The newsletter of the Health Care Consumers’ Association Inc.
Volume 12 / Issue 01 / 22 February 2025

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As we welcome 2025, HCCA is proud to continue working alongside consumers and community organisations to improve health outcomes for our ACT community.

Voluntary assisted dying will be available in the ACT to eligible people from 3 November 2025. Several consultation and advisory groups have been formed by ACT Health Directorate to give expertise and feedback on key voluntary assisted dying service deliverables. HCCA was invited to co-chair the advisory group to develop the community and consumer communication materials. This group has been working since November 2024. Members of the group represent a variety of community, consumer and non-government perspective to support the development of materials to support the implementation of voluntary assisted dying in the ACT. Jessica Lamb is the HCCA representative on this advisory group and will be coordinating our responses. I have the pleasure of chairing the group. 

The work program will increase in the coming weeks. We know this is an important service to get right. We have had strong interest from a range of members. If you are interested in helping us to get the materials correct, then please contact the HCCA office so we make sure to include you in any work.

We’re excited to host our first Members’ Forum of the year! This event provides an opportunity for members to meet one another, engage with HCCA staff, and learn about the latest developments in healthcare.

This forum will feature Dave Peffer, Canberra Health Services CEO, who will update us on the current and planned work to improve health services. HCCA will also provide updates on plans for 2025.

Enjoy lunch and a chance to network with fellow members. Attendance is by invite only. Spots are limited, so be sure to secure a ticket as soon as possible. We look forward to seeing you there!

This February marks 10 years that Kate has been with HCCA. Kate started working as a Project Officer on the Consumer Representatives Program in February 2015 and has held many positions over the years. We are grateful for the contributions and knowledge Kate has brought into the organisation. We are deeply grateful for Kate’s incredible work and are excited to celebrate her achievements. Here’s to 10 amazing years and many more to come! Thank you, Kate, for your dedication and impact. HCCA is lucky to have you!

HCCA is doing a survey and interviews with people with disability and their carers about how to improve health information and communication in the ACT as part of our Disability and Health Literacy Project. We want to hear about:

• how you find and use information about health
• your experiences of communication in health care
• what would make it easier for you to get the information you need.

Your thoughts will help us research ways to improve health care in the ACT. To take part you need to be:

• aged over 18
• a person with disability or caring for a person with disability
• have used health services in the ACT in the past 2 years

Click here to do the survey online (it will take 30-45 minutes) or email us at [email protected] or call 02 6230 7800 to book a time to do the survey over the phone or in-person.

Our office now hosts a Pharmacycle blister pack recycling bin, making it easier to reduce your environmental footprint.

Blister packs, commonly used for packaging medications, are difficult to recycle due to their combination of plastic and aluminium materials. Through Pharmacycle’s recycling program, these materials can now be processed sustainably, preventing them from ending up in landfill.

If you have empty used medication blister packs at home, simply bring them to the HCCA office and drop them in the Pharmacycle bin. We can only take empty packets. Unused medication should be returned to your pharmacy for destruction. 

This small action contributes to a greener planet.

For more information on the Pharmacycle initiative, visit https://www.pharmacycle.com.au/.

Drop by and recycle with us today!

Darlene Cox
Executive Director

In this Issue

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

Upcoming HCCA Events

Thursday, 27 February, 10:30am – 12pm
Online via Zoom

It can be hard to find health information online that is safe and reliable. There are many websites claiming to share information that will help improve your health or even ‘cure’ serious health conditions. It’s important to know how to spot a website that might be misleading you and how to double check health claims online.

In this online session, we will discuss:

• What to look for when searching for health information
• Warning signs of misleading websites and links
• How to check health information from searches, social media and news
• Some known trusted websites for health information

Policy and Research Update

The HCCA Policy team have hit the ground running in 2025. We have been busy providing feedback on a range of health service policies, procedures and models of care. We welcome your input to our work and will share opportunities for you to provide feedback in Consumer Bites. We look forward to working with you to provide important consumer insights to our health services and to government this year.

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

Canberra Health Services are seeking feedback on the proposed model of care for an expansion to the RADAR program. RADAR offers home health assessments for older people at risk of deteriorating health.  You can learn about the RADAR Team on the Canberra Health Services website.

If you are interested in providing feedback on the RADAR Model of Care, please contact Jessica Lamb by email [email protected] or phone on 6230 7800 by Friday 7 February 2025.

Canberra Health Services are seeking feedback on their Recognising and Responding to Physiological and Mental State Deterioration Guideline. The Guideline sets out clear processes to recognise and respond to serious deterioration, escalate care and call for emergency assistance.

If you are interested in providing feedback on the Guideline, please contact Jessica Lamb by email [email protected] or phone on 6230 7800 by Monday 17 February 2025.

SOS Fracture Alliance is developing a clinical standard for secondary fracture prevention, aiming to improving the care of patients who sustain osteoporotic fractures. You can learn more about work of the SOS Fracture Alliance on their website.

If you are interested in providing feedback on the clinical standard, please contact Jessica Lamb by email [email protected] or phone on 6230 7800 by Friday 4 April 2025.

This year’s Canberra Health Annual Research Meeting (CHARM) will be from 16 to 20 June 2025.

CHARM is all about bringing people together – researchers, clinicians, policymakers, consumers and carers, and more – to collaborate and share ideas. It's a chance to connect with others in the field and learn about the research happening here in the region and how it impacts the ACT and beyond.

Key topics for CHARM will cover the National Health and Medical Research

Council four pillars of health research:

• biomedical
• clinical
• public health
• health services research.

For more information and to submit an abstract visit CHARM 2025 - ACT Government

Health Literacy Update

The team is busy preparing for the 2025 National Multicultural Festival (7- 9 February). HCCA have been invited once again, to share an information stall with our friends with Canberra Multicultural Community Forum (CMCF). The team are looking forward to sharing a variety of translated health information with the community.

Our stall will be on Sunday, 9 February. Come along and chat to us and enjoy the display of more than 170 multicultural communities and share their culture, history and heritage through food, art, song and dance.

— the Health Literacy team
(C and Ivapene)

Take Control – Live Well is a free 3-week program for adults with a chronic health condition. You will learn how to:

• get the best out of your health appointments.
• look after your mental and physical health.
• find reliable health information.
• set and achieve your health goals.
• find local support services.

The first group for 2025 starts on Friday 7 February at Belconnen Community Health Centre. For more information and to register, go to the Canberra Health Services website.

People with Disability Australia and the Australian Digital Health Agency are hosting a webinar for people with disability, their families, friends and carers on managing privacy and security in digital health tools like My Health Record.

• When: Wednesday 12 February 2025, 12.30pm – 1.30pm (AEDT)
• Where: Online
• Cost: Free

This event will have Auslan interpreting and closed captions. Register on their website.

New consumer resources are now available for both Gout and Antidepressants in Older People developed through HCCA’s Using Medicines for Better Health Project. These resources can be accessed through our Consumer Hub for Quality Use of Medicines.

New Gout Resources

The following resources can be found on the Gout topic page:

• Gout Booklet
• Gout Care Plan
• Gout Decision Aid
• Gout Video Library

New Antidepressants in Older People Resources

Visit the updated Antidepressants in Older People topic page to access:

• My Antidepressant Deprescribing Plan
• Depression and Anxiety in Life: Getting Back to Feeling Well

Stay tuned for more resources on Antidepressants in Older People coming soon! 

Consumer Involvement and Representative Opportunities

Please visit Consumer Opportunities on the HCCA website to learn more about, and nominate for, any of the following opportunities.

 Closing Soon!  Closing date: 4 February 2025

ACT Health Directorate is looking for a consumer representative to join the Clinical Services Governance Committee (CSGC).  The committee’s role is to provide governance, insight, recommendations, and expert clinical advice to ensure safe health care is delivered in the ACT. It is the peak governance body representing clinicians and consumers across the ACT and Southern NSW Health systems. The CSGC’s focus areas for 2025 include Clinical Quality Registries, Patient-Reported Measures, Clinical Incidents, Healthcare Safety and Quality Management Systems, Qualified Privilege and Women’s Health. The committee meets once every 2 months on the third Wednesday of the month from 3pm to 5pm in person or online via Webex.

For full information, please visit the Consumer Opportunities page on our website.

Closing date: 13 March 2025

Capital Health Network is looking for a consumer representative to join the Capital Health Network Clinical Advisory Council. The role of the council is to provide advice and feedback to the Capital Health Network (CHN) Board and management about CHN key projects, commissioning initiatives, and strategic objectives. The Clinical Council provide recommendations to the Board on key Commonwealth deliverables and initiatives relating to CHNs priority areas. The council meets minimum 4 times per year in person or online.

For full information, please visit the Consumer Opportunities page on our website.

Closing date: 13 March 2025

Capital Health Network (CHN) is looking for 2 consumer representatives to join the Capital Health Network Community Advisory Council. The role of the community council is to provide recommendations/advice to the CHN Board and the CEO on community priority health needs and service gaps. The council also assesses if CHN activities, strategies and initiatives are consumer-focused (based on consumer feedback and preferences). The Community Advisory Council will also work with CHN’s Advisory Councils and, other community consultation mechanisms via ACT health. The Community Advisory Council meets minimum 4 times per year in person or online. Each meeting may last 2-3 hours.

For full information, please visit the Consumer Opportunities page on our website.

Closing date: 13 March 2025

Canberra Health Services is looking for a consumer representative to join the Bariatric Surgery Advisory Committee (BSAC). The role of BSAC is to evaluate whether patients are suitable for publicly funded metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS), specifically laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), to help with weight loss and related health benefits. BSAC members will review summaries of patients referred for MBS, advise on patient suitability for MBS, monitor key performance Indicators, wait times, number of surgeries performed per financial year, average length of stay and post-operative outcomes. Meetings are held in person approximately every 2 months.

For full information, please visit the Consumer Opportunities page on our website.

Closing date: 13 March 2025

Canberra Health Services is looking for a consumer representative to join the Policy Document Review Panel. The panel’s role is to provide advice to guide policy development. The panel provides oversight of CHS policy documents reviews evaluations of high-risk documents with any relevant lessons learned fed back to divisions, committees or working groups. The panel makes sure policies are person centred, evidence-based and focused on the needs of consumers and carers, as well as aligning with legislation and other requirements (e.g., National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards). The panel meets once a month on every fourth Wednesday.

For full information, please visit the Consumer Opportunities page on our website.

Items of Interest

The ACT Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Marina Buchanan-Grey, is pleased to announce that nominations for the 2025 ACT Nurses and Midwives Excellence Awards are now open.

These annual awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of nurses and midwives across the ACT, showcasing their exceptional skills, compassion, and dedication to healthcare.

Who Can Nominate?

• Peers: Nominate your nursing or midwifery colleagues—or yourself—in one or more of the five award categories.
• Patients and Health Consumers: Share your gratitude by nominating a nurse, midwife, or team in the Consumer Recognition category for making a positive impact in your healthcare experience over the past year.

Why Nominate?
Recognise the incredible efforts of nurses and midwives and highlight your organisation as home for some of the ACT’s most valued healthcare professionals.

Key Dates:

• Nominations Close: 19 February 2025
• Award Ceremony: May 2025 (Finalists and nominators will be invited)

Spread the Word
Inspire your teams, patients, and health consumers to celebrate our healthcare professionals. For more information, scan the QR code below or visit the Awards website.

Ahpra is looking for applicants to join the ACT Board of the Medical Board of Australia and the ACT Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. These opportunities are for a paid 3-year appointment. These Boards help support public safety and community confidence in nurses, midwives and GPs. They involve attending regular meetings and reading committee papers

Closing date: 23 February 2025

The ACT Board of the Medical Board of Australia works with Ahpra to make registration and complaint decisions about individual practitioners, based on national policies and standards set by the ACT Board of the Medical Board of Australia. They are seeking medical practitioner and community applicants from the ACT to provide a voice to the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (National Scheme). Applicants will contribute to the regulatory work of the ACT Board of the Medical Board of Australia.

The ACT Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia works with Ahpra to make registration and complaint decisions about individual practitioners, based on national policies and standards set by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. They are seeking community applicants from the ACT to provide a community voice to the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (National Scheme). Applicants will contribute to the regulatory work of the ACT Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

For more information or to submit an application, go to Ahpra’s opportunities webpage or contact [email protected].

The Cleanbill Blue Report is an annual publication by Cleanbill, a healthcare directory, that identifies the accessibility of general practice across Australia. The latest Cleanbill Blue Report examines current trends in GP bulk billing rates and out-of-pocket costs, comparing the ACT with the national average.

• 3% of ACT GP clinics offer bulk billing to new adult patients without concessions attending a standard consultation, far below the national average of 20.7%. This marks a 0.1% decrease in ACT from 2024.
• At $51.84, ACT residents face some of the highest GP costs nationwide, behind Tasmania ($54.26). This figure has risen by 5.0% since 2024.
• ACT has a 95.8% availability rate, the highest in the country and well above the national average of 89.7%

Nationally, bulk billing rates have continued decreasing, dropping from 24.2% in 2024 to 20.7% in 2025. Out-of-pocket costs have climbed, averaging $43.38. In the ACT, access to GPs is strong, but the lack of affordable options raises concerns about healthcare accessibility.

For detailed insights and trends, visit Cleanbill’s 2025 Blue Report.

An increase of 3% was applied to Transport Canberra bus and light rail fares on Saturday, 4 January 2025.

This increase was announced in the 2024-2025 ACT Budget and is the first time public transport fares have increased since 2019.

The increase will see an adult fare increase from $3.22 to $3.32 during peak hours and from $2.55 to $2.63 during off-peak. Concession fares will increase from $1.61 to $1.66 during peak hours and from $0.89 to $0.92 during off-peak. Customers will continue to pay the same fare price whether they are catching a bus or taking light rail.

For more information on the new fares, please visit the Transport Canberra website.

The Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal (ANMJ) is a resource dedicated to supporting nurses, midwives, and carers across Australia.

ANMJ's online platform offers resources including news updates, clinical advice, professional development opportunities and inspiring stories from healthcare workers. It keeps health professionals informed about the latest challenges and advancements in their field.

The latest edition of the ANMJ highlights key developments and priorities for the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) in 2025, focusing on accessible healthcare, aged care reform, gender equity, and workforce improvements.

Whether you're an experienced healthcare professional or just starting in your career, ANMJ provides the knowledge and tools to help you succeed in your profession.

For more information, visit the ANMJ website.

From 1 February 2025, new rules for paracetamol pack sizes will come into effect to help reduce the risk of overdose while keeping this important pain relief accessible.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Packs of paracetamol-containing products in supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol stations will be reduced to a maximum of 16 tablets.
• Packs of paracetamol-containing products in pharmacies available without speaking to a pharmacist will be reduced to a maximum of 50 tablets.
• Packs of paracetamol-containing products of more than 50 and up to 100 tablets will only be available with pharmacist intervention.

If you currently have paracetamol at home in larger pack sizes, there is no need to worry. You can continue using it as directed. However, from 1 February 2025, any new purchases will follow these updated limits.

These changes are part of efforts by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to improve medication safety and protect public health. For more details, visit the TGA website.

Opioid overdoses can be deadly but quick action can save lives. The Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy (CAHMA) is offering free naloxone kits and training to help people respond to overdoses.

Naloxone is a safe medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. It is easy to use and can give someone time to get medical help. The training is simple and helps you feel confident using naloxone in an emergency.

The program is free, confidential and open to anyone in the ACT who might need it. There is no prescription required. You can even have the naloxone delivered directly to your home for added convenience.

To get naloxone delivered or to find out more, visit CAHMA’s website.

Cancer turns your world upside down.

It can change your perspective on everything: life, relationships, the future. While feelings of grief, pain and healing may be shared. Each cancer experience is unique. Tuesday, February 4, is World Cancer Day, and Bowel Cancer Australia is calling on you to play your part in creating a bowel cancer-free world.

Bowel Cancer Australia challenges you to complete a gravity defying feat, whether big or small, and encourage others to do the same.

Handstands, Cartwheels, Somersaults, Headstands, Yoga, Gymnastics, Skydiving, Bungee Jumping and more. Choose your challenge.

Register to join Bowel Cancer Australia’s 2025 World Cancer Day social media campaign and share your story here.

Join the upside-down challenge here.

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

© 2025 Health Care Consumers' Association Inc, All rights reserved. Edited by Darlene Cox.

Our mailing address is:
70 Maclaurin Crescent Chifley ACT 2606
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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