The newsletter of the Health Care Consumers’ Association Inc.
 Issue 13 / 10 July 2026

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If you are at higher risk of serious illness, now is a good time to talk to your doctor about a plan if you become sick.

Winter wellness is about more than avoiding illness. Maintaining your physical and mental health is equally important. Try to stay active, eat nourishing foods, spend time outdoors when you can, get enough rest, and stay connected with family, friends and your community. A simple phone call or visit to a neighbour, friend or family member can also help someone who may need extra support during the colder months.

Vaccination remains one of the best ways to protect yourself and your loved ones from serious illness. Please speak with your GP, pharmacist or immunisation provider about the vaccines recommended for you and your family.

If you would like more information, please visit the ACT Government website.

In other news, HCCA has received a grant from the ACT Government to conduct a scoping study looking at models and options around what an individual health service could look like in the ACT. This is a very exciting development and something that has happened because of sustained advocacy over a long period of time. The team are in the very early stages of planning the project, but there will be opportunities for input and consultation with membership as this work progresses. 

To support this exciting new area of work and our broader policy and research agenda, we are delighted to welcome Scott Sharpe, Fiona Sivyer and Debbie Noble-Carr to the HCCA team. We look forward to the knowledge, experience and energy they will bring as we continue to advance consumer-centred health care in the ACT.

Wishing you a safe, healthy and connected winter.

Lachlan Atyeo
Executive Director

In this Issue

• Infrastructure Update
• Health Literacy Update
• Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) Update
• Policy and Research Update
• Upcoming HCCA events
• Consumer Involvement and Representative Opportunities
• Items of Interest

Consumer Participation Update

Infrastructure Update

The Health Infrastructure Reference Group met on Thursday 25 June 2026. Infrastructure Canberra provided an update on Northside Hospital and members continued to provide feedback on key issues such as parking, ratio of overnight carer accommodation, ease of movement between key services for carers and consumers and how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been involved in the design process.

HCCA has developed an ‘Issues Register’ to capture feedback from the Reference Group. The register was presented to the Reference Group and there was discussion about how this can be used to track decisions and outcomes over the life of the project.

HCCA is in discussion with Infrastructure Canberra about a Northside focus and consultation plan for the Reference Group moving forward.

— the Infrastructure Officer
(Bernadette)

Health Literacy Update

— the Health Literacy team
(C and Ivapene)

Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) Update

Wednesday 8 July 2026 is International Rational Use of Medicines (IRUM) Day! This year’s campaign focuses on:

• thoughtful prescribing,
• informed medicine use, and
• better health outcomes for all.

HCCA is working towards improving the use of medicines across Australia through our QUM Project! Our HCCA QUM Website covers a range of topics with consumer resources to support you, and those you care for, in achieving better health outcomes.

— the QUM team
(Kathryn, Nadia and Darcy)

Policy and Research Update

The Policy and Research Team has welcomed three new staff over the last few weeks.

Our HCCA team is growing!

Scott Sharpe has started as HCCA’s Research Officer, Fiona Sivyer is our new Policy Officer and Debbie Noble-Carr has just joined us to lead a new project scoping individual health advocacy service models.

We hope you will meet Scott, Fiona and Debbie soon – as they begin getting out and about meeting members and consulting the community. They will be keen to hear your insights and experiences.

On Tuesday 30 June, our Quality and Safety Consumer Reference Group meeting included a presentation from Beelah Bleakly, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Information Officer. The group had lots of questions about Artificial Intelligence (AI), how it works, how it is regulated and how it is being used in health care in the ACT and around the world.

It is a growing issue for health consumers, and we are planning another event where HCCA members can put their questions directly to an expert panel.

If you have any feedback or questions about use of AI in healthcare, please let the HCCA team know. We are keen to understand the concerns of consumers and their experiences of AI in their care.

If you would like to talk about AI – or any other health policy issue – please contact Jess Lamb via [email protected] or by phoning the HCCA office on 02 6230 7800.

— the Policy and Research team
(Jess, Scott, Fiona and Debbie)

Upcoming HCCA Events

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.

Items of Interest

From 1 July, all pathology reports (e.g. blood and urine tests) and imaging results will be added to your My Health Record. You will be able to see most reports in My Health Record or the 1800MEDICARE app soon as they are added, but some will be held for five days. Your results will not be added if you or your doctor ask for them not to be uploaded, or if you do not have a My Health Record.

Find out more about the changes on the Digital Health Agency website.

Therapy Near Me has published a guide titled “Mental Health Support After Hospital Discharge: Australian Guide for Patients and Carers”. It provides plain-English information about the first 24-72 hours and first week after discharge, GP and medication follow-up, Medicare pathways, NDIS considerations, telehealth, family and carer support, and when urgent help is required.

The guide is general information only. It is designed to complement—not replace—a person’s discharge plan, hospital team, GP, psychiatrist, community mental health service or emergency and crisis pathways.

To download the guide, please visit the Therapy Near Me website.

Griffith University is looking to recruit cancer patients aged 60+ and their caregivers for their study investigating older adults' experiences of cancer related cognitive impairment.

Participation involves completing an online survey (approximately 20 minutes) with the option to express interest in participating in an interview (approximately 30 minutes – 1 hour). This interview can be completed in-person or online.

Participants will be reimbursed with grocery vouchers for their time, and their perspectives will be used to inform future supportive care for older adults with cancer-related cognitive impairment.

Northside Community Service and Salvation Army invite you to free weekly community lunches in Gungahlin. Come along, bring a friend, and enjoy good food and great company. Everyone is welcome!

When: Every Thursday (starting 11 June)

Where: 104 The Valley Avenue, Gungahlin (Salvation Army)

The ACT Multicultural Awards recognise contributions to our multicultural community and acknowledge the people and organisations who support an inclusive community.

Nominations are now open for the awards. You can nominate individuals or organisations doing excellent work in:

• business
• advocacy
• media
• art
• culture and language
• settlement services.

Nominees must be based in or live in the ACT or the Canberra region.

Nominations close on Sunday 26 July 2026 at midnight.

To learn more and check the eligibility criteria, please visit the ACT Government website.

National Diabetes Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of diabetes and strengthen understanding of its impact on people, families and the broader health system.

This year National Diabetes Week runs from July 12 – 18, 2026.

For more information about the week, please visit the Diabetes Australia website.

Over the next two years, the Australian Red Cross is offering FREE informative and interactive disaster resilience education workshops statewide called the EmergencyRedi Workshop.

EmergencyRedi workshops support communities in completing a REDiPlan – an all-hazards tool developed by the Red Cross that helps them consider what they need to put in place to be prepared for disasters in their local context.

The workshop is delivered by trained Red Cross presenters who bring all the resources directly to your community group.

For more information about the workshop and to register your interest, please visit the Australian Red Cross website.

Join the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care for their latest Person-centred care in practice webinar.

The webinar will explore how health services can provide better, more accessible care to people with disability through the collection of self-reported patient information on disability. The session includes a presentation and live Q&A with the presenters and panel members.

This webinar series is aimed at health service managers, clinicians, patient experience managers, consumer engagement staff, quality managers and consumer representatives.

Date: Thursday, 16 July 2026

Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM (AEST)

For more information and to register, please visit the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care website.

As of 8 July 2026, there have been seven confirmed or presumed detections of H5 bird flu in wild birds across Australia (five in Western Australia, one in South Australia and one in New South Wales). There have been no detections in poultry and no evidence of spread to local wildlife. Importantly, there have been no detections in the ACT.

The ACT Government continues to strengthen surveillance and biosecurity measures and is working closely with state, territory and Commonwealth partners to monitor the situation.

Current health advice remains unchanged: the risk to the public is low, people should avoid handling sick or dead birds, and any sightings of multiple sick or dead birds should be reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888. 

For more information, please visit the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website. 

Finding North Network is seeking six Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with firsthand lived experience of mental health challenges to join its First Nations Co-Design Team. This paid opportunity will help shape new mental health content for First Nations communities on the Finding North website. 

Successful applicants will be engaged for 13 months, paid $60 per hour, and participate in monthly 90-minute online meetings held on the fourth Thursday of each month at 11am AEST. Applicants must be Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, aged 18 years or over, and living in Australia. 

Expressions of Interest are now open and close on 23 July 2026 (or earlier if a high number of applications is received). To learn more and submit an expression of interest, please visit the Finding North Network website. 

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.

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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