The newsletter of the Health Care Consumers’ Association Inc.
Volume 11 / Issue 04 / 7 March 2024 

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The year is certainly in full swing. We have held the first training session for new consumer representatives and have held many community sessions as part of our Health Literacy Program. We have had meetings of the Executive Committee as well as Health of Older People Consumer Reference Group. Our Quality and Safety Group has met too. We are starting to ready ourselves for the next HCCA membership renewal period, so you can expect to see emails about this in May.

I am about to take Long Service Leave and will be away until mid-June. The team are well-placed to look after things during that time. There will be more details in the next newsletter.

We have had advice from ACT Property Group that we are unlikely to return to the offices this financial year. The fire at Maitland House has been disruptive and we have decided we cannot wait that long; we are actively pursuing other options for long term accommodation for HCCA. We cannot wait another four months to have shared space and offices. I am working to finalise accommodation arrangements before I finish in a few weeks.

The HCCA staff team has been amazing in the way they have responded to this situation, but it has been hard. They have continued to meet all of our commitments and maintained the quality of our programs and activities. They have impressed me with their personal resilience and commitment to the organisation. The Executive Committee has been very supportive of the staff team throughout this challenging period. I am grateful to have so many skilled, positive, and generous people supporting HCCA.

The Auditor-General has completed an independent performance audit of the Department of Health and Aged Care (DHAC)’s management of Primary Health Networks (PHNs). The department established PHNs on 1 July 2015, replacing Medicare Locals. There are 29 PHN providers, which are responsible for 31 PHN regions across Australia.

This is a report on the PHN model and does not reflect on individual PHNs. HCCA works closely with the Capital Health Network and Coordinaire. These two organisations are PHNs for ACT and South-Eastern NSW, respectively.

The audit has found that DHAC has been partly effective in its performance management of Primary Health Networks. There is some work to do to improve DHAC performance measurement and reporting arrangements for PHNs as these are not clear and need refining.

The most significant finding is that DHAC has not comprehensively evaluated the PHN delivery model to determine whether it is meeting its objectives. The Audit has made eight recommendations. Recommendation 8 is that the Department:

1. develop an evaluation plan for the Primary Health Network delivery model; and
2. evaluate the Primary Health Network delivery model to determine whether it is achieving its objectives.

DHAC has agreed to seven of the recommendations, including this one, and agreed in principle to the eighth (implementing a fit-for-purpose IT system).

You can see the funding that DHAC has committed to Primary Health Networks in a table in Appendix 3 (pages 69-71). This table shows the grants according to location (which PHN) and target area (such as mental health, aged care, and others). Since the establishment of the PHNs in 2015, DHAC has committed $11.6 billion to PHNs in grants funding. The Capital Health Network has received $178,101,181. This is the smallest allocation of any of the PHNs.

The full report is available online here: Effectiveness of the Department of Health and Aged Care’s Performance Management of Primary Health Networks | Australian National Audit Office (PDF).

To lead the work on the Older Canberrans Centre of Excellence, the ACT Health Directorate has formed an Expert Advisory Network. The network will focus on Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD). Members include consumers, carers, researchers, and clinicians. This network will work together to advise on strengthening the ACT health system and ensuring it can meet the health needs of older Canberrans in the future.

Carolyn Smith, an HCCA consumer member, is co-chairing the network, and Shivana Chandra represents HCCA in the network.

For more information, contact Shivana: [email protected].

HCCA joined the other peak health consumer organisations in Adelaide this week to talk about issues that are important to consumers.

We talked about MyMedicare and affordability of accessing health care. We also talked about consumer participation in research, national health policy reform, digital health, and health literacy. And of course we had a chat about what good consumer participation looks like with health services and with policy makers.

It is always energising to spend time with our consumer colleagues. Systemic advocacy is challenging but knowing we are part of the consumer movement makes us feel we are not alone in this work.

The CEOs and Executive Directors will be meeting more regularly to share experiences, perspectives and strengthen the voices of consumers across health policy issues and health care.

Pictured above:

This fortnight, HCCA attended the University of Canberra's Centre for Ageing Research and Translation (CARAT) launch. CARAT's research will focus on three major themes:

• Dementia and cognition
• Innovative models of care
• Workforce

The Centre adopts a multidisciplinary approach to translating research findings into practical policies, programs, and practices. It brings together experts from different fields with the goal to advance ageing research, focusing on living to age well and ageing to live well.

Darlene Cox
Executive Director

In this Issue

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

Upcoming HCCA Events

Infrastructure Update

To make it easier for consumers and visitors to get around the campus (wayfinding), C, Pene, and Darcy have all been working with Canberra Health Services at North Canberra Hospital. We have had a few site visits lately and given lots of feedback on their long-term wayfinding plans. Last week we went to North Canberra Hospital again to give advice on improving their signage. As a result, new signage will be added this week. We are excited to see better signage and more maps to help people get into and around the hospital.

— Darcy
(Infrastructure Project Officer)

Policy and Research Update

The ACT Legislative Assembly Select Committee on the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2023 has released its report including 27 recommendations for changes or clarification. HCCA is particularly interested in Recommendation 14, that the Voluntary Assisted Dying Oversight Board includes members with a range of perspectives, such as knowledge and/or experience of disability; palliative care; and healthcare consumers and carers. Many of the other recommendations focus on the role of carers and health practitioners.

You can read the Committee’s report on the ACT Parliament website. You can also read HCCA’s submission to the Inquiry.

HCCA’s Policy Team have been busy recently and you can read some of our published submissions on the ACT Parliament website, including:

• Inquiry into environment’s bushfire preparedness
• Inquiry into social isolation and loneliness
• Climate change and a just transition

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

Canberra Health Services are developing a new model of care to support consumers with cancer. If you are interested in providing feedback on this model of care – if you have lived experience of cancer or caring for someone with cancer – please contact Jess at [email protected] or call (02) 6230 7800 by Monday, 25 March.

There is an inquiry into the ACT Disability Inclusion Bill. You can read the Terms of Reference on the ACT Parliament website. If you would like to provide input, please contact Stephen at [email protected] or call (02) 6230 7800 by Friday, 15 March.

Canberra Health Services are reviewing how they provide cleft lip and palate care. The review is looking at making the service open only to people with health care or pension concession cards. The proposed model will refer existing patients and those who are eligible under the new system to private orthodontists. Patients may then be given vouchers to cover out-of-pocket expenses.

If you would like to receive a copy of the proposal or provide input, please contact Stephen at [email protected] or call (02) 6230 7800 by Friday, 15 March.

Health Literacy Update

On 23-25 February, C participated in Deathwalker training with Zenith Virago of the Natural Death Care Centre. Some wonderful staff and volunteers from Tender Funerals Canberra also participated, and they shared some details about their future location at Fairbairn. The training was a fantastic opportunity to learn about planning for end-of-life, the process of dying, preparing a body, and supporting family and friends. We gained lots of insight into your rights around death and dying, including how families can participate in death care.

Health Literacy presentations to community groups continue with Ivapene recently presenting to seniors at Communities@Work in Ngunnawal. C and Ivapene also recently presented about health literacy to a group of staff from the Australian Medical Council, and look forward to training the rest of this team throughout 2024.

— the Health Literacy team
(C and Ivapene)

Pathology Tests Explained is a great site for finding out about different pathology tests. You can search by keywords or even use the acronym from your forms. You can use this information to prepare for your test, understand your results and ask helpful questions next time you see your doctor.

Companion House is providing free training for anyone who wants to strengthen their communications skills with people from multicultural backgrounds. It includes how to use interpreters in your work.

Date: Thursday, 14 March
Time: 10am – 12:30pm
Venue: Companion House – 41 Templeton St, Cook
Please RSVP to: [email protected]

Chronic Conditions Network Update

Last Wednesday, 28 February, we held our first Chronic Conditions Network Meeting of 2024 online. There was representation from Women With Disabilities ACT, Asthma Australia, Haemochromotosis ACT, Palliative Care ACT, Meridian, Stroke Foundation, Deafness Resource Centre, RSI and Overuse Injury Association, and Women’s Health Matters.

We had an excellent update on HealthPathways from Capital Health Network and we are planning more workshops to keep our community organisation review of that valuable primary care database going.

— Michelle
(Chronic Conditions Network Coordinator)

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 date: Wednesday, 20 March 2024

HCCA is currently looking for a new member to join our Consumer Participation Committee (CPC). The CPC oversees HCCA’s Consumer Participation Program and decides which consumers to endorse for committees.

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

 New!  Closing date: Wednesday, 3 April 2024

The ACT Ambulance Service is looking for consumers to join their Consumer Advisory Group. The role of the group is to give feedback and suggestions to the Senior Management Group about how consumers experience the Ambulance service.

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

 New!  Closing date: Tuesday, 26 March 2024

ACT Health Directorate and the Australian National University are looking for a consumer to join the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Research Grant Advisory Group. The role of the group is to advise the research team on a grant-funded project named ‘Developing evidence informed education modules to support safe and high-quality telehealth consultations in general practice’.

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

 New!  Closing date: Tuesday, 26 March 2024

Canberra Health Services (CHS) is looking for a consumer representative to join the Movement Disorder Working Group. The committee’s role is to act as a network to develop and monitor a complete system of care for patients with Movement Disorders across CHS.

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

 Closing Soon!  Closing date: Tuesday, 12 March 20244

North Canberra Hospital is looking for a consumer representative to sit on the Medication Safety Committee.

The committee works to ensure the safe, effective, and efficient use of medications at North Canberra Hospital for quality patient care.

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

 Closing Soon!  Closing date: Tuesday, 12 March 2024

ACT Health Directorate is looking for a consumer representative to sit on the Community Assistance and Temporary Supports (CATS) Program Steering Group. The committee's role is to find and solve problems that affect how the Community Assistance and Temporary Supports (CATS) Program is run and delivered.

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

 Closing Soon!  Closing date: Tuesday, 12 March 2024

North Canberra Hospital (NCH) is looking for a consumer representative to sit on the Clinical Governance Committee. The committee’s role is to set the strategic direction for NCH. They set out the big goals and make sure the hospital is on track to meet them.

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

 Closing Soon!  Closing date: Tuesday, 12 March 2024

Canberra Health Services is looking for a consumer representative to sit on the Women’s Health Service Nursing and Medical Service Steering Committee. This committee is a strategic forum to plan and decide the future approach to the Women’s Health Service Nursing and Medical model of care.

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

 Closing Soon!  Closing date: Tuesday, 12 March 2024

Canberra Health Services is looking for a consumer representative to join the Bariatric Surgery Advisory Committee. The committee assesses and prioritises patients for publicly-funded metabolic bariatric surgery.

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

 New! 

The Healthy Environments and Lives (HEAL) National Research Network is looking for 3 consumers to co-design research to improve the quality and sustainability of respiratory inhaler use.

For more information, see the HEAL Respiratory Inhalers Co-Design Research Project flyer.

Please email [email protected] to express your interest.

 New! 

The Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre (ANZIC-RC) at Monash University are looking for consumers and carers with lived experience of intensive care to help shape the future of research and improve care for future patients in Intensive Care Units.

Meetings will be held twice a year, or more if needed, in person or online by Zoom.

Download the ANZIC-RC – Intensive Care Members Register Terms of Reference (relevant information on page 3).

If you want to give your input to help make research better, please get in touch with them by filling in this form: ANZIC-RC Members Registry: Expression of Interest | google.com.

 New! 

The Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre (ANZIC-RC) at Monash University are looking for consumers who are interested in sharing their experiences with nutrition care during and after critical illness.

The committee meets four times a year or as needed face to face or via zoom.

Download the ANZIC-RC – Critical Care Nutrition Consumer and Community Advisory Committee (Nutrition CCAC) Terms of Reference.

Please complete this online form if you are interested in participating: Registration of Interest - Member, ANZIC-RC (Nutrition CCAC).

For more information or help with the form, please email Marlene Gojanovic, Project Manager, at [email protected].

The ACT Health Directorate (ACTHD) is offering Safewards Champion training to clinicians (nurses, doctors, allied health) to teach them about the Safewards Model and how to use it in their workplace.

They are looking for consumers who are interested in attending one of the training dates to provide feedback on whether the training is patient-centred, supports recovery, and is culturally safe.

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

Items of Interest

As part of the national Advance Planning Week, COTA is running a free session on planning for end of life.

Date: Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Time: 1pm
Venue: Hughes Community Centre Hall
For more information and to register: Midweek Matters: Simplifying Death | cotaact.org.au

The Weston Creek Community Centre is now offering free laundry facilities (washing and drying) for those in need.

The service is available Monday – Friday between 9am and 3pm.

Contact the Weston Creek Community Centre to book and use machines:

• Phone: (02) 6288 1144
• Email: [email protected]

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

© 2024 Health Care Consumers' Association Inc, All rights reserved. Edited by Kate Gorman.

Our mailing address is:
100 Maitland St, Hackett ACT 2602
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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