Month: January 2025

Employment opportunity | Project and Program Support Officer, full-time

Employment opportunity

To help us achieve our vision of improved health outcomes and experiences for everyone, driven by strong health consumer voices at every level of decision making in health, we are growing our small but mighty team.

Project and Program Support Officer, full-time

We are seeking a highly organised Project and Program Support Officer who loves people and being in a fast paced environment with lots of variety. The role plays a valuable part in supporting a range of projects, as well as being the first port of call for people connecting with Health Consumers’ Council.

As a pivotal role that works across the whole organisation this role is full-time and based on site.

The role offers:

  • A high degree of variety – working with diverse community members and staff at all levels in the health and social care system
  • The opportunity to be part of a consumer-first organisation with a focus on improving health equity and championing health rights
  • A welcoming and inclusive workplace where everyone is encouraged to bring all of themselves to work
  • The opportunity to be involved in a wide range of projects and to grow your areas of responsibility as your knowledge and skills develop
  • A competitive not-for-profit annual base salary with salary packaging

About you:

  • You’re looking for a role where you can apply your communication and administration skills to do work that you care about
  • You’re interested in the health system and care about people’s experiences of it
  • You’re happy to muck in and enjoy working on a range of different projects and with different teams simultaneously

Position overview

This role provides project, general and executive administration support across all areas of HCC, working under minimal supervision to ensure the effective and smooth running of our small hybrid workplace. A proactive, collaborative and hands-on approach is needed for our agile and adaptable organisation, which has the consumer experience and voice at its heart.

A typical week might see you doing a range of tasks:

  • Assisting with project tracking and coordination using our project management system
  • Assisting with planning and delivering a range of events, workshops and activities by organising attendee lists, logistics and catering and consumer payments and enquiries
  • Creating and sharing posts on social media guided by senior colleagues
  • Stepping in to help with projects and liaise with clients when required
  • Attending workshops and events when required to – this may include occasional after hours working
  • Greeting visitors to our offices, responding to our reception phone calls, and responding to emails through our main inbox
  • Managing the training room and equipment register
  • Scheduling meetings, preparing agendas and recording minutes
  • Managing stakeholder contact details through our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system
  • General office admin including organising travel and accommodation
  • Generating simple reports and analysis from existing systems including data entry
  • Providing executive support to the Executive Director, including managing diary requests

See the job description for a full outline of responsibilities for the role.

Selection criteria

Essential

  1. A minimum of 2 years’ experience in a similar role working across multiple business functions, including project administration
  2. Well-developed interpersonal and verbal skills, with a demonstrated understanding of the sensitivity and empathy needed when communicating with vulnerable community members
  3. Well-developed written communication skills, with the ability to write clearly and concisely for internal and external use
  4. Excellent organisational skills, with high attention to detail and the ability to manage and prioritise deadlines and own workload with limited supervision
  5. Demonstrated ability to use initiative and solve problems within own area of responsibility
  6. Ability to plan and manage large meetings and events eg Annual General Meeting or similar
  7. Be adept, or be able to quickly become adept in, a range of office software programs including Microsoft Office 365 Suite, project management software, and accounting software

 Desirable

  1. A demonstrated interest in the aims and purpose of HCC, for example, experience as a health consumer representative or volunteering in a similar advocacy organisation
  2. Experience creating engaging content for social media and website use, and experience using Mailchimp.
  3. An understanding of the community services and not for profit sector
  4. Ability to develop and maintain productive relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders, and navigate difficult conversations when required

To apply for the position

Send a cover letter of no more than two pages addressing the selection criteria, along with a current resume outlining your work experience, skills and any relevant education or training to Fiona Leece our recruitment partner at jobs@capitalhr.com.au clearly stating which role you’re applying for.

Please submit your application no later than 8am on Monday 10 February. 

However, note that applications will be considered as received and we reserve the right to appoint to the role before the closing date.

Applications that do not address the criteria may not be considered.

If you require any adjustments to submit your application or wish to have a confidential discussion about the role, please contact Kim Moore, Office and Executive Support Manager on (08) 9221 3422 or email Fiona Leece our recruitment partner at jobs@capitalhr.com.au.

Why we choose to keep our office open on the Australia Day public holiday

Clare and Tania at a the Perth march for a voice to parliment

A simple act of empathy, support, and perspective

Australia Day holds varied meanings for Australians. However, for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it symbolises colonisation, loss, and intergenerational trauma. At Health Consumers’ Council (HCC), we believe it is vital to acknowledge this history, understand its impact, and support First Nations peoples not just on January 26 but every day.

Standing in solidarity with Aboriginal communities

As advocates for all healthcare consumers in Western Australia, we recognise the importance of listening to, and amplifying, the voices of Aboriginal peoples. For many, January 26 is a day of mourning and reflection, highlighting ongoing challenges such as significant health disparities.

On the Australia day public holiday (27 January) our office will be open

At HCC, choosing to give staff the opportunity to work on the Australia Day public holiday is an act of solidarity. This is something we have done for a couple of years now and it has been welcomed by staff. We believe there is much to celebrate about Australia, but we recognise the colonial history of the current date, and so don’t see it as a day for celebration. Our team members have the option to work on this day and take another day off instead, or to take the day off if that’s their preference.

Encouraging dialogue, empathy, and micro-activism

By sharing our decision to work on Australia Day we hope to spark reflection and conversation within organisations and communities. By reconsidering the significance of January 26, we aim to promote inclusion, equity, and a deeper understanding of its impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This is one of the steps we take to acknowledge the truth of our nation’s history and to play our part in fostering a more inclusive future.

This reflects our broader commitment to addressing health inequities and standing with Aboriginal communities as they continue their work to address the harm of colonisation that is still experienced by many people today.

We also work throughout the year to address health inequities experienced by other groups and you can find out more about that work on our website.

Acknowledging some key dates in Australia’s history

  • 65,000+ years ago: First peoples from Southeast Asia arrived in Australia, forming the world’s oldest continuous civilization.
  • 1606: Dutch explorers became the first Europeans to land in Australia.
  • 1788: Captain Arthur Phillip raised the British flag at what he named as Sydney Cove on January 26.
  • 1818: NSW celebrated January 26 as a public holiday to mark the 30th anniversary of the Sydney Cove landing.
  • 1901: The six colonies united to form the Commonwealth of Australia.
  • 1938: Aboriginal protests on January 26 highlighted the trauma of colonisation, calling it “A Day of Mourning.”
  • 1988: Protests during the Bicentenary included 40,000 people marching for land rights and against dispossession.
  • 1994: January 26 was officially declared a public holiday across all states and territories.

Consider joining us for our workshop Acknowledging Country.

Acknowledging Country

An Acknowledgement of Country is an important start to most meetings and professional gatherings and is an opportunity to express your and your organisations respect for Aboriginal people, Country and Culture.

This workshop is designed to help you start to think about what an Acknowledgement of Country means, the difference between and Acknowledgement and a Welcome to Country, when you should be doing an Acknowledgement and how to personalise and make your own Acknowledgement meaningful and respectful.

You will leave the workshop with some tangible tools to develop your Acknowledgement, have the opportunity to ask questions, to develop your own personalised Acknowledgement and some tips for delivering it with confidence and respect.

All profits from these workshops go directly to supporting Aboriginal health consumers in WA in various ways including but not limited to, funding training opportunities for Aboriginal health consumers and occasionally Aboriginal workers, funding Aboriginal consumer payments to ensure Aboriginal perspectives are heard where they may not be. Please contact Tania to discuss this further.

See more workshops we offer below, or register for our next Acknowledging Country workshop now.


 

Addressing inequities in WA Healthcare: building a fairer system for all

Clare Mullen speaks about the Healthcare Consumers' Council

Addressing inequities in WA Healthcare: building a fairer system for all

Adjusting the picture

The issue of public hospital TV fees in WA has sparked widespread debate, with discussions featured on ABC, 6PR, and SkyNews. On Wednesday, I was invited on to 6PR’s Perth Live with Oliver Peterson to share the Health Consumers’ Council of WA’s (HCCWA) perspective on healthcare equity in Western Australia, and the cost of watching free-to-air TV in public hospitals around WA.

The strong public response to the issue of free TV services reveals that many West Australians believe that everyone should be able to access basic amenities, such as free-to-air TV, in public hospitals. HCCWA works to amplify the voices of people who use healthcare providers in WA, or those caring for someone else who does. And let’s face it, that’s pretty much all Western Australians.

Changing the channel – it’s more than a call for free TV in our hospitals

Healthcare equity is a complex issue, and community feedback reflects a range of perspectives. Patients can pay up to $14 per day or $54 weekly for access to basic television services which are outsourced by hospitals to external providers. These costs can disproportionately affect long-term patients especially elderly people, and people on low-incomes.

Some argue against taxpayer funding of ‘patient entertainment’, while others share heartbreaking stories of loved ones unable to afford basic comforts during their recovery. As I shared with the ABC earlier this week:

Being in hospital can be overwhelming. Patients face the stress of medical procedures, waiting for results, and being away from home—all while feeling unwell. Mental health is critical to physical recovery, and free access to TV provides a soothing escape. In a state as wealthy as WA, we can surely find ways to ensure everyone can enjoy small comforts like summer sport while they heal.”

At HCCWA, we believe everyone should have the same access to the seemingly small things which can have a big impact on someone’s wellbeing.

Turning up the volume on fairness

This debate highlights deeper systemic challenges in our healthcare system. When basic amenities like television become a financial burden for those already struggling, and other out-of-pocket healthcare costs, it raises important questions about equity in healthcare. As financial pressures on West Australians increase, should a person’s ability to have a good experience in hospital depend on their bank balance? We don’t think so. So we’re adding this to the list of things we’re looking at to see what can be done about it.

Broader advocacy for healthcare equity

While TV access for people on low incomes might seem like an insignificant issue, it’s just one aspect of healthcare equity and access to healthcare in Western Australia. As we approach both state and federal elections, we’ll be putting forward a patient and health consumer lens on critical issues like access to bulk billing GPs, mental health treatment affordability, affordability of ambulance services, and community-based care options. We’ll also be commenting on maternity care, women’s health, suicide prevention, and the health impacts of racism on First Nations peoples and other communities and other health disparities in Western Australia.

A great health system – for all

We know many West Aussies have a great experience in WA health services. We’re here to speak up for the people who don’t and advocate for health policy reforms. We’ll continue to advocate for fair access for all by amplifying people’s experiences where they are struggling with our healthcare system. Whether we’re talking about keeping your mind occupied in hospital or broader systemic issues, our commitment remains the same: championing fairness, equity, safety, and empowered consumers in healthcare.

Join the conversation

We’re about building a healthcare system that treats everyone with dignity, regardless of their financial situation. We believe that no one should face additional barriers to access, comfort and wellbeing simply because they’re doing it tough financially.

Join us in our community-led mission to shape our healthcare system so that it meets the needs of all Western Australians. Sign up for our newsletter, follow us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn or check out the resources on our website. Together, we can create a healthcare system that’s fair for all.