked out in co-operation with the Directorate of Labour Inspection , the
Occupational Health Care Service, the Centre for Aids and Appliances for Disabled Persons
and companies delivering and designing the buses.
The Occupational Health Care Service also uses the bus guide in other fields, other
counties and companies designing buses for transporting disabled persons. The bus guide is
revised when further knowledge is obtained and the staff is currently upgraded.
• In Viborg County hospitals measures to avoid lifting injuries and cutting/stab
injuries have been given special attention. Besides, special educational efforts are
carried out in order to avoid injuries when working with chemicals and cleansing agents as
well as injuries caused by fire.
An absence policy and a pregnancy policy have been introduced
at the hospitals. Both policies aim at preventing unnecessary illness and absence due to
an inconvenient arrangement of work. It has turned out that a consistent carrying out of
these policies has resulted in a reduced level of absence due to illness.
• Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
The prevention of work-related accidents and injuries is organized by e.g. the Department
of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Skive hospital which is Viborg County’s
specialist department for work-related and occupational diseases. The department’s
work includes outpatient examinations in cases where people suspectedly suffer from
occupational diseases, visits to companies, telephone counselling, education and research.
The department’s superior aim is prevention and the target group is the county
citizens including county employees.
School:Health Promoting Schools (see 0-14 years)
Job Without Injuries (see 0-14 years)
Childen's accidents (see 0-14 years)
Sports:
• Clinic of Sports Medicine
In the period 1997-98 a clinic of sports medicine was established at Viborg hospital as an
experiment. Education in the prevention of accidents and injuries has been an important
part of the everyday contact with patients. Written patient instructions concerning e.g.
ancle- and knee joint injuries have been worked out. A new programme aimed at preventing
ancle- and knee joint injuries among hand ball players has been created. It is expected
that this programme will be able to reduce this kind of injuries by 30-40% among young
hand ball players. The treatment quality has been significantly improved and the
patients’ satisfaction has been considerable.
Leisure:
• Nature and Exercise for Everybody –
Irrespective of Age and/or Handicap
This project was accomplished in the period 1996-99. The purpose
was to make special efforts for groups who – for various health reasons – cannot
or only with a lot of difficulties are able to participate in ordinary leisure time
activities, e.g. disabled persons, mentally handicapped persons, over weight persons,
drug/alcohol abusers, people suffering from heart- or vascular disorders or from
muscular-skeleton injuries.
The project has been concluded but nevertheless the concept is
well-rooted in Viborg County as a "Nature Council for Disabled Persons" has been
established.
• A joint project "Into the Nature"
The health aspect of this project is that outdoor activities and exercise have a
preventive and partially a curative effect on a variety of life-style diseases and
accidents and injuries. This joint project co-ordinated by Viborg County has been running
since 1987 and continues to do so. The purpose is to offer local citizens as well as
tourists public nature walks in all parts of Viborg County.
Other:
• School of Health and Social Welfare, Viborg County
In connection with the training of health care staff an educational development project is
being prepared at present in the field of prevention of work-related accidents and
injuries which will focus on body-awareness, knowledge of one’s own resources and
limitations, transfer techniques and knowledge of work environment legislation and safety
work (e.g. procedures in connection with notification of accidents/injuries). Furthermore,
training in prevention of fall accidents is included in the project as well as an analysis
of the situation of risk groups in order to prevent injuries.
• Network of prevention-oriented hospitals in Denmark
2 years ago Skive Hospital joined the "Network of Prevention-oriented Hospitals in
Denmark". This membership contributes to an increased focus on prevention in relation
to both patients and the staff members.
Violence prevention (intentional injuries):
• In all municipalities SSP-groups have been established (School - Social welfare
services - Police) with the purpose of preventing crime among adolescents. Prevention of
crime is an integrated part of the county’s information service which is continually
carried out in schools and educational institutions on the subjects of alcohol and drugs.
• Within the social welfare area a rather extensive risk is present in connection
with the employees’ safety and health. The ergonomic and physical work environments
are especially straining (violence, threaths of violence). In order to prevent that
employees are exposed to accidents, injuries and the risk of suffering from long-term
work-related illness in living units and activity centres and other centres for children
and adults (people with mental deficiences, mental disorders and abuse problems) general
preventive efforts were initiated in 1999.
Several living units and activity centres in the adult handicap area are planning the
initiation of a project aiming at preventing accidents in situations where student nurses
etc. are assaulted by living unit/activity centre inmates/users. Student nurses etc.
constitute a special risk group as they are still in the process of training, they lack
experience and are recently employed.
• Viborg County wants to strengthen municipal efforts in connection with sexual abuse
of children and adolescents (or suspected abuse). In 1998 a cross-professional and
cross-sectorial team was established with the purpose of offering advice and assistance
when municipal action plans are worked out in this field.
The above-mentioned team offers consultative assistance in the
field of explanation and evaluation and also in the preparation of an actual plan for
further case work in cases presented to the team in an anonymous version. The team also
offers follow-up assistance/co-ordination. The team has been responsible for several
courses, the preparation of manuals etc.
Courses
- Violence and threaths in my everyday life.
- Mental First Aid
- Conflict treatment and personal safety.
Suicide prevention (self-inflicted injuries):
• In Viborg County the prevention of suicide attempts and suicide is attended to by
means of a series of activities within the areas of health, social welfare and education
and culture departments. Additional assistance is offered within the framework of
voluntary social work and the municipal sector.
Programmes aiming at "high-risk groups":
• Prevention programmes in the fields of tobacco, alcohol and drugs.
• In 1997 the social welfare and health departments of the county and the
municipalities initiated a co-operation aimed at an early intervention in connection with
pregnant drug abusers in order to prevent congenital malformation or injuries as well as
child injuries at an early stage.
A written manual on these efforts has been worked out containing a description of the
distribution of assignments and the action possibilites of the county and the
municipalities regarding pregnant drug abusers.
• As part of a continued development of the county’s staff-political
initiatives, Viborg County has decided that a social Chapter should be worked out. This
social chapter should e.g. specify the social responsibility assumed by the county and its
institutions regarding employees who risk loosing their jobs due to illness and/or a
change in their working capacity. The social chapter must also specify the county’s
responsibility of providing special occupational conditions for employees who are not able
to keep their jobs/get a job on normal terms of occupation.
• With a view to focusing on, strengthening and developing the social
responsibilities at the work places in the region the project "the broad labour
market" was established in the autumn of 1999. The project is a co-operation between
the Danish Employers’ Confederation, the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions, the
Association of Municipalities, the Labour Market Council in Viborg County and Viborg
County. The purpose of this project is to:
· Prevent that people are excluded from the labour market
· To maintain people who risk losing their footing in the labour market
· Integrate persons who have difficulties in getting a job
· Integrate persons who have difficulties in getting back on the labour market
Surveillance of injuries: Viborg County, The Prevention
Secretariat etc.
Data: Accident- and injury data from the County's casualty departments (The
National Register of Patients) combined with information from a number of special
registers.
Numbers per year: In 1997: Traffic accidents 1,500; Work-related accidents 3,300;
Home-leisure accidents 14,500; Total 19,300
Population base: 233,657 inhabitants (October 1st 1999).
Started year: 1981 (establishment of a cross-sectorial group responsible for
prevention and health promotion).
Publications - scientific:
• Road Authorities' information on road safety, Nordic Road Association,
Committee 52 - Road Safety, Report 19-1988.
• Road Safety Measures in Road and Street Environments, Nordic Road Association,
Report 19-1992.
• Cyclists' and Pedestrians' Accidents in Viborg Hospital's Casualty Department,
1996.
Produced information material, pamphlets:
• The Prevention Group's report 1989-1991, Viborg County, 1992.
• Health Profile for Viborg County 1992, Viborg County, the Prevention Council, 1993.
• Health Plan 1994-1997, Viborg County Council, August 1997.
• Prevention 1994-1996, Viborg County, 1997.
• Job Without Injuries, Prevention and Health Promotion, Viborg County, 1998.
• Action Plan for cross-sectorial prevention and health promotion 1998-2001, Viborg
County, 1999.
• Social Welfare Plan 2000, Viborg County Council, January 2000.
• Work-related injuries, guidance and notification, the Occupational Health Care
Service, Viborg County, 2000.
• The 2nd European Health Promoting Award 1999-2000 - Denmark, Viborg County, 2000.
• Action and Perspective Plan 2000-2004, Healthy City Network, Accident Theme, August
2000.
• Goals 2000, Viborg County, Department of Environment and Technology.
• Region Plan 2000-2012 for Viborg County, Viborg County Council, November 2000.
Staff: The Prevention Secretariat / The Prevention Group.
Number: Among 3,5 persons
Professions: Cross-professional and cross-administrative.
Permanent: Yes
Organization: Well-rooted and integrated politically as well as administratively.
Specific intersectorial leadership: Yes
General health promotion group: Yes
International commitments
• The North Sea Programme
The purpose is to promote the collaboration in the field of physical planning across the
boundaries and this programme allows the North Sea countries to collaborate on projects
based on a joint vision for the North Sea. The projects aim at creating a balance between
the region’s different requirements to physical planning and at the same time they
aim at finding solutions to a number of social, financial and environmental problems.
County Mayor, Mr Bent Hansen, Viborg County is the President of the North Sea Commission.
Likewise the fact that the North Sea Programme Secretariat is located at the County Hall
in Viborg is of major importance for Viborg County’s role and possibilities of active
participation in/influence on the North Sea collaboration.
• Friendship agreements
In 1991 Viborg County and the Hungarian Bács-Kiscun County became friendship counties.
The friendship collaboration between the two counties has been increased and further
supplemented during the years e.g. by a number of friendship agreements between various
municipalities in the 2 counties. The collaboration areas include cultural activities,
schools and social welfare institutions as well as trade and industry.
Furthermore, Viborg County has later entered a friendship agreement with Marijampole
County in Lithuania and in this case the collaboration is primarily concentrated on
education and social health care conditions.
Finally, Viborg County co-operates with Aust-Agder County in
Norway and certain regions in Poland.
• Viborg School of Nursing
Since 1998 the Viborg School of Nursing has co-operated with the School of Nursing at
Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia.
So far the collaboration has included exchanges of students and
lecturers as well as a collaboration agreement concerning a 3-year Master’s degree in
nursing.
• 2nd European Health Promoting Award
In 1999-2000 Viborg County has been in charge of the administration of the "2nd
European Health Promoting Award" in Denmark on behalf of the Healthy City Network
including holding the chairman position in the Danish jury.
Study visits:
• Viborg County (politicians and specialists/experts) has participated in the Healthy
City Network's study tours in 1997 (Stockholm, Falköping - injury and accident prevention
work) and 2000 (Sweden/Finland - public health work - locally, regionally and nationally).
Participation in Safe Community Conferences:
• 3rd Nordic Safe Community Conference,
Reykjavik, Iceland, 25.08. – 28.08.1999
Planning group / political principal lecture / chairing session / lecture and exhibition /
evaluation.
• 8th International Conference on Safe Communities; 1st
European Region Conference on Safe Communities, Vienna, Austria
04.10. – 05.10.1999
• 5th World Conference – Injury Prevention and Control,
New Delhi, India, 05.03. – 08.03.2000. Exhibition / meeting
• SafeComm-10, Anchorage, USA
21. 05.2001 – 23.05.2001
Lecture, exhibition, meeting
Hosting Safe Community Conferences:
• 1st Safe Community-Conference on Cost Calculation and Cost-effectiveness in
Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion – Co-sponsored by the World Health
Organization, Viborg, Denmark 30.09. – 03.10.2001
Host, co-organizer, chairman, political principal lecture.
Conference Report
Other:
- Viborg County has participated in the elaboration and testing
of "WHO Cost Calculation Manual" in co-operation with e.g. the WHO Collaborating
Centre, Stckholm. In this connection the following meetings have been arranged:
- Seminar on Cost Calculation and Cost-effectiveness in Injury
Prevention and Safety Promotion
Prague, Czech Republic, 7.10 –9.10.1999, Lecture / workshop
- Work-shop Cost Calculation Manual,
Viborg, Denmark, 28.09. – 29.09.2001, Host, co-organizer
For further information contact:
Søren Kølster
Coordinator
Viborg County
WHO Safe Community
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Skive Hospital
Resenvej 25
DK-7800 Skive, Denmark
Phone: +45 8927 4855
Fax: +45 8927 4879
 ssamask@vibamt.dk
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Download the application report:
 Viborg,
Denmark- Application to Become a Member of the Safe Community Network
Cover of Application
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Updated by Moa
Sundström, 2003-02-10 14:16.
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