CURRENT PROJECTS
Accredited training for consumer representatives and health professionals engaged in consumer participation in health
Health Issues Centre with funding form the Victorian Quality Council (VQC) has developed accredited training on consumer participation in health for consumers, carers, community representatives and health service staff. A Course in Consumer Engagement and a Vocational Graduate certificate in Consumer Engagement are being piloted. Accredited training provide nationally recognised qualifications and nationally consistent competencies for this growing area of health. The training materials will be able to be customized for particular States, Territories, locales and specific groups (e.g. culture, age, gender, disease or regional specific groups). The development of nationally accredited training has potential benefits regarding the quality and efficacy of consumer involvement in health.
Developing a Consumer Participation Strategy for Yoralla
Tere Dawson
Health Issues Centre is currently conducting a project in collaboration with Yooralla (disability services) to develop a consumer participation strategy for the organisation. The project includes a review of past documents and reviews to ensure previous experience and activities are incorporated in the strategy, a workshop with staff members and a focus group with clients involved in Yooralla to ascertain their views and opinions about consumer participation in Yooralla. This project will be finalized by end of August 2010.
Developing a youth advisory model for mental health services in the cities of Darebin and Whittlesea
Tere Dawson
Health Issues Centre is working in collaboration with a group of agencies delivering mental health services to young people in the cities of Darebin and Whitlesea to develop a Youth Advisory Model. The project included a review of national and international literature on models for youth participation within the mental health sector, but also from other sectors. The project also included a workshop with staff members and young people already involved in the agencies to identify main issue around youth participation and establish best means for effective participation. The project will be finalized by early July 2010.
National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) - BreastScreen Cohort Demonstration Study
Tere Dawson
Health Issues Centre in collaboration with the Consumer Advisory Committee of BreastScreen Victoria and the NBCF is conducting a series of workshops with women to asses the documents that women will need to read and questionnaire they will need to fill in when become participants of this study. Consulting with women about the acceptability of the study and asking women about the legibility and user-friendliness of project documents and data collection tools is not common practice in research, thus, this is a valuable and innovative initiative. Hopefully, it is acknowledged and replicated by other researchers in Australia in the future.
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA)
Health Issues Centre has entered in a partnership with Cancer Voices Victoria and the PCFA to deliver training sessions on advocacy and consumer participation to members of PCFA. The first sessions were delivered in Sydney in February 2010 to members of the National Support and Advocacy Committee and the second session in Melbourne in March 2010 to other PCFA members.
Northern Primary Mental Health Team /Youth Early Psychosis Program
Tere Dawson
Health Issues Centre has started a new and exiting project to support the participation of young people in mental health services in the northern region of Melbourne. The Northern Primary Mental Health Team /Youth Early Psychosis Program is funding the development a youth advisory model for mental health services in the cities of Darebin and Whittlesea. Health Issues Centre will work in collaboration with young people already involved in several of the mental health services, service providers and experts in the field of mental health to develop the model. This project will be finished in June 2010.
The priorities of rural consumers who travel for healthcare
Jackie Mansourian
In 2008, the Health Issues Centre prepared a Discussion Paper on ‘The needs of rural consumers who travel to Melbourne Hospitals’. Following the release of the discussion paper HIC coordinated two regional roundtables in Gippsland and Loddon Mallee, April 2009. Seven key areas of policy and practice change were consistently identified for a ‘whole-of-journey’ approach to rural consumers who travel for healthcare. These have arisen from the roundtables which affirmed and further strengthened the voices of consumers told in the Discussion Paper. These seven priorities have been written in A summary report of seven key priorities towards ‘whole-of-journey’ supportive and coordinated care
Was I still on the waiting list? A study about people waiting for public dental care
Nicola Bruce and Charin Naksook
This study involves people who have been on the waiting list for public dental treatment at Dianella Community Health, Broadmeadows, for two years or more. It explores the experiences and perceptions of public dental patients and includes those who do not end up using the service. The aim of the study is to investigate factors (including health literacy) influencing decisions made by people on public dental waiting lists to attend dental clinics and explore people’s perceptions of their oral health status and general health status, and associated behaviours, while waiting for public dental care.
Study on consumer perspectives on potential workforce changes
Panayiota Romios
This project intends to explore the experiences, preferences and acceptability of potential workforce changes in a number of health sectors among a diverse range of consumers, and to use this to broker some new consensus on core principles for future change.
The project will be finalised in June 2010
Consumer Nominee Program
Nicky Barry
Through the Consumer Nominee Program, Health Issues Centre is working to ensure the views of consumers, carers, community members, patients and carers are heard in the design and delivery of health services and in the development of health policy in Victorian and Australia.
Consumers and community members have recently been nominated by Health Issues Centre to participate in Department of Human Service Committees for Outpatient Reforms, HealthConnect, Care in Your Community, Review of Cardiac Services and Conference Planning. Other consumers have participated in a National Oral Health Advocacy Day in Canberra, conferences in Victoria and professional development workshops for health professionals.
Additional information for consumers, carers and community members and governments and health services is available from our Consumer Nominee page.
Support to the Victorian Community Advisory Committees
Health Issues Centre supports the on-going development of 19 Victorian Community Advisory Committees (CACs) in Metropolitan and Regional Health Services.
The key role of CACs is to promote and advocate for participation across all levels of their health service. Health Issues Centre is available to support individual CACs with their own specific priorities and the whole of CAC network as common themes and issues unfold. One significant contribution Health Issues Centre makes is to the orientation of new Resource Officers as they begin their journey of supporting CACs.
