Category: Upcoming Events

COVID health protections in hospitals – return to masks

Posted on November 17, 2023

Health Consumers’ Council welcomes today’s announcement by the WA Department of Health that WA public hospitals will be strengthening health protections in light of an increase in COVID-19 infections.

We know that COVID has remained a concern for medically vulnerable people and the community at large. And with regular media reports of rising infection numbers, and evidence about the impact of Long COVID still emerging, many in the community may be concerned about whether we’re doing enough to manage the risk of serious illness or widespread infection.

HCC will be hosting a Community Conversation for health consumers where attendees will hear directly from Dr Andy Robertson, WA Health’s Chief Health Officer, and get the facts on the latest wave on Tuesday 12 December at 1pm.

Children's building blocks with UPDATE COVID19 spelled out - and title of the event

Supermarkets like casinos?

Posted on November 10, 2022

(by Clare Mullen, 10/11/22)

I’m really enjoying Magda Szubanski’s ABC series – Australia’s Big Health Check. She’s looking at how easy – or not – it is to be healthy in Australia.

She highlights that poor nutrition and obesity are taking over from tobacco and smoking as the leading cause of ill health and death in Australia. One of the doctors on the show comments that when it comes to our health

genes are what load the gun, but then it’s our lifestyle that pulls the trigger… the important thing here is, that you can do something about this…

What Magda goes on to show, is how determined we have to be in order to do what we can to avoid harmful foods when we’re out shopping! Dr Sandro Demaio, Chief Executive of VicHealth comments that

With the lack of natural light and no clocks, supermarkets are more like casinos than traditional markets

And shares that the prime “real estate” of the ends of aisles are sold to food companies by the supermarkets. As one of the community members in the show says

When you’re going in for a quick shop, it’s hard not to buy that end of aisle stuff…

And of course, that “end of aisle stuff” is often the low nutrition, high calorie, high sugar option.

But as Magda shows in the program – there are people fighting back. And we think WA health consumers, carers and community members can be involved in that work too.

Come along to our events this month and be part of the discussion – share your thoughts on how we can all play a part in a healthier WA!

A picture of Magda Szubanski with a blue rubber glove on one hand and a blue bandage on her forehead. The wording says Let's Fight For a Healthier Us

Connecting and communicating consumer perspectives on cancer care in WA

Posted on October 11, 2022

 

Has cancer affected your life – currently or in the past? A desire to connect with others who have similar lived experiences is the drive behind the upcoming community conversation welcoming consumers affected by cancer in WA. Health consumers’, carers, family, and community are invited to join “Connecting and communicating consumer perspectives on cancer care in WA“.

Be part of the conversation to discuss progress on the 2020-25 WA Cancer Plan. Discuss opportunities for future consumer and community connections.

Date and time

About this event

The WA Cancer Plan guides cancer care in WA: find out about progress on the 2020-25 plan and discuss opportunities for future consumer and community connections

Health Consumers’ Council (HCC) WA and the Consumer and Community Involvement Program (CCIP) are hosting this community conversation for people with experience of cancer – either for themselves, or for a loved one.

In this session, consumer representative Susannah Morris, the HCC WA consumer representative in cancer involved in work relating to the development and now implementation of the WA State Cancer Plan, will give an update on work so far as background for the conversation. Cancer care is delivered in the states and so state plans provide important context that guides care and affects consumer experiences and outcomes. Unlike some other jurisdictions, WA does not have a readily identifiable network of cancer consumers: we are fragmented between our cancer types and our treating locations and so this community conversation provides a space for us to come together.

This will be an opportunity for attendees to discuss their interest in people with experience of cancer in WA connecting with each other in order to influence the scope, design and delivery of health services and health research in relation to cancer and survivorship.

(NB This information session is being hosted independently by HCC and the CCIP to provide an opportunity for people with experience of cancer to connect with each other and learn about work relating to cancer care and services in WA. This is not a Department of Health event.)

This conversation will be held online, via Zoom – details will be sent out in the week before the session.

 

About the organisers

We are (Health Consumers’ Council WA) an independent charity that exists to support and promote consumer, carer and community perspectives in the WA health system.

The Consumer and Community Involvement Program (CCI Program) is an activity of the Western Australian Health Translation Network (WAHTN). The CCI Program (CCIP) supports consumers, community members and researchers to work in partnership to make decisions about health research priorities, policy and practice with the aim of improving health outcomes and ensuring community involvement becomes standard practice.

BACKGROUND: Cancer Care and the WA Cancer Plan, launched 2020

The WA Cancer Plan was released in February 2020 setting out the next five years of strategy in relation to cancer services. This work was undertaken by the WA Department of Health, and the Health Consumers’ Council supported the project through running a community survey and developing consumer videos reflecting consumer patient journey experiences. A summary of survey results is available here. The launch event featured a moving and articulate presentation from Advisory Group member Susannah Morris, who ensured the consumer voice was at the heart of the plan as much as possible.

(An abridged version of Susannah’s speech is in Health Matters (pages 10-11: March 2020 issue) on the Health Consumers’ Council (WA) website, titled “A new plan for cancer
care in WA“)

REGISTER FOR THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION HERE:

https://bit.ly/WA-Cancer-Plan-Community-Conversation-Consumer-Perspectives

(LinkedIn: for Dr Susannah Morris)

Consumer update on Sustainable Health Review workforce recommendations

Posted on July 14, 2022

Sustainable Health Review – update on health workforce issues

The Sustainable Health Review is a wide reaching and ambitious reform program. After an extensive consultation process the Review was published in 2019 and includes 30 recommendations, organised into eight enduring strategies.

Some of the work was paused as the health system responded to the COVID pandemic, but as we move towards living with COVID we’re starting to see action and progress on a number of the recommendations. You can see more about HCC’s involvement in this work at https://www.hconc.org.au/what-we-do/policy-development/sustainable-health-review-consumer-view/

Issues relating to the workforce and culture of the health system were included in the Review, and there are five recommendations that cover these issues.

Find out more about health workforce issues

Health Consumers’ Council hosted a consumer information session to share what we know about work that is happening as part of the Sustainable Health Review on workforce issues.

  • Click here to see the slides from that information session
  • Click here to view the Zoom recording of that information session

Consumers have their say

Health Consumers’ Council hosted two consumer consultations for the Department of Health on one of the recommendations on this topic on 26 July 2022.

Recommendation 26 – Build capability in workforce planning and formally partner with universities, vocational training institutes and professional colleges to shape the skills and curriculum to develop the health and social care workforce of the future.

You can view the post-its that were created as part of these online discussions

Session 1 – focus on regional perspectives

Click the links below to see the dot points for these topics

 

Session 2 – focus on metro perspectives

Click the links below to see the dot points for these topics

 

To be added to a mailing list to be kept informed about this work, contact Clare Mullen clare.mullen@hconc.org.au

(Last updated 29/07/22)

 

Consumer Representative Sundowner

Posted on May 14, 2018

Tuesday 12th June 2018, 5-7.30pm

HCC Invites all Community Advisory Council (CAC)/Consumer Advisory Groups (CAG) members to a sundowner to thank you for your efforts as a consumer representative. CACs/CAGs are an important part of the continuous improvement of the health care system and we believe you should be congratulated!A relaxed, informal event with nibbles and drinks supplied. A great opportunity to meet and share stories with other consumer representatives.

Click here to book