The newsletter of the Health Care Consumers’ Association Inc.
 Issue 10 / 18 June 2026

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After more than 10 years as Chair of the Health of Older People Consumer Reference Group (HOPCRG), Adele Stevens has stepped down from the role.

Adele has chaired the group since 2013, and we're very grateful for the time and commitment she has brought to HOPCRG over the years. In our meeting we particularly noted advocacy around end-of-life care, Voluntary Assisted Dying and the new Acute Palliative Care Ward now being constructed at Canberra Hospital. We're pleased that Adele will continue to stay involved as a member of HOPCRG.

Caption: Adele Stevens

HOPCRG is a group for HCCA members who:

• sit on committees relating to the health of older people, or
• have an interest in health issues affecting older people, including how they access services and how health policy is shaped.

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 1 July from 11:30 – 1:00. We welcome all members who have an interest to join us! If you would like to learn more about the group or are interested in joining, please email Nadia Owuor at [email protected].

Caption: HOPCRG hybrid group photo

Last issue we recognised the passing of Marg McCulloch. However, the article was cut short due to a technical glitch (which has now been resolved) and it didn’t include the update of the passing of well-known consumer advocate Bradley Foxlewin. I have now included the missing announcement:

"We were also saddened to hear of the recent passing of Bradley Foxlewin. Bradley was a powerful and passionate mental health consumer advocate who was instrumental in positive change of the mental health system over many decades. Bradley was a long-standing member of the ACT Mental Health Consumer Network and most recently had been working within the Office for Mental Health to continue to affect positive change for consumers."

Reconciliation Day is for Canberrans to come together, learn, and take steps toward a fair and inclusive future.

Date: 1 June 2026 between 10am to 3pm

Location: the lawns at John Dunmore Lang Place, near Reconciliation Place and Questacon in Parkes

Enjoy music, dance, stories and food and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Take part in activities that share truth, knowledge and healing.

To learn more, visit the dedicated ACT government website.

HCCA will have a stall at this event. Come say hello to us if you are attending!

Lachlan Atyeo
Executive Director

In this Issue

• Policy and Research Update
• Health Literacy Update
• Health Literacy - QUM Update
• Chronic Conditions Network Update
• Consumer Involvement and Representative Opportunities
• Items of Interest

Policy and Research Update

The Policy Team are anticipating an increase in short turn around requests for consumer focused input on a range of health service policies, procedures and guidelines over coming months. If you have a specific interest in providing feedback on certain subjects or document types, please reach out and let us know. This allows us to approach you directly on subjects that are important to you.   

— the Policy and Research team
(Jess and Stephen)

Canberra Health Service is reviewing their Maternal and Child Health Model of Care.

This is the model that sets out how child and family health services across the ACT are delivered.

If you are interested in providing input to this review process, please contact Jess Lamb at [email protected] or on 6230 7800 by Wednesday 3 June 2026

The Adult Gender Service provides gender and sexual heath support for people aged 16 years and over who experience gender concerns or gender dysphoria.

If you are interested in providing feedback on the model of care for this service, please contact Jess Lamb at [email protected] or on 6230 7800 by Wednesday 3 June 2026

The Chinese Medicine Board (AHPRA) is reviewing professional capabilities for registered Chinese medicine practitioners.

You can learn more about the review and complete the public survey on the Chinese Medicine Board website. The review is open until 30 June 2026.

Health Literacy Update

It was great to host Dr Brooke Nickel to speak about social media misinformation as part of our session on Finding Good Health Information online! If you missed it, subscribe to our Youtube channel for the recording and grab our recently updated factsheet on Trusted Health Websites.

Caption: Session on Finding Good Health Information Online and Social Media Misinformation

We also took some of our health resources including - finding the right health information, quality use of medicines, advance care planning and staying safe - to the Carers ACT Indian social group last week. We had conversations and discussions about the separate resources needed by different members. The group was grateful for the information and resources provided.

Caption: Ivapene presenting to Carers ACT Indian Group

Ivapene attended the launch of The Gungahlin Community Centre which is a new community facility in Gungahlin that will provide spaces for events, programs, and community activities. The Gungahlin Community Centre will be open to the public from Monday 6 July 2026. Online bookings will be available from 22 June through the ACT Government venues webpage.

Caption L to R: Minister Pettersson, Ivapene, Zakia P, Shanti R at the opening of the new Gungahlin Community Centre

— the Health Literacy team
(C and Ivapene)

Health Literacy - QUM Update

Last Friday 22 May was Gout Awareness Day. Gout is a common type of arthritis that can cause sudden pain and swelling in the joints. Many people can be unsure about the different treatment options available, or how to manage gout day to day.

Making shared decisions with your health professional can help. It can help you, or someone you know or care for, feel more confident about managing gout and finding what works. Two helpful resources are:

• Gout Care Plan: to help you manage your gout medicine
• Gout Decision Aid: to help you talk to your health professional about managing gout

For more information and resources on Gout, visit the QUM HCCA Website.

Nadia and Kathryn recently travelled to Sydney to join the Medcast and QUM Connect teams. They met with Healthy Bones Australia to kick off work on our fourth QUM topic: osteoporosis and secondary fracture prevention.

It was a great opportunity to meet in person and start planning together. The team is looking forward to working on this topic over the coming months.

Caption: QUM Connect, Medcast and Healthy Bones staff meet

— the QUM team
(Kathryn, Nadia and Darcy)

Chronic Conditions Network Update

Michelle supported Jess and Cara, the Community Coordinators for Qendo ACT, as they presented the findings of their submission into Endometriosis and Other Pelvic Pain Conditions to the Committee on Social Policy at the ACT Legislative Assembly last fortnight. They spoke about the barriers women and people with endometriosis face when trying to access treatment for pelvic pain conditions in the ACT.

These include:

• stigma and dismissal of their pain by health professionals
• lack of technology and scanning equipment in the ACT
• the costs and travel involved to seek treatment in Sydney or other areas
• the high costs of seeking private care vs worsening symptoms while waiting on the long wait list for public health care.

 Michelle was proud to see and support consumers engaging and informing the Legislative Assembly committee members with their lived experiences.

The next steps are for the committee to record and process all the information from the submissions and committee hearings and produce a report to be tabled in the legislative assembly later this year. We hope that the recommendations will be part of the ACT budget considerations for 2027-28.

Caption L to R: Michelle (HCCA) and Jess from QENDO

— Michelle
(Chronic Conditions Network Coordinator)

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.

Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin is a blood product treatment that patients can self- administer at home, after receiving training. It is used in the treatment of immune deficiencies and some inflammatory conditions.

The Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin Program Advisory Group provides leadership and governance for the CHS Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin Program and is a sub-committee of the Blood Management Committee.

This advisory group will suit a consumer representative who has some knowledge of, or experience of, the therapeutic use of blood products, and/ or self administration of treatments and who can bring consumer perspectives to inform the strategies and direction of the program.

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

The Transitional Therapy and Care Program (TTCP) is a 12-week, goal-oriented program that aims to improve the independence of older people after being in hospital, so that they can transition back to home or residential aged care.

The Transitional Therapy and Care Program Executive Management Committee provides a forum for senior managers of the various services involved with the TTCP to collaboratively manage the effective and safe functioning of the program.

This opportunity would suit a consumer who can contribute discussion about how the service is provided and ongoing improvements to the program. It would suit a consumer or carer who has experience with aged care and rehabilitation services, in a hospital or community setting.

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

Researchers are inviting adults aged 65+ to take part in a study exploring how simple digital tools can support medication management. Participants will attend a 90-minute workshop where they will learn how to use two easy online healthcare resources, complete two short surveys, and take part in an interview discussion.

The study aims to discover whether a short teaching session can improve confidence, skills, and willingness to use digital healthcare tools. This project hopes to show how a little guidance can make technology feel more accessible and useful.

Participants will be reimbursed for their time and contribution to the study.

You can find more information on the study in this document about The ENGAGE Project.

If you're interested in participating in this research, please contact Caitlin Deery through [email protected]

Closes 5 June 2026

AHPRA and the Pharmacy Board are inviting members of the public to share their views on a proposed national education standard and guidelines, to support safe prescribing by pharmacists. Focus groups will be happening over three online sessions of 10 people over the month of June.

Further details, including the link to register for the focus groups have been published on the Board’s website.

Items of Interest

In October 2026, the Australian Government is launching AusAlert, a new national warning system that uses the latest technology to send emergency messages to compatible mobile devices. This new system will help communities to be informed and better prepared during local and national emergencies.

The new emergency alert system (AusAlert) is being rolled out on mobile phones in the next few months. There are some tests coming up for our region:

• 10 June (ACT only) and 21 June (NSW only) – this will be a priority alert: your phone will not make sound if it is on silent/do not disturb.
• 27 July at 2pm (Australia-wide) – this will be critical alert: your phone will play a loud tone for 10 seconds that will override your silent/do not disturb settings.

You can put these on your calendar and let other people know to avoid any unnecessary panic.

To learn more, visit Ausalert.com

The ACT Ambulance Service will soon introduce new mechanical CPR devices to help care for people who have a cardiac arrest (heart attack). These devices support paramedics when delivering CPR in some situations.

The device is small and portable and is used only by trained paramedics. When needed, it is placed over the patient’s chest and held in position with a lightweight frame and straps. Once switched on, it provides steady chest compressions at the correct depth and speed. This allows paramedics to continue other important treatments at the same time.

The device may look unfamiliar to bystanders, but it is designed to support high‑quality CPR and is only used when it is safe and clinically appropriate.

Mechanical CPR devices can be used for both adults and children of suitable size who are experiencing a medical cardiac arrest, helping ensure consistent care when needed.

All ACT paramedics are trained to use this equipment. It will not be carried on every ambulance but will be available on selected vehicles. If the device is required, it will be sent quickly to the scene.

Combat health misinformation and reduce stigma through evidence-based communication in this free online workshop on the 3 of June.

This 90-minute workshop from the Tackling Stigma in Healthcare Network will equip you with practical, research-backed strategies to communicate more effectively and create meaningful change.

It is tailored to clinicians, people working in health promotion and in policy, advocates who want to motivate deeper and more durable support for their issues - and in so doing create a stigma-free healthcare system.

To sign up and learn more please visit their Eventbrite website.

Arriving in a new city can be overwhelming – Welcome 2 Canberra run by the Multicultural Hub Canberra connects new Canberrans to services and support they need so that they can better settle into our community. You will have the chance to meet community organisation and services across the Canberra region.

Date: 13 June 2026 between 10am to 1pm

Location: Southern Cross Club Woden 

For more information call #02 6100 4611 or email [email protected] 

World Haemochromatosis Week runs from 1-7 June 2026.

Haemochromatosis is one of Australia’s most common genetic conditions. It causes the body to absorb and store too much iron, which can lead to serious health problems if it is not diagnosed and managed.

It also runs in families. When one person is diagnosed, close biological relatives may need to speak with their GP about whether testing is appropriate.

This year, Haemochromatosis Australia (HA) is helping people move From Awareness to Action by encouraging families to talk, speak with their GP, use HA’s resources, join the Australian Haemochromatosis Registry if eligible, donate blood if they can, and share the message.

To learn more and find HA's resources, please visit Haemochromatosis Australia's website.

For information and support, call the HA Info Line on 1300 019 028

**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:
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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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