• Skip to main content
  • Skip to navigation
  • Accessibility
  • Contact Us
Government of Western Australia Crest
Government of Western Australia
Government of Western Australia Crest

Additional Menu

  • Accessibility
  • Contact us
Go to WA Government search
  • About SMHS
    • Health Service Board
    • Strategic focus
      • Vision and values
      • Strategic Plan
      • Annual Report
      • Environmental sustainability
      • Innovation
    • Executive
    • Conduct and standards
    • Freedom of Information
    • SMHS Excellence Awards
    • Contact SMHS
  • Our services
    • Our hospitals
      • Peel Health Campus Transformation
    • Elective surgery
      • Contracted medical practitioners
    • Outpatients
    • COVID-19 information
      • SMHS staff self-reporting
    • Aboriginal health
    • Mental health
      • Peel Mental Health Taskforce
    • Health promotion
      • Our priorities
      • Public health planning
    • Sub-acute community care
    • Health care snapshot
    • Western Australian Limb Service for Amputees
    • Library and Information Service
  • Our care
    • Safe, quality care
      • Hand hygiene
      • Healthcare associated infections
    • For overseas visitors and students
    • Patient rights
    • Patient stories
    • Private patients
    • Support for carers
  • Our community
    • Consumer experience
    • Partnering with consumers
    • Engaging with our community
      • Fiona Wood Public Lectures
      • Health Stories podcasts
    • Disability access and inclusion
      • DAIP strategies
      • DAIP initiatives
      • Supporting people with disability
    • Our volunteers
    • Events
  • Our research
    • Current research
    • Our research stories
    • For researchers
    • Participate in our research
    • Support our research
  • Work with us
    • Career opportunities
      • Allied health and health professionals
      • Clinical academics
      • Corporate
      • Medical
      • Mental health
      • Nursing and midwifery
    • Apply for a job
    • Living in WA
  • News
  1. Home
  2. Our community

Our community

Strengthening relationships with our community and partners

Our community

Strengthening relationships with our community and partners is a strategic priority for SMHS.

We are committed to:

  • engaging with the community to better define and deliver the services required to meet their health and wellbeing needs
  • optimising existing partnerships and exploring new opportunities for innovative alliances both within and outside of health care.

SMHS community snapshot

Diabetes, heart disease and a range of cancers are the major causes of illness for the SMHS population. Socioeconomically disadvantaged people, the Aboriginal community and other vulnerable populations often have higher levels of disease risk factors and use preventative health services less than those who experience socio-economic advantage.

The leading causes of death for the SMHS population are heart disease, various cancers, and stroke.

Get an insight into the health and wellbeing of members of the SMHS community through the following data:

  • The SMHS catchment has an estimated population of 669,602 people, or 25 per cent of WA’s population. Aboriginal people account for 1.3 per cent of the SMHS population base.
  • Life expectancy of males in the SMHS catchment is 82.5 years, compared to females 86.3 years.
  • 16.8 per cent of adults have high blood pressure, and 17.7 per cent of adults have high cholesterol.
  • 34.6 per cent of adults consume fast food at least weekly.
  • 8.9 per cent of the adult population continue to smoke.
  • 25.4 per cent of the adult population consume alcohol at levels deemed high-risk of long term harm.
  • Over 40 per cent of the adult population is overweight.
  • 37.8 per cent of adults and 35.9 per cent of children do not undertake sufficient physical activity.
  • Almost 16 per cent of the adult population suffer from a diagnosed mental health problem.

Read our latest Annual Report to learn more about the community SMHS serves.

Stay informed about SMHS

Text reads Follow SMHS on Facebook @SouthMetropolitanHealthService

  • Consumer experience
  • Partnering with our consumers
  • Engaging with our community
  • Disability access and inclusion
  • Our volunteers
Last Updated: 13/10/2021
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Footer menu

  • wa.gov.au
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Brought to you by the Department of Health, Western Australia

© Government of Western Australia 2018 to