Category: Systemic advocacy

Systemic Advocacy Report

Posted on January 27, 2026

Western Australia Health Systemic Advocacy October to December 2025

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities as the Traditional Custodians of the land we work on, specifically the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation, and pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging. Australia always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

Health Consumers’ Council acknowledges the unique insights and strength of those who navigate the complexities of the health system as consumers and thank them for sharing their lived experience and wisdom to help make healthcare fair for everyone.

Contents

Introduction.. 4

Key meetings to promote consumer interests. 4

Submissions. 5

Land Development Inquiry.. 5

Private Health Consultations for Prison Patients. 6

Pregnancy Testing, Management of Pregnancy and Care of Residential Children Policy.. 6

Deaths in Custody Policy.. 7

Presentations. 8

Committees and forums we’ve attended this period.. 9

Key media.. 9

Introduction

Since 1994, Health Consumers’ Council WA has been advocating for the interests of the WA community, health consumers, patients carers, and families when it comes to health and healthcare. That work involves maintaining productive relationships with a wide range of people across health and social care so that consumer interests influence every level of decision making. Much of this work is done on a daily basis behind the scenes. We want to provide our members, friends and stakeholders with a regular update on how we’re amplifying and championing diverse consumer interests to help drive positive change.

This is a new publication for us, and we’d welcome feedback – what is helpful/interesting? What is not?! Let us know by emailing us at engagement@hconc.org.au

Key meetings to promote consumer interests

  • Met with the Network of Consumer Representatives across WA Health Services and discussed the systemic advocacy program with them
  • Attended the launch of the WA Council of Social Services (WACOSS) budget submission and AGM
  • Attended the launch of the Justice Through Our Eyes, 100 Voices for Change report
  • Met with WA Health Department staff to discuss consumer involvement in health infrastructure projects
  • Discussions with WA Health Senior staff on increasing access to individual advocacy
  • Met with WA Health to discuss the contracts in place around hospital parking costs
  • Discussed the refreshed Outpatients Strategy with Department of Health Staff
  • Attended the launch of the St John Ambulance Impact report
  • Attended two meetings with the team from Care Opinion while they were in Perth, and discussed an upcoming event
  • Met with Frank Paolino, member for Mt Lawley, to introduce HCCWA and our work
  • Met with Dan Bull, member for Bayswater, to introduce HCCWA and our work
  • Attended the Behind Bars Beyond Care panel event hosted by the WA Justice Association to hear stories of the prison health system and how it impacts the lives of incarcerated people
  • Attended the Joint Commissioning statewide forum, hosted by the Commonwealth Department of Health, WA Primary Health Alliance, the State Department of Health and the Aboriginal Health Council of WA to discuss opportunities for collaborative commissioning projects across the health sector
  • Quarterly meeting with the Director General of the Department of Health
  • Met with staff from the Department of Health to discuss progress on the consumer involvement on the new Women’s and Babies’ hospital. Raised the issue of affordable parking access among other things.
  • Met with the DOH staff member involved in the management of the state dialysis services contract to discuss contract KPIs and consumer concerns
  • Met with the CEO of the RRR Network – network of Regional, Rural and Remote women, to discuss shared interests and ensure they know how to promote regional interests through HCCWA’s work.

Submissions

Land Development Inquiry

WA Parliament

While this inquiry was initially inspired by the public response to building the motor racing track at Burswood Park, the Terms of Reference were broad and included the ability to discuss planning laws broadly. We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to raise community concerns with key decision-makers, so we grabbed this chance to talk about Fast Food restaurants in planning laws.

We shared the following:

  • Currently there is no consistency in planning laws around the classification of fast food restaurants. Some Local Governments classify them as a “restaurant” while others classify them as “takeaway facility with drive through”.
  • Having a separate category for fast food/junk food venues would allow Local Governments to prevent fast food vendors from operating in certain areas, such as near primary schools.
  • The current categorisation as “restaurant” means that in some locations there are fast food establishments close to schools and close to other restaurants that offer fresh and healthier food options that may be more expensive than fast food.
  • This contributes to children being exposed to fast food advertising, and research tells us that children are heavily influenced in this way, and that exposure to fast food establishments and advertising contribute to unhealthy eating and rising obesity rates.
  • Having a category in planning law specifically for fast food establishments would provide Local Governments with the statutory framework they need to ensure that these establishments are only approved in more appropriate areas, away from schools and away from healthier food options.

Private Health Consultations for Prison Patients

Department of Justice

The Department of Justice Clinical Governance Advisory Group considers policies within the justice system that relate to health care. This policy allows for prisoners to make private Medicare appointments in some circumstances where the services that they require are not available to them in the prison system. The policy focused heavily on the practicalities of making appointments and transporting patients to and from those appointments. We felt that there were some gaps in the policy that needed to be clearer.

We shared the following:

  • There was no indication of what criteria are used when approving requests for private appointments. We recommended that these be clearly stated.
  • There was no clarity around the sort of appointments that might be sought by patients. For example, there might be circumstances where an appointment is available in the justice system but the patient would prefer a specific practitioner, and is able to pay for such an appointment. We asked that the policy make it clear on whether these private appointments do allow patient choice or if they are only to be used for services that are clinically necessary but unavailable in the justice system.
  • We also asked for clarity on what happens when a patient needs treatment that is not available in the justice system but is unable to afford a private appointment.
  • There was no information in the policy about patients appealing a decision made under that policy. We argued that this should be included.

Pregnancy Testing, Management of Pregnancy and Care of Residential Children Policy

Department of Justice

This matter came to our attention when we attended a forum on healthcare in the prison system. We heard a social worker speak who told us that when women who are in the justice system deliver babies who are either pre term or need special care for other reason, they are then separated from those babies for extended periods of time once the mother is well enough to be discharged. The baby remains in the care of the hospital while the mother returns to the prison system and the capacity for the baby and mother to spend time together is heavily restricted. This is a human rights issue, and also surprising in the context of the recent focus on the first 1000 days of the life of a baby.  This policy was not yet scheduled for review by the committee, but we asked to provide some thoughts.

We shared:

  • The current policy that covers pregnancy is missing any information on what happens immediately after the birth of the baby
  • The policy seems to assume that the baby will be well enough to be discharged at the same time as the mother, but even then there is no information given about the expected procedures to follow with where the mother and baby will be accommodated.
  • We asked what arrangements are able to be made and what policy considerations can be put in place for a mother and baby to spend crucial time together when the mother is well enough to be discharged but the baby is not.
  • There are studies that confirm that women in the prison system are more likely to give birth to pre term babies, due to a combination of factors. Given that pre term birth is a specific risk for the population served by this policy, it is important that the policy addressed those circumstances.
  • We also noted that the policy is silent on high risk pregnancies, such as those where a mother needs to on extended bed rest or is at an elevated risk of pre eclampsia.

Deaths in Custody Policy

Department of Justice

The Department of Justice shared their Deaths in Custody policy for feedback. This policy was mostly focused on managing the scene following a death in custody.

We shared:

  • That such a policy should also include information about informing and supporting families following a death in custody
  • We asked if the partner policy which applied to Youth Detention Centres, which we had not viewed, was the policy that covered Unit 18 at Casuarina Prison as well.
  • The policy has a section on what occurs when a patient dies outside of a custodial facility. We asked if this section could also include information about how it is determined if the patient’s status as a prisoner had contributed to their death – for example were restraints used that may have meant that their experience was different to the experience of a patient who is not a prisoner.
  • The policy did not elaborate on the training, resources, capacity and medication available to staff to undertake a full resuscitation, so we were unable to learn from the policy if staff are able to resuscitate a patient or rather continue to provide CPR until an ambulance arrives.

Presentations

The McCusker Centre for Citizenship at UWA runs a program where students undertake internships with organisations as part of a their university studies. We have hosted a number of McCusker interns who have undertaken a variety of projects for us. We were invited to sit on a panel at a McCusker Alumni event to talk about the health system in WA. This was a great opportunity to speak to students who were mostly studying degrees in health and to help them understand the health sector through a consumer lens. We discussed workforce issues in rural and remote areas, health rights, preventative health and programs that help people stay well, in their communities and out of hospital. We talked about how your postcode can influence how healthy you are and how long you live. For some of these students this was a whole new experience and a new lens through which to understand their chosen field of study.

Committees and forums we’ve attended this period

  • Monthly meetings with Systemic Health Advisory Collective – a group of systemic health and policy staff from WA Based consumer organisations in the Mental Health space.
  • Monthly Fair Food WA https://www.wacoss.org.au/projects/fair-food-wa/
  • Dental Workforce working group
  • Goals of patient care working group
  • State Oral Health Advisory Group
  • Consumer Health Forum members policy network
  • Collaborative Commissioning Project – looking at opportunities to connect commissioning between Federal and State Governments
  • Patient Related Outcome Measures (PROMs) and Patient Related Experience Measures (PREMs) working group
  • Attended the Preventative Health and Positive Ageing Summit
  • WA Peaks Forum
  • WA Clinical Senate
  • The Australian New Zealand Obesity Society Conference
  • Workshop on General Practice Provision in Rural and Remote areas
  • WA Health Safety and Quality Summit
  • International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare
  • WA Aged Care Collaboration Group     

Key media

  • Interview with Seven West media about the HaDSCO Annual Report data – highlighting the limitations of the health complaints process, and the role that independent advocates play to support consumers
  • Interview with Choice Magazine on issues around early release of superannuation and upfront payments for costly dental treatment
  • ABC Perth Radio and ABC news – interview on the State Government’s $1.5 billion investment in hospital infrastructure, welcoming the investment and reiterating the need for investment in preventative health.

For further information about this report please contact Health Consumers Council WA on 08 9221 3422 or info@hconc.og.au

Health Consumers’ Council WA calls for urgent action to address GP access and affordability in WA

Posted on January 12, 2026

MEDIA RELEASE
12 January 2026

Health Consumers’ Council WA calls for urgent action to address GP access and affordability in WA

The latest Cleanbill Blue Report reveals a mixed picture for Western Australians seeking GP care. While the national rate of fully bulk billing clinics has doubled to 40.2%, Western Australia lags far behind at just 19.8%, the second-lowest rate in the country. At the same time, out-of-pocket costs for those not bulk billed have risen to an average of $46.63, up nearly 10% from last year.

Health Consumers’ Council WA Executive Director Clare Mullen said these figures highlight a growing equity gap in primary care access across the state.

“Western Australians deserve timely, affordable healthcare, yet these findings show that too many people are still facing significant barriers. Bulk billing remains the exception rather than the norm in WA, and rising costs risk pushing care out of reach for those who need it most.”

The report also notes a national trend of GP clinic closures and consolidations, raising concerns about future availability of services in regional and remote WA.

“Consumers tell us every day about the stress and hardship caused by limited access to GPs. We need urgent, coordinated action to ensure that incentives translate into real improvements for WA communities—not just on paper.”

Health Consumers’ Council WA is calling for:

  • Greater transparency on GP pricing and availability.
  • Targeted support for clinics in WA to adopt bulk billing practices.
  • Consumer voices at the centre of policy decisions to ensure reforms meet community needs.

As an independent organisation advocating for health equity, HCCWA will continue to amplify consumer experiences and push for solutions that make healthcare accessible for all Western Australians.

ENDS

Media enquiries: 0488 701 839 | info@hconc.org.au

Bronwyn Ife  |  Systemic Advocacy and Engagement Lead

Clare Mullen | Executive Director

Working together to keep Western Australians healthy

Posted on January 7, 2026

From the desk of HCCWA Executive Director, Clare Mullen

HCCWA x Healthway

Today I caught up with Carina Tan-Van Baren, Executive Director of Healthway. Healthway plays a vital role in keeping Western Australians healthy by investing in prevention, community wellbeing, and health promotion.

Our conversation focused on the role of health consumers and community members in shaping Healthway’s future work. As with all parts of the health system, we discussed the importance of consumer involvement at every level of decision-making — including at board level.

We chatted about opportunities to strengthen grassroots, community-led prevention, including Compassionate Communities, “staying in place” initiatives, and other place-based approaches that support people to live well where they are. We also discussed the potential for prevention work in Western Australia to place a stronger focus on preventing and addressing the impact of adverse childhood experiences.

It was also a chance for us to share the work we’ve has been doing since 2018 — supported by WA Health and WAPHA — on The WELL Collaborative.

Strategies for Action from the WA Healthy Weight Action Plan: “a community that supports maintaining a healthy life”

This is WA’s innovative approach to bringing together people with lived experience with academics and health practitioners to help shape policy and system change to achieve the vision of the WA Healthy Weight Action Plan: “a community that supports maintaining a healthy life”

It was a very productive conversation about the opportunities for lived experience perspectives to be front and centre when thinking about health promotion. We’ve agreed to keep meeting regularly over the coming year — so watch this space.

16 Days in WA – Working to stop violence against Women

Posted on November 27, 2025

November 27, 2025

We are currently in the middle of 16 Days in WA 16 Days in WA –  an event that runs from between the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November to World Human Rights Day on 10 December. Family and Domestic Violence is a key Social Determinant of Health, and the majority of people who experience this violence are women, with 2 in 5 women experiencing violence since the age of 15 and one women killed every 9 days by a current or former partner.

The gendered drivers of violence that create the conditions for Family and Domestic Violence to occur have been identified by Our Watch https://www.ourwatch.org.au/link-between-gender-inequality-and-violence and include :

  • condoning of violence against women
  • men’s control of decision-making and limits to women’s independence
  • rigid gender stereotyping
  • cultures of masculinity that emphasise aggression, dominance and control

The impact of gendered violence is devastating and far reaching. As well as being a leading cause of homelessness for women, intimate partner violence contributes to more death, disability and illness in women aged 25 to 44 than any other preventable risk factor. 

The impact of violence against women is seen in workplaces as it affects staff retention, absenteeism, productivity and morale.  Violence against women in Australia is believed to cost Australia $21.7 billion each year.

We can all play our part in helping stop violence against women. The 16 Days in WA website has shared some here  16 Days in WA – 16 ways to play your part in stopping family and domestic violence.

When we attended the WA Health Awards on 25 November, we were thrilled to see the recognition given to the program at North Metropolitan Health Service for Clinical Awareness and Response Enhancement for Family and Domestic Violence. This initiative was co-designed with victim-survivors and introduced ED-specific clinical pathways, confidential disclosure processes, and a multidisciplinary education program. This has led to a 68% increase in victim-survivors engaging with safety planning and social work. It also improved medical documentation and enhanced the overall care experience for those affected by Family and Domestic Violence.

At HCCWA we are committed to anything that improves the health and wellbeing of our community. Tackling the gendered drivers of violence, and addressing violence against women are key steps to contribute to a safer, healthier community.

HCCWA welcomes hospital investment, continues call for action to keep WA healthier for longer

Posted on November 7, 2025

Clare Mullen speaks about the Healthcare Consumers' Council

Health Consumers’ Council WA (HCCWA) welcomes today’s announcement by the WA Government of increased investment in hospital capacity, recognising it as an important step in responding to the current demand for hospital care.

HCCWA Executive Director Clare Mullen said the investment would be reassuring for people struggling to access timely care, and emphasised that the ultimate goal must be a healthier population that requires less hospital care in the first place.

“Every Western Australian deserves access to high-quality hospital care when they need it —but a truly sustainable health system keeps people healthy and supported before they reach crisis point,” Ms Mullen said.

“No one wants to need hospital care. Ill-health need not be inevitable. To reduce pressure on hospitals, we need to invest just as strongly in prevention, early intervention, and the social conditions that keep people well.”

Ms Mullen said consumers consistently raise concerns about the difficulty of accessing affordable and timely primary and community care and early intervention with health issues —particularly for people living with or at risk of chronic conditions, or in regional and remote areas.

“When there is a lack of early intervention programs, or people can’t access the right care at the right time, health problems escalate and hospital admissions become inevitable,” she said.

“It’s a relief to see hospital expansion to ease the current pressure on services. But without strong community-based options, as well as targeted investment in preventative health activities, the demand for acute care will keep rising.”

“Western Australians want to see a system that supports health, as well as one that treats illness — one that helps people to stay well, connected and supported in their communities.”

HCCWA is calling for a balanced approach that includes:

  • Long-term investment in early intervention and preventive health programs,
  • Better funding for community-based and multidisciplinary care, and
  • policies that address the social and economic drivers of poor health.

“This is a welcome and necessary investment in hospital capacity. And we look forward to partnering with WA Health to ensure consumers and community members are actively involved in shaping these important infrastructure projects,” Ms Mullen said. “And if we want fewer people needing hospital care, we must also invest in prevention.”

Perth, Western Australia — 06/11/25

For further information or media requests: 

Clare Mullen  |  Executive Director
0488 701839
clare.mullen@hconc.org.au

Consumer Voices Drive Change: A Win Against Predatory Dental Practices in WA

Posted on October 26, 2025

Joint AHPRA and ATO Statement Targets Predatory Dental Payment Practices

We’ve seen time and again that consumers speaking up can drive change, and last week was no exception. Consumers who have been impacted by poor practices by WA dentists have collaborated with HCC and together we are we are making changes.  

We celebrated a victory last week when APHRA and the ATO issued a very strong joint statement on the worrying misuse and overuse of the compassionate release of superannuation to pay for dental treatment. The agencies gave strong guidance to practitioners on the limited circumstances in which it is appropriate to use such payment methods and also undertook to investigate practitioners who they believe are using this system inappropriately. 

Unlike previous statements on this topic, which were framed as partly a caution to patients, this statement places the responsibility squarely with practitioners and with third party agents who may assist in completing applications for early release of super. We welcome this change in approach, and we are really pleased that these regulators have listened to consumers and to our advocacy in framing this message. 

We heard about this issue earlier this year, following the death of a dental practitioner who had taken substantial advance payments from patients for expensive dental treatment, but had passed away before delivering the treatment.  

In our research, we found a worrying number of practitioners who include in their advertising materials information that encourages people to withdraw their superannuation to pay for treatment. Some of this advertising appeared predatory and was often included incorrect information.  

After advocacy from us, in partnership with consumers and pressure from the media, there was a press release from AHPRA in late May which expressed concern about the increase in using superannuation to pay for treatment, and a great checklist of red flags for consumers. This was a pleasing start, but we continued our advocacy, as we were concerned that the messaging from regulatory bodies around this practice was not strong enough.  

The statement issued on 16 October is strong. It speaks of inaccurate statements being made by practitioners on forms supporting the release of superannuation, and of the penalties that people will face for making such statements. The consumers who have been left stranded are continuing their fight for justice through legal avenues, the media, and complaints processes. We are continuing to work with Consumer Protection, AHPRA and Choice Australia to explore avenues to protect consumers in future.   

 

Bronwyn Ife  |  Systemic Advocacy and Engagement Lead

Media enquiries: 0488 701 839 | info@hconc.org.au

Dental issues, quality and cost – update on advocacy Oct 2025

Posted on October 1, 2025

This year many of us have been shocked by news reports of consumers having paid up front for extensive and costly dental treatment (often implants) and then before the work is completed their practitioner has stopped practicing, died or been deregistered, leaving consumers out of pocket, in pain and with nowhere to turn.

Making this more devastating, a number of consumers have withdrawn a substantial sum of money from their superannuation to afford the up-front cost for treatment. With the treatment being left unfinished they are left high and dry, and out of pocket.

What we heard

When these issues came to our attention – raised by consumers directly to our individual advocacy service, and through the media coverage in The Sunday Times – we looked into what had gone wrong and we found:

  • High costs of dental treatment meaning people need to request access to their Super to help cover the cost
  • Practitioners requiring payment upfront but those payments not always being protected or returned to consumers if practitioners are unable to complete the work
  • The system that’s supposed to protect consumers having a number of gaps:
    • Predatory advertising of costly dental treatment and encouragement to access Super without financial advice being promoted via social media with highly emotive imagery
    • Limitations of information being provided to consumers to enable them to make truly informed consent and being clear about the future impact of accessing Super to pay for treatment
    • The request for Compassionate Release of Super being signed off by the same health practitioner who will be benefit financially from that request. In many cases, this may not be a cause for concern. However, it allows for unscrupulous practitioners to encourage the transfer of funds from  someone’s future financial security, to their own income with little/few checks and balances to ensure fully informed consent.
  • Quality issues – people paying for expensive treatment and then learning their treatment was not of the expected standard
  • Practitioners with a history of concerning practice being able to continue to practice – and information not being available to consumers about past history

What we’ve done so far

It’s clear that the regulation and protection of consumer rights in the area of dental treatment is ripe for reform. Some of the gaps in protection for consumers will take a long time to resolve.

Having collected information about people’s experiences and identified the gaps in consumer protection, we’ve reached out to a number of the agencies that can play a role in addressing these. These include:

  • The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the Australian Dental Board
  • The WA Chief Dental Officer
  • The WA branch of the Australian Dental Association
  • The WA Commissioner for Consumer Protection
  • CHOICE, the national consumer advocacy group

We also reached out through our networks to find out about other consumer concerns on this area. Using that feedback, we’ve contributed to a number of media articles and raised consumer concerns regularly and consistently, as well as speaking up on consumer perspectives at this year’s Dental Board conference. We are making these points:

  • people making the decision to access Super to pay for dental treatment need to be provided with clear information about what they are paying – $10,000 today may actually be worth a lot more if it had been left to accumulate interest in your Super fund
  • if someone is paying up front for treatment, those funds should be held in a trust account – similar to when you pay a deposit for a rental property – that can’t be accessed by the health professional until the work has been completed
  • that regulators – like Ahpra – need to put the interests of consumers front and centre when designing and applying systems of regulation. And acknowledge that financial harm is a risk to consumers, and that regulation systems need to protect against that alongside health harm.

About compassionate release of super

The early release of superannuation – known as Compassionate Release of Super – is meant to only be used if other funding options such as savings or a loan are not available. It’s a last resort mechanism that’s in place to enable people to pay for  essential treatment that cannot be paid for any other way to:

  • treat a life-threatening illness or injury
  • alleviate acute or chronic pain
  • alleviate acute or chronic mental illness.

We are not arguing that the ability to access superannuation for compassionate reasons should cease. We are calling for some tighter checks and scrutiny to ensure that the release is only available when the treatment does meet the above criteria. And that consumers understand the full implications of accessing their funds this way.

The data that the Australian Tax Office provides is alarming.  A majority of superannuation released for compassionate grounds is being spent on medical care, with $1 billion released for medical treatment in 2023-24.

The largest category for medical release of superannuation is dentistry, with $526 million of the above $1 billion being released to pay for dental treatment. This has increased from $66 million in 2018-19, a nearly 700% increase in six years.

Many practices include references to accessing superannuation on their websites when they are referring to payment options. Some others mention accessing superannuation on the front page of their website and some even include it in their online advertising that is pushed as sponsored posts on social media and other websites. We have also seen the emergence of businesses who can complete your superannuation paperwork for you and help you access your super. These are not medical practices but rather an agency who charges patients to help them complete a fairly simple form, and can refer people to their “partner” practitioners if they are having a hard time getting a dentist to sign off on the release of superannuation.

We hope that the ATO can use their data to identify and track practitioners who are the recipients of a larger than usual proportion of superannuation releases and take appropriate actions to ensure that any unusual charging practices are closely scrutinised.

If you have concerns about the financial practices of a health practitioner, you can submit a notification to Ahpra at https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Notifications/Concerned-about-a-health-practitioner.aspx

Registration of practitioners who have a history of disciplinary issues

It became clear that one of the practitioners who had attracted media attention had previously been deregistered in another country. We have raised this with AHPRA as it was unclear to us how this practitioner came to be registered in Australia. While we were unable to obtain specific detail about an individual dentist we did have extensive discussions on this topic and are hopeful that AHPRA will in the future be approaching such registrations in a different way.

Where to next?

Sadly, many of the patients who have been left out of pocket with unfinished work by David Hurst are still stranded. We are aware that a class action has commenced and we hope that this process is helpful for those consumers.

We will be continuing our advocacy with the agencies outlined above to advocate for long-term systemic change. We will continue to share updates through our e-news.

If you have any comments on any of this, please reach out to us at info@hconc.org.au

 

 

Dental costs in WA. Consumer FAQ

Updated October 2025. Health Consumers’ Council WA.

Why are we talking about dental costs

Some people in WA paid large sums upfront for dental work. When a dentist stopped practising or was deregistered, the work was left unfinished. Patients lost money and often had health impacts.

Why do people use their superannuation for dental

Dental care is expensive. Many cannot afford it. Some dentists and third party services promote using superannuation as a payment option.

What is the risk

  • If treatment is not finished, your money may be lost.
  • Upfront payments are rarely protected.
  • Some dentists continue working despite past problems.
  • Advertising can be misleading about cost and outcomes.

How much superannuation is being used

In 2023 to 2024 Australians accessed 1 billion dollars through compassionate release of superannuation. Dentistry accounted for 526 million dollars, up from 66 million dollars in 2018 to 2019.

What should I do if I am considering dental work

  • Ask for a written cost estimate with item codes and timeframes.
  • Avoid paying the full cost upfront. Request staged payments.
  • Check the dentist’s registration on AHPRA and the Dental Board.
  • Be cautious of advertising that pushes superannuation access.
  • Contact HCCWA if you are unsure of your rights.

What is HCCWA doing

  • Collecting consumer stories and evidence.
  • Raising issues with AHPRA, the Dental Board, WA Chief Dental Officer, ADA WA, and Consumer Protection WA.
  • Partnering with consumer groups.
  • Pushing for protection of upfront payments and clearer disclosures.

Need advice

Contact Health Consumers’ Council WA. Visit hconc.org.au or call 08 9221 3422.

We reiterate our unflinching support for everyone in our community

Posted on September 4, 2025

It can be hard to find the right words to acknowledge the events of last weekend. The images of some people in our community expressing hatred and violence towards others based on race or immigration status, have been deeply distressing.

We know that racism has a big impact on people’s health and wellbeing — not only through the direct mental health harm of experiencing or witnessing it, but also due to systemic racism within our healthcare system and structures that make it more difficult to access care.

At Health Consumers’ Council WA, we reiterate our unflinching support for everyone in our community — including refugees, migrants, and the traditional and ongoing custodians of this land: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We stand alongside you as allies in the fight against prejudice and discrimination.

One way we contribute to breaking down barriers in health and healthcare is by championing the voices of people from a wide range of backgrounds — ensuring their perspectives are included in how health services are designed, delivered, and evaluated. Another way is offering the opportunity to people to learn to craft your own meaningful Acknowledgment of Country. We regularly host workshops as part of our contribution to reconciliation, supporting people to grow their confidence to play their part through this important ritual.

Alongside these broader reflections, the health system itself remains under intense pressure. Recently, staff from the Department of Health presented their plans for expanding access to the Hospital in the Home program. This ambitious plan will create capacity equivalent to a medium-sized hospital by July next year. Consumer feedback was positive, while noting the importance of ensuring that the role and needs of carers were considered. But everyone could see the benefits of receiving hospital-level care at home, supported 24/7 by clinical teams. If you or a loved one need hospital care, don’t forget to ask your treating team whether Hospital in the Home might be an option.

As you know, at HCC we regularly speak up about the community’s calls for greater investment in preventative health. This past fortnight, I had the opportunity to join the Australian Dental Board Conference for a panel on Profit-driven vs patient-centred dental care. I highlighted the urgent need for better access to affordable dental care, reminding participants that preventable dental conditions are the leading cause of hospitalisations for children requiring a general anaesthetic, and account for nearly a quarter of all potentially preventable hospitalisations in Australia. Serious investment in preventative health must include dental care. I also called for better regulation to protect the health and financial interests of health consumers when accessing dental care. We continue to advocate on this issue – and will provide further updates in coming weeks and months.

 

Finally, we recently hosted a forum last week bringing together consumer leaders and health system staff to explore how we can strengthen and expand consumer leadership in WA. It was a warm, constructive conversation that left me hopeful we will continue to build on the excellent work already underway.

Thank you, as always, for the many ways you each contribute to advocating for and shaping a stronger, fairer, more people-centred healthcare system.

Until next time,
Clare Mullen
Executive Director, Health Consumers’ Council WA

The Productivity Commission has released an Interim Report into delivering health care more efficiently

Posted on August 18, 2025

Productivity Commission report on delivering quality care

The Productivity Commission has released an Interim Report into delivering health care more efficiently. While the words “efficient” and “productivity” often spark fear as they may suggest that important things might be delivered more cheaply, this report is taking a different perspective. This time the Commission is examining how some key parts of the health system might be considered differently. We welcome all opportunities to contribute to such as we believe that applying a new lens to the way things are done can lead to better outcomes for consumers.

The areas being examined are:

  • Reform of safety and quality regulations – without sacrificing the important outcomes of safety and quality, making the safety and quality registration and regulation process less repetitious and more efficient.
  • Embedding co commissioning across the health system – finding ways that the different parts of the health system can collaborate and work together to improve integration and remove repetition.
  • Government investment in preventative health – examining how wide a lens to apply to preventative health, and acknowledging that the cost “savings” from preventative health are not seen in the short term, but over the course of decades.

HCCWA contributed to this interim report and are pleased to see that the interim report now continues to progress towards recommendations that would see some interesting changes in the health sector. We’ll be providing further feedback on this interim report and we welcome input from anyone in our networks who would like to share their views.

Bronwyn Ife  |  Systemic Advocacy and Engagement Lead

Media enquiries: 0488 701 839 | info@hconc.org.au

Housing as a health issue: Homelessness Week

Posted on August 4, 2025

As we head into Homelessness Week, we are all acutely aware of the housing crisis in Western Australia.

Recent research from Curtin University shows the depths of this crisis, with increasing numbers of people finding it hard to afford a home and over 40% of people who live in unaffordable housing experiencing poor physical or mental health. The report also tells us that homelessness in WA has risen 8% since 2016 and that the waiting list for social housing has grown to over 20 000. There are 6300 people who are considered to be of the highest priority of needs waiting for a home.

Sometimes we assume that all people experiencing homelessness are street present or “rough sleepers”. In fact, this is often not the case with many people (particularly women) who experience homelessness choosing to stay with family or friends, sleeping in their cars or staying in short term accommodation, which means they are often not visible and also underrepresented in data.

There is no debate that homelessness causes poor health with people who experience homeless experiencing much higher rates of mental health issues, stress and suicide. In addition to this, people who do not have a home tend not to access preventative health care, so their health needs are not addressed early and rapidly become more serious health concerns.

What often happens is that people who experience homelessness seek care at emergency departments of tertiary hospitals and their stay is often longer at these hospitals because there is no safe place for them to go upon discharge. The cost to the health system in treating and accommodating people who experience homelessness is considerable. In a recent study in Western Australia it was identified that over $400 000 was saved in the health system in 12 months by just three patients being placed in appropriate, safe, permanent accommodation. Hospital attendance and hospital admissions reduce significantly once housing needs are met, particularly if those housing needs include wrap around services such as integrated primary health care providers.

Of course we believe that safe, secure and permanent housing should be provided to everyone simply because it’s the right thing to do, for their physical and emotional wellbeing. However, we are aware that often times there needs to be an economic argument as well as a compassionate one, and well-designed social housing using Housing First principles seems to us to tick both boxes.

Photo by Gary Steadman of a reported bag

Photo by Gary Steadman of a reported bag from his LinkedIn post: “Thank you for bringing my living room to my attention.”

Housing First projects argue that housing should be provided first, rather than requiring people to meet a set of criteria before being provided with accommodation. This is a key change in the way homelessness is understood and managed, as it recognises that once someone has a home and appropriate support services nearby, it is much easier to transition into a situation where people may be able to seek work or otherwise make changes that allow less social isolation. Housing First principles make provision of housing a priority, while allowing the clients to access support services without conditions attached. The principles also eliminate the complexity of deciding who is more “worthy” of public housing, and rather just understands that housing is a human right and a health issue.

We are pleased to see some Housing First project progressing in the inner city of Perth and in Mandurah and some funding in the budget for further projects. While these projects are being built, however, we still see many street present people in our neighbourhoods, and this cold, wet weather makes us all acutely aware of how challenging and distressing this must be. We welcome initiatives like the Orange Sky mobile laundry and the Brollie Brigade who provide free mobile hot showers, haircuts and hygiene services, along with Street doctor services. These organisations work tirelessly on the front line of service provision for street present people.

We are still heartbroken though to hear stories of local government rangers removing or threatening to remove the possessions of street present people, as was highlighted recently on LinkedIn or the callous approach some local governments take to move on people who are sleeping in their vehicles or on the streets.

We consider homelessness to be a health issue, as well as a social one, and we welcome the appointment of a Minister for Preventative Health. We hope this preventative health lens takes a wide look at the social determinants of health, including housing, to ensure that housing programs continue to be a high priority for this government.

Bronwyn Ife  |  Systemic Advocacy and Engagement Lead

Media enquiries: 0488 701 839 | info@hconc.org.au