The newsletter of the Health Care Consumers’ Association Inc.
Volume 11 / Issue 22 / 22 May 2025

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A Big thank you again to all who attended our AGM in November!

In 2023 HCCA engaged Collective Action to undertake an impact evaluation to help HCCA demonstrate its contribution to building a consumer-centred health system in the ACT that provides safe, accessible, and high-quality health care. This was part of the HCCA Monitoring and Evaluation program.

It can be difficult to demonstrate the contribution of organisations like HCCA that work to improve whole systems rather than individual services. Systems-level change doesn’t happen in a straightforward way; it is influenced by a range of interconnected factors, it can take time to emerge, and it’s achieved through the collective efforts of many people and organisations.  

The Executive Committee decided it was important to try and work through these challenges and demonstrate that HCCA contributed to significant improvements in health care in the ACT over the 2021–2024 Strategic Plan. 

Collective Action used a range of methods to collect evidence demonstrating how HCCA contributes to systemic changes in the health system, and how these systemic changes contribute to improvements in health care

The report includes 14 case studies that document examples where HCCA contributed to systemic changes in the health system. These case studies are mapped against a systems change model to demonstrate how these systemic changes contributed to improvements in health care. 

Copies of the report are available on the HCCA website.

You may have heard about the commissioning process that the ACT Government are going through to fund health and social care services. There is a website that sets out the Commissioning process, the benefits of this type of designing, funding, and delivering services.
The Sexually Transmissible Infections and Blood Borne Viruses (STIBBV) Services Commissioning grant opportunity opened in December 2023, providing up to $2.884 million annually to NGOs providing STIBBV services for a minimum of seven years across the following categories:

• Clinical services
• Prevention and harm reduction
• Support and advocacy
• Health promotion and education
• Community development and engagement
• Workforce training and development and clinical practice support

The successful organisations, including funding amounts for each service provider, are now available on the Commissioning website.

The Capital Health Network also uses a commissioning process to fund services. An important part of this process is preparing a Needs Assessment in order to understand current and likely future needs of the local population.

The HCCA project on Integrated Care has been used in the development of the Assessment, as has the work we did to identify the primary care needs of the ACT multicultural communities.

The latest Needs Assessment for 2024-2027 has been released and is on the Capital Health Network website.

Darlene Cox
Executive Director

In this Issue

• Upcoming HCCA Events
• Infrastructure Update
• Policy and Research Update
• Health Literacy Update
• Chronic Conditions Network Update
• Consumer Involvement and Representative Opportunities
• Items of Interest

Policy and Research Update

On 26 November, Linda Trompf, Karin Calford and Kathryn Briant attended a launch at Parliament House. The launch was for the Coalition on Preventative Health Care Funding. The Coalition is calling on Parliament to invest more in Australia’s preventative health. HCCA has joined this coalition, along with almost 20 other consumer health organisations. It has been set up by Consumers Health Forum. For more information: Launch of Coalition for Preventative Health Funding | Consumers Health Forum of Australia

Michiko Dowling (Hepatitis ACT), Kathryn Briant, Linda Trompf and Karin Calford

On 19 November, several HCCA staff joined the online National Medicines Symposium. The symposium was hosted by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. The focus was on improving the safe and appropriate use of medicines in an ageing population.

The symposium highlighted the importance of:

• tailoring medication plans to meet the needs of older adults,
• reducing the use of high-risk medications through evidence-based deprescribing, and
• using digital tools to support safer prescribing.

These strategies aim to keep older Australians healthier and reduce harm from medicines. Watch recordings of symposium sessions at:

• National Medicines Symposium 2024 - Session 1 & 2 and
• National Medicines Symposium 2024 - Session 3

The Canberra Health Services Division of Mental Health, Justice Health, and Alcohol & Drug Services is reviewing the Justice Health Services Model of Service.

If you would like to see a copy of the Model of Service and provide feedback please contact Stephen at [email protected] or telephone (02) 6230 7800 by Wednesday 18 December.

Canberra Health Services is reviewing their Clinical Incident Management Procedure (“the Procedure”). The Procedure covers clinical incidents that could or did lead to unintended harm resulting from health care provision. The Procedure outlines what staff must due when a clinical incident occurs including “near misses”.

If you would like to see a copy of the Procedure and provide input please contact Stephen at [email protected] or telephone (02) 6230 7800 by Wednesday 18 December.

Canberra Health Services is reviewing their Intimate Body Care and/or Examination Procedure (“the Procedure”).

The Procedure ensures that consent to examination is agreed with consumers and the examination is undertaking in a sensitive manner with a witness/chaperone and/or support person present. The Procedure applies to adults and children.

If you would like to see a copy of the Procedure and provide input please contact Jessica at [email protected] or telephone (02) 6230 7800 by Monday 6 January 2025.

The Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee is inviting submissions on the draft Health Legislation Amendment (Modernising My Health Record Sharing by Default) Bill 2024 (“the Bill”).

The Bill will require health care providers to share health information to consumers’ My Health Records by default unless:

• a consumer does not wish it to be shared;
• matching criteria of the consumers is not satisfied; and
• clinical concern about the consumer’s health, wellbeing and/or safety.

Consumers will continue to have control over who can access and view their My Health Record.

You can read the Explanatory Memorandum on the Bill here.

If you would like to provide input to HCCA’s submission on the Bill please contact Stephen on [email protected] or telephone (02) 6230 7800 by Monday 6 January 2025.

— the Policy and Research team
(Jess, Stephen, and Shivana)

Health Literacy Update

This fortnight, C and Pene delivered two sessions for Women with Disabilities ACT’s Our Autonomy project on ‘Navigating the Health System and Self-Advocacy’. These sessions shared information about services available in the Canberra region, heath care rights and how to get the most out of your appointment.

C presented at National Disability Services’ Quarterly Forum on the Disability and Health Literacy project, our health literacy presentations and resources that disability services providers may share with their clients.

To finish off the fortnight, Ivapene attended a dinner to celebrate the successful completion of the Active Beginnings Program. It was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the project achievements and acknowledge the wonderful contributions from the team.

Active Beginnings was an activity program designed for multicultural women, by multicultural women. The project was a collaboration between the University of Canberra, Multicultural Hub Canberra and HCCA.

— the Health Literacy team
(C and Ivapene)

T25 Clinic is a free, nurse-led health and wellbeing service for people aged 15-25. This clinic is safe, non-judgmental and confidential for young people seeking help for health issues, alcohol and other drug use, mental health and social support. They visit youth centres at Woden, Queanbeyan and Lanyon throughout the week. Days and times are available on their website.

They now offer a service tailored for LGBTQIA+ young people at Meridian on Mondays.

Chronic Conditions Network Update

The CCN had our final catch-up of the year on the 27th of November. At this meeting we heard from network members about their 'wins' throughout 2024 over some lunch. It was great to take the time to hear about some of the great things members have achieved this year. There were some familiar faces as well as network members we hadn't yet seen in person, making it another good opportunity to build connections between community workers and organisations. We also heard from members about their priorities for 2025 and have started planning presentations and meet ups for next year already. Thanks to those who came along to reflect on what has happened for network members in 2024 and get insight to shape the CCN for 2025!

— Michelle
(Chronic Conditions Network Coordinator)

Items of Interest

In the November 2024 issue of The Health Advocate, you can read about the HEAL Network on climate action in healthcare, with strategies to reduce carbon footprints and build sustainable health systems. There is also an article which discusses co-developing solutions for chronic respiratory conditions with consumers.

The Summer 2024-25 Edition of the Canberra Disability Review is out now and can be found at www.advocacyforinclusion.org/cdr/

This Edition features the beautiful photographic art of Sue Jo Wright on our cover. In Sue’s words the art piece, Weight, “reveals the daily struggles of the Deaf community, who face limited awareness and a constant need to adapt.”

Examples of what the review includes are...

• an article from Autistic writer and PhD candidate, Elena Filipczyk, that examines the experience of meeting with NDIS planners and shines a light on gender bias in the process.
• an interview with University of Sydney academic Emily Gosden-Kaye that looks at the NDIS through a feminist lens.
• A look into the history of disability activism in Australia.

The authors hope you enjoy this edition of the review and wish you all the best for the year to come.

**FREE interpreter services available over the phone via the Australian Government’s Translation and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450**

© 2024 Health Care Consumers' Association Inc, All rights reserved. Edited by Darlene Cox.

Our phone number is:
02 6230 7800

Consumer Bites is the newsletter of the Health Care Consumers' Association. Consumer Bites provides a small snippet of health related articles our members might find interesting to consider and analyse. The HCCA does not endorse any opinions or the claims contained within the articles.

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