You can make health services healthier

Health Care Consumers’ Association of the ACT Inc

You can make health services healthier

Consumers as Part of the Solution

“It is only by working in partnership with consumers and listening to and learning from their feedback, that it is possible for health services to truly appreciate what constitutes quality, safe health care”

From Listening and Learning Feedback Standards,

ACT Health 2004

You can make health services healthier

HCCA

Community organisation: voice for consumers 30 years

Consumer access to equitable, effective and appropriate health services

Encourage consumers to be involved in all aspects /all levels

Process to ensure broad view and accountability

You can make health services healthier

How does Health Care Consumers’ Association work?

Working with health services to achieve services that are responsive, respectful, accessible and affordable to all

Encouraging direct consumer involvement in health decision making

Lobbying and advocating on behalf of ACT health care consumers

You can make health services healthier

What does Health Care Consumers’ Association do?

HCCA nominates health care consumers for health committees to participate in policy, planning and health decisions that affect health programs

HCCA provides training and support for health care consumer representatives

You can make health services healthier

Why Consumer participation?

o It improves health care services for communities

o Active consumer participation in decision-making in individual care improves health outcomes

o It makes services more responsive to the needs of consumers - patient centred care

You can make health services healthier

Consumer Participation Means

Changing the way we deliver and the way we receive health services.

Active involvement of

consumers at all levels; Development Implementation Evaluation

You can make health services healthier

You can make health services healthier

HCCA blog

You can make health services healthier

Principles for involving consumers

Early as possible Budget for consumer

participation (training, out-of-pocket expenses)

Keep consumers in the loop Effective consumer participation

means change

You can make health services healthier

Strategies for Consumer Organisations

Build opportunities to work with health care organisations

Support and train consumers to participate in service planning

Create opportunities for consumer representatives to tap into community views

You can make health services healthier

Encouraging awareness of risks in health care

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Be an Active Health Care Consumer

Check Your Medicines Guide to Health Care Quality:

How to Know It When You See It Questions to ask your health

professional Navigating the Health Care

System

You can make health services healthier

Patient safety is everybody’s business

You can make health services healthier

You can make health services healthier

http://goodmedicalpractice.org.au/

Guide to Health Care Quality: How to Know It When You See It

You can make health services healthier

Having Surgery? What You Need to Know

Questions to ask your doctor and surgeon to help you and your family understand more about your surgery.

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Finding Information and Support

Next Steps After Your Diagnosis Navigating the Health Care

System Self Help Groups (SHOUT) www.healthinsite.gov.au

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Providing accurate information

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Want to know more ?

Health Care Consumers’ Association ACT

Office at Pearce Community Centre Phone (local) 62901660 Email hcca@hcca.org.au Resources on www.hcca.org.au