The newsletter of the Health Care Consumers’ Association Inc.
 Issue 12 / 8 July 2026

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 We will continue to advocate strongly, working with government and partners to ensure that these investments translate into meaningful improvements in care and outcomes for the community. You can read our response to the budget on HCCA website.

Lastly, Inquiry into ACT health system data, demand and processes report (Walsh Report) was released recently and I would encourage all members to look at the report and its recommendations. The report has key findings and recommendations in several areas of health policy and systems where partnership with consumers and HCCA will be critical to the success of the implementation. Through the transition period to myself as the Executive Director, HCCA has retained a strong and effective relationship with Canberra Health Services (CHS) and Health and Community Services Directorate (H&CSD). This will be important in the coming months as the team and members continue to work on improving the outcomes and experience of the health system for all consumers.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing engagement and support.

Lachlan Atyeo
Executive Director

In this Issue

• Infrastructure Update
• Health Literacy Update
• Consumer Representatives Update
• Chronic Conditions Network Update
• Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) Update
• Consumer Involvement and Representative Opportunities
• Items of Interest

Consumer Participation Update

Infrastructure Update

The ACT Government has announced budget commitments for the redevelopment of Northside Hospital. You can read the Minister’s media release about what is planned for the site on the ACT Government 26-27 budget webpage. HCCA also put out a media release which notes a few of the things we will be advocating for in the design of the new building.

The Health Infrastructure Consumer Reference Group will continue with input into planning and design from a consumer perspective.

— the Infrastructure Officer
(Bernadette)

Health Literacy Update

It was another busy fortnight for the team! We were proud to be part of the Welcome to Canberra Expo again this year, hosted by Multicultural Hub. It was another valuable opportunity to connect with our diverse multicultural community. We were pleased to share health information and resources to help our community better understand and navigate the ACT health system.  

As a partner of the Canberra Health Annual Research Meeting (CHARM), the team participated in a range of presentations and events throughout the week. It was a wonderful opportunity to engage in research and discussions on improving health through medical research. A special highlight was the recognition of a University of Canberra research project involving HCCA’s consumer representatives. The project, titled “Embedding Community Partnership in Health Research: Establishing a Consumer-Led Community Partnership Group,” was led by Dr Vicki Evans and was awarded Best Community Engagement poster and presentation. This award reflects the significant contribution HCCA makes as a consumer partner in health research.

To finish the busy fortnight, we presented:

• Navigating Health System - Italian seniors group (Carers ACT)
• Staying Safe in Hospital – Canberra Serbian seniors’ group (Multicultural Community Council Illawarra - MCCI)

— the Health Literacy team
(C and Ivapene)

Consumer Representatives Update

HCCA is currently evaluating our Consumer Representatives Program and our Health Literacy Program. We want to check in with our members about their experiences as a consumer representative and the value of these programs to our advocacy work, our stakeholders and the community. We are also seeking input from our health service and government colleagues.

If you are an active HCCA consumer representative (or have recently been one), please keep an eye on your inbox for an invitation (sent last week) to complete a short survey. We would value your input in this evaluation.

Ivapene, Kate and I attended the Health in Difference and Ageing in Difference combined conference last week.

The conference, run by LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (LHA), celebrated 30 years of advancing health and wellbeing for LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and Aromantic) communities.

It was a fantastic conference, highlighting the importance of community collaboration, including and supporting people with lived expertise and funding of projects for LGBTQIA+ communities and their loved ones.

Keep an eye out for the blog post which Av will post in the coming weeks.

Caption: Ivapene and Av at the Health in Difference Conference with artwork from Wiradjuri Artist Uncle Paul Calcott

— the Consumer Representatives Program Coordinator
(Av)

Chronic Conditions Network Update

Michelle and Lachlan visited Leo's Place this week along with Adele from HeartKids and Laura from the Heart Foundation. Leo’s place is a home away from home providing overnight respite for people with a life-limiting illness, and their carers. It is free of charge for people to stay and all meals are provided.

People often stay at Leo’s Place when they travel from out of town for medical treatment, or if their carers are going away or need some respite. It’s a beautiful house in Braddon and is a great example of ‘home away from home’ kind of service to support people navigating a tricky time in their lives and health journeys

Caption L to R: Paula (Manager - Leo’s Place), Michelle (HCCA), Adele (HeartKids) and Laura (Heart Foundation) in the garden at Leo’s Place

— Chronic Conditions Network Coordinator
(Michelle)

Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) Update

Some of you may have read the HCCA submission to the Menopause Inquiry last year. In 2026, Menopause is a topic you will hear a lot more about with the Australian Government launching the National Menopause and Perimenopause Awareness Campaign. They have also created a new website to help people learn more about perimenopause and menopause.

Here at HCCA we have also just launched a new webpage on menopause. where you can find more information about the different phases of the menopause transition, symptoms, possible treatment options and links to further helpful resources. We already have some great resources linked from Jean Hailes.

If you, or someone you know has ever had questions about how to use gels, patches, pessaries or creams - these guides are a great resource! They have step-by-step instructions, top tips and illustrations to support safe and effective use. You can also head over to our menopause resources section to find a shared-decision making tool to help you chat with a health professional about your symptoms and how to manage them.

Some of you may have read the HCCA submission into the Menopause Inquiry in 2024.

Since writing this submission we have also had the opportunity to hear from 18 more consumers about their experiences with menopause symptoms. We are thankful to all the consumers who attended a focus group or interview and shared their stories. You can hear about these experiences in 2 different reports:

• Hear from Trans, Gender Diverse and Intersex People in this report. They talk about the barriers they face finding menopause information and care, as well as key suggestions for making resources and treatment safer and more relevant. A heartfelt thank you to A Gender Agenda for their expertise, knowledge and support in delivering this work! We couldn't have done it without you.
• Ivapene and Shivana also worked with the QUM team to better understand the menopause experiences of multicultural women. This report includes stories from women with African, Chinese, Mexican, Indian, Pakistani, Italian and Pacific Islander backgrounds. They discuss the approaches needed to ensure menopause information better reaches multicultural communities.

We have been advised that the Consumer Medicines Line will close on 30 July 2026 when its current funding agreement ends. This has been a valuable service for consumers, providing trusted information about medicines as well as reporting adverse medicine events. This news article provides further information about the closure and alternative service options. To read more, please visit the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing 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.

ACT Opportunities

Join the North Canberra Hospital Medication Safety Working Committee and help improve how medicines are used safely and effectively.

This is a great opportunity for a consumer representative to contribute their knowledge of relevant consumer issues, shape decision-making, and support better patient care.

Applications close on the 17^th of July.

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

National/Interstate Opportunities

Dietitians Australia is seeking a consumer representative to join an Expert Working Group developing a national framework for dietitian practice. This is a great opportunity to contribute your perspective and influence how the profession evolves. This work will involve creating materials for clinicians and consumers to better understand the role of the dietitian in practice.

The meetings will be held every 8 weeks, with an appointment of 3 years (however the term is flexible for the consumer representative).

To download and view the Terms of Reference, please visit the HCCA website.

Applications close on the 10^th of July.

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

Sponsored Event Opportunities

Dr Glenys Frank from the University of Canberra is seeking participants for a study on a new, non‑invasive way to screen for pre‑eclampsia using eye imaging and AI.

Pregnant women in Australia aged 18 and over are invited to share their views on this approach and its use in detecting pregnancy‑related blood pressure conditions.

What’s involved:

• Participation in a 60-minute online focus group (via Zoom or similar platform) to discuss practical aspects of this screening method, including potential costs, the use of eye drops, and how it might fit into pregnancy care in Australia.
• No eye tests are required

To download the participant information document, please visit the HCCA website.

For more information and to express interest, please contact Dr Glenys Frank.

Phone: 02 6201 2029

Email: [email protected]

Caption: Flyer for the pre-eclampsia screening study

Items of Interest

Advocacy for Inclusion has launched their Welcoming Community Program. It is a peer-led initiative designed for older people with disability to build new connections, grow confidence and improve self-advocacy skills.

Programs run both in person (Braddon) and online from 25 June for three months.

Cost: This is a free program with all resources included.

For further information on the program, please visit the Advocacy for Inclusion website.

Nominations are now open for the 2026 ACT Nurses and Midwives Excellence Awards. These awards recognise the skill, compassion and dedication of nurses and midwives across the ACT.

Peers and colleagues can nominate a nurse, midwife or themselves across five award categories, while patients and health consumers can nominate in the Consumer Recognition category.

You can nominate a nurse, midwife or team who is employed in the ACT and registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

Nominations close 15 July 2026. Finalists and their nominators will be invited to attend the ceremony on 15 October 2026.

Further information is available on the posters below or the ACT Nurses and Midwives Excellence Awards - ACT Government website.

The 2026 Allied Health Excellence Awards are now open for nominations.

Nominations will be accepted from Tuesday 8 June to 5pm Friday 14 August 2026.

This year’s awards are open to eligible allied health professionals and assistants employed anywhere in the ACT. We look forward to receiving many nominations across the 9 award categories. All information, including nomination forms, is available at the ACT Allied Health Excellence Awards webpage. 

Any questions? Please contact the Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer [email protected]

Nominations are now open for the ACT Safety and Quality in Health Care Awards 2026.

These awards recognise outstanding individuals, teams and organisations who are improving patient safety, quality, innovation and equity in health care across the ACT.

Nominations open: Monday, 15 June 2026

Nominations close: 10:00pm, Wednesday, 22 July 2026

The Awards will be presented as part of World Patient Safety Day celebrations (Thursday, 17 September 2026) at Canberra Health Services Auditorium Building 4, Canberra Hospital.

For website and nomination details, please visit the ACT Safety and Quality in Health Care Awards website.

Advance Care Planning Australia and Dementia Australia have released an updated statement calling for better and more consistent planning for people living with dementia.

Around 446,500 Australians are living with dementia in 2026, and this number is expected to grow to over one million by 2065. The statement highlights the need to make advance care planning a regular part of healthcare, aged care and disability services.

Read the joint position statement on Advance Care Planning Australia website.

End of Life Law for Clinicians (ELLC) has developed a clear, practical guide to support substitute decision-makers (people who need to make decisions for someone else). It explains the legal side of things and gives clear advice on how to make decisions that reflect the person’s wishes.

You can access the substitute decision-making guide on ELLC website.

Finding suitable, accessible and affordable housing in Canberra is often difficult for many people with disability. The system is complex, and it can be hard to connect housing options with the disability supports needed to live well.

Advocacy for Inclusion has been engaged by the ACT Government to investigate whether a dedicated one-stop information and advisory service – a disability housing hub – could help. They are conducting a survey to identify service gaps, what people really need, and what a service to meet this need might offer.

If you are a person with disability or if you are a family member, carer, advocate, or service provider or you have experience of disability-related housing issues, you can complete the survey on the Advocacy for Inclusion website.

National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week celebrations will be held from 5 - 12 July this year. The theme for 2026 is “50 Years of Deadly”, which is all about looking back at the stories, marches, languages, art and leadership that have shaped the past 50 years.

To find out what NAIDOC Week events are happening near you, please visit the NAIDOC website.

A highly pathogenic strain of H5 avian influenza has been detected for the first time in Australia in a migratory seabird in Western Australia.

Health authorities advise the risk to the public is low, and there is no food safety risk from properly handled and cooked chicken and eggs. There are currently no cases in poultry and no evidence of spread to other species.

What you can do: Avoid contact with sick or dead birds, and report sightings to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

To read more, please visit the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website.

Women with Disabilities ACT (WWDACT) is a Canberra organisation that advocates together with women, non-binary and gender diverse people with disabilities in the ACT. They have received funding from the ACT Government to run projects for neurodivergent people over the next 18 months.

One of these projects is a Neurodivergent Adult Symposium to be held in Canberra in late 2026. WWDACT wants to make sure the event is genuinely community-led, reflecting the priorities and experiences of neurodivergent people.

To help with this, they have created a community survey. They are asking neurodivergent people aged 16 and over who live in the ACT or nearby areas to share their ideas and feedback.

To learn more and take part in the survey, please click this SurveyMonkey link.

The survey closes on 10 July 2026.

Give us Your Feedback

What did you think of this issue? Give us your feedback through this linked google form.

Would you like to chat about any of these things? Please email us at [email protected] for your feedback. We would love to hear from you!

**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.

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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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