The newsletter of the Health Care Consumers’ Association Inc.
 Issue YY / 7 March 2026

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For the past 12 months, months HCCA has been engaged with a working group developing an ‘access needs’ questionnaire for the ACT Digital Health Record. This will make it easier for people to voluntarily share their health care access needs with health service staff across the ACT public health system. This new feature was launched by Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith last Tuesday. Read more about it in the Health Minister’s media release. Canberra Health Services has created new internal information and resources to help staff meet people’s access needs.

Caption L to R: Josephine Smith (CHS), C Moore (HCCA), Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith, Louise Irvine (DeafACT) at the launch

You can find out more about how to use this new feature to record your own health care access needs in the Health Literacy section of this newsletter below.

HCCA was proud to be part of this year’s festival hosting a stall sharing health information and resources with the community. Over 80 families and visitors stopped by (including Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith) to chat, connect and take resources. Many were impressed and excited to see translated resources in their language – including in Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindi, Arabic, Nepalese.

The festival also provided a wonderful opportunity for our new Executive Director Lachlan Atyeo to meet with multicultural community leaders, strengthening relationships and reaffirming our shared commitment to inclusion and wellbeing.

Lachlan Atyeo
Executive Director

In this Issue

• Upcoming HCCA Events
• Policy and Research Update
• Health Literacy Update
• Health Literacy - QUM Update
• Consumer Involvement and Representative Opportunities

Upcoming HCCA Events

Wednesday 11 March, 2pm – 3:30pm

Online via Zoom

How would someone know your health care choices if you couldn't tell them? With an Advance Care Plan, you can make sure your loved ones and health workers know your choices.

March, Thursday 12th, 19th & 26th, 4-6pm

Online via Zoom

This training is for anyone who uses health services and would like to learn more about the health system, and how to advocate for improvements within the system.

Any questions please contact Av at [email protected].

Thursday 19 March, 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Brindabella Room, Southern Cross Club Tuggeranong

We’re partnering with Palliative Care ACT for our Advance Care Planning Week Afternoon Tea! Come along to learn about planning for health and aged care palliative care, cancer support and much more!

Policy and Research Update

The Standing Committee on Social Policy in the CT Legislative Assembly is holding an inquiry into endometriosis and other chronic pelvic pain conditions in the ACT. The inquiry will look at how many people are affected, how accessible diagnosis and effective treatment are, and what supports are available.

It will also examine issues such as long wait times and access to specialists. It is also looking at pain management, the impact of gender bias in healthcare, and the social and economic effects on people’s education, work and daily wellbeing.

HCCA is preparing a submission and wants to hear directly from people with lived experience, their carers, and other community members. Your stories and insights will help ensure consumer voices are heard.

If you would like to contribute to this submission, please get in touch with Jessica Lamb via [email protected] or by phoning 02 6230 7800 by no later than 27 February 2026.

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

Health Literacy Update

Canberra Health Services has launched a new questionnaire where you can record your access needs when you visit public health services. This could include things like:

• Auslan interpreting
• Easy Read or Large Print health information
• bringing a support person
• a hoist or height-adjustable bed

You can answer the questions in the “Questionnaire” section of the MyDHR app and website. This is voluntary and you can update your needs at any time.

If you can’t use MyDHR, you can ask staff to fill it out over the phone or at your next visit. All staff in ACT public hospitals, community health centres and outpatient clinics can see your access needs.

As this is a new process, your feedback is critical to fixing any issues. Send any feedback to Canberra Health Services or contact C at [email protected].

Caption L to R: Av and Ivapene

The 2026 National Multicultural Festival was a rich and heartwarming celebration of culture connection and community in Caberra. Over 3 vibrant days, the city was filled with music, dance, delicious food and colourful performances from around the world.

Visitors loved our interactive activity of writing ‘welcome’ in their own language – which started lovely conversations and celebrated the rich diversity in our community. We collected over 30 different languages and a few special drawings from the children.

Caption: AMAN Community Leaders

HCCA was delighted to support the Echoes of the Delta event hosted by the Australian Multicultural Association Network (AMAN). The event was well attended by community and ACT government leaders.

Trained GPs in the ACT will be able to prescribe ADHD stimulant medications as part of continuing ADHD treatment. To be eligible, you need to:

• be stable on your current medicine,
• be aged over 6 years, and
• have an existing diagnosis from a specialist.

The new rules also allow them to make some changes to your medicines without sending you back to a specialist.

GPs will need to do training and notify the Chief Health Officer before they can manage these prescriptions. Speak to your GP if this would be helpful for you.

Read more in the Health Minister’s Media Release.

Due to some technical changes, we will be temporarily taking down our Self-Advocacy for Parents e-learning modules from 1 March. We hope to have them back up on a new platform in April.

— the Health Literacy team
(C and Ivapene)

Health Literacy - QUM Update

Last week we shared the first resource for the antidepressants in young people topic. We have now published seven new factsheets!

These resources are designed to help young people, parents and carers understand depression, anxiety and treatment options. They are written in clear language and help people feel more prepared when speaking to a health professional. They are grouped by age and by who the information is for, so people can easily find information that is relevant to them.

You can start by visiting BlackDog Institute’s main topic pages to find more information for:

• Young people (ages 13 – 24)
• Parents and carers

Young people

Click the links below to open each resource.

• Understanding anxiety and depression: a guide for 13 – 17 year-olds
• Getting ready to see a GP: Tips for 13 – 17 year olds
• Getting help for depression and anxiety: A guide for 18 – 24 year olds
• Getting ready to see a GP: Tips for 18 – 24 year olds

These factsheets explain what symptoms can feel like, when to seek help and what to expect when talking with a health professional.

Parents and carers

Click the links below to open each resource

• Noticing the signs: Supporting young people’s mental health
• Preparing to visit the GP with your young person
• Understanding treatment for depression and/or anxiety

These factsheets support parents and carers to recognise changes, start conversations and feel more prepared when supporting a young person

You may know a young person, parent or carer who would find these resources useful. Sharing them can help improve people’s confidence about what to do next.

You can also explore our related resources for Antidepressants in Older People on the QUM website.  

— the QUM team
(Kathryn, Nadia and Darcy)

Consumer Representation and Advocacy Opportunities

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

 New!  Closing Date: 18 March

This committee oversees the effective systems of clinical governance for the allied health professions at Canberra Health Services.

This would suit an experienced consumer representative who has an interest in allied health, an understanding of clinical governance, or an interest to learn about it and feels confident to join a discussion and contribute a consumer perspective to the professional leads of these areas at Canberra Health Services. Allied Health are a diverse group of specialties- you can read about them here.

To learn more, please visit the Consumer Opportunities page on our website. 

 New!  Closing Date: 18 March

This committee oversees the effective systems of clinical governance for the allied health professions at Canberra Health Services.

This would suit an experienced consumer representative who has an interest in allied health, an understanding of clinical governance, or an interest to learn about it and feels confident to join a discussion and contribute a consumer perspective to the professional leads of these areas at Canberra Health Services. Allied Health are a diverse group of specialties- you can read about them here.

To learn more, please visit the Consumer Opportunities page on our website.

 New!  Closing Date: 22 February

The ACT Mental Health Consumer Network (MHCN) currently has opportunities for consumers to join their Policy Reference Group (PRG). Meeting for the purpose of reviewing policies, procedures, proposals and other matters of significance to consumers in the mental health space.

For more information, please click here.

If you are interested in joining PRG complete this online nomination form, and select the Policy Reference Group opportunity.

Closing Date: 18 March

The CHS Occupational Violence Working Group gives direction and oversight of Occupational Violence prevention and management for all CHS staff, students, volunteers, contractors and consumers. It focusses on reviewing occupational violence incidents and the reporting, response and review of strategies aimed to reduce violence within Canberra Health Services.

Meeting online monthly on the 2nd Thursday of the month, 2-3pm.

View the terms of reference here.

Please apply via this form by the 20th of February.

To learn more or nominate for this opportunity, please visit the Consumer Opportunities page on our website.

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

© 2026 Health Care Consumers' Association Inc, All rights reserved. Edited by Lachlan Atyeo.

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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