Health Issues Centre Publications
Publications and resources published by Health Issues Centre e.g. Annual reports
Anatomy of a Health Reform Agenda: 2002-2005
Health sector reform is on the national agenda. Although there is no particular moment at which a consensus about the need for significant health reform emerged, this article discusses some events that occurred between 2002 and 2005, and some of the ‘players’ that have led to the situation in which, as 2006 begins, there is considerable optimism that real and substantial change is now at least possible. The most successful outcome will be achieved with a high degree of collaboration between governments, between professions, and with consumers. The article starts with discussion of the Treasurer’s Intergenerational Report of May 2002 and ends within sight of the consideration due on 10 February 2006 of health reform by the Council of Australian Governments.
Author Guidelines Revised February 2010
Guidelines for authors submitting articles for Health Issues Centre Journal.
Southern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service (SMICS) Community Advisory Group
The Consumer Advisory Group meet quarterly and provides the structure for SMICS to gain the consumer perspective on projects and activities that will lead to improving the cancer experience for consumers across southern Melbourne.
Call for articles for Spring 2010 Edition of Health Issues Centre Journal -Workforce Changes
CanNET Victoria Consumer Participation Strategy for Difficult to Access Consumers - April 2009
This report details the findings from consultations with 57 consumers and 5 Indigenous community workers undertaken by Health Issues Centre (HIC) for CanNET Victoria. It captures the voices and experiences of consumers, carers and community members affected by cancer from northern metropolitan region of Melbourne and Hume regional area.
Committed to Participation Forum Report
This report provides details of a one-day forum organised by Health Issues Centre on 20 May 2008 for consumers on committees. This report describes the collaborative process undertaken with consumers to develop the content and structure of the forum, the forum abstract, presenter bios, the discussions that took place, the recommendations that developed and a summary of the evaluations.
The aim of this guide is to support consumers and carers participating in national advisory and reference groups of Cancer Australia.
Consumer Participation and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities: A Discussion Paper
The paper reviews the principles of community participation in health care; examines some of the barriers and enablers to CALD consumer participation; and outlines the commonalities across Victorian government policy on cultural diversity and participation in health care; and proposes a participation framework for CALD consumer, carer and community participation at the individual, program and department level, and health service level.
Consumer Position 090042 DHS Victorian Immunisation Advisory Committee
To provide policy and operational advice in relation to the implementation of the National Immunisation Program in Victoria
The Victorian Patient Satisfaction Monitor (VPSM), implemented in 2000, is a statewide survey targeting Victoria’s acute and sub-acute public hospital patients. The VPSM enables the ongoing monitoring and reporting of adult patient satisfaction in specific areas of service delivery and provides a valuable source of patient input to the continuing improvement of Victoria’s public hospital system.
Consumer Position No 090043 DHS HARP Advisory Committe
Department of Human Services (The Department) Hospitals Admissions Risk Program (HARP) diabetes service development Advisory Committee
Volatile Substance Use (VSU) Guideline Development Committee
National Health and Medical Research Council
Consumer and Community Participation in Metropolitan Health Services
This is a report of workshop held by Health Issues Centre on the 30 April 2001 that involved the Executives and Boards of the 12 Metropolitan Health Services. Issues examined include: the community's capacity to engage; skills and competencies of organisational staff; dominant professional service culture within organisation; overall organisational ethos and culture; and dynamics of the local and national politicial systems.
Consumer participation in research project
Health Issues Centre is conducting four sessions on
consumer participation in research. The main aim of the project is to build the skills and knowledge of cancer consumers and carers to work in collaboration with cancer researchers in Victoria.
To participate you need to register by filling in the Registration Form (attached) and submit a brief resume (no more than 1 page) (use attached pro forma) about your advocacy or consumer participation work.
Consumers and Carers' Experiences of the Acute Phase of Stroke Care
This project involved Health Issues Centre conducting a review of the literature surrounding consumer issues in stroke care as well as focus groups and individual interviews to provide insight into the consumer experience of stroke care at Monash Medical Centre and West Gippsland Hospital. This report contains the findings of this project.
Consumers required for a study on consumer perspectives on potential workforce changes
Health Issues Centre has been funded by the Victorian Department of Human Services to undertake a ‘Study on consumer perspectives on potential workforce changes’
Project Background and Outline
The consumer voice has been largely absent from the workforce debates and decision-making about new models of service provision and changing professional and para-professional roles. Health care provision is changing in Australia, driven by various well-known pressures. Workforce issues are a crucial component of this changing picture. Crucial decisions about new forms of service provision and workforce roles are being made, many by service providers on pragmatic grounds, rather than necessarily driven by evidence-based policy decisions. Such changes are occurring especially in rural areas where workforce/skill shortages are most acute.
Contents Page Health Issues Journal # 98
Table of Contents for Health Issues Journal #98
DHS Participate in Health Conference-My Story Matters
21-22 September 2009
Victoria University Conference Centre, Melbourne
Developing the Consumer Nominee Program: A Report from the Workshop held on Friday 15 November 2002
This report has been compiled by Health issues Centre from proceedings of the workshop, 'Developing the Consumer Nominee Program'. The workshop aimed to stimulate discussion and debate about issues and challenges in nominating consumers into the consultative process and to develop recommendation to guide Health Issues Centre in the future development of its Consumer Nominee Program.
Exploring Women-centred Care in Maternity Services Report
This project was undertaken in conjunction with the Royal Women's Hospital and funded by the Council on Quality and Safety in Healthcare in 2005. The project aimed to compare womens' and midwives' understandings of women-centred care in the midwifery-led component of TeamCare in the maternity care program of the Hospital. This report documents: a systematice review on definitions and practices in women-centred and patient-centred care; current understandings and practices of the staff working in the midwifery-led component of the TeamCare program in relation to women-centred care; experiences and perceptions of consumers of women-centred care including their views on important aspects of care and continuity of care; barriers and enablers to this program; and recommendations for strategies to maximise the effectiveness of women-centred care in the midwifery-led TeamCare program.
FAQ for consumers attending DOH committees
Frequently asked questions for consumers, carers and community members attending Department of Health committee meetings or consultations at 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Finding consumers for committees
Health Issues Centre with funding from the Victorian Department of Human Services maintains a register of over 200 consumers. As positions for consumers on committees are received HIC recruits and support consumers to participate. Recently HIC has been unable to fill some positions. HIC decided to find out from consumer why they had not been applying in the interest of quality improvement for both the consumers and committees who are trying to recruit.
Getting Involved: A Kit for Consumers Interested in the Consumer Nominee Program
This is a kit for people interested in being involved in Health Issues Centre’s Consumer Nominee Program. It includes information, advice, tips and resources to encourage people to get involved.
Getting Started: Involving Consumers on Committees
This resource is specially designed to assist health professionals and organisations to include consumers on advisory or other committees.
Guest Speaker Dr Sharon Willcox from the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission MONDAY, 17 NOVEMBER 2008
Health Issues Centre Journal on Human rights, health and healthcaere submission information
Health Issues Centre Journal on Human rights, health and healthcare
The deadline for articles September 7, 2009
We welcome you to write your reflections, experiences and stories about the interconnections between human rights, health and healthcare, both from the perspectives of health services and consumers. Consumer stories about how you have used your rights to advocate for changes to the care and treatment you or others have received. Health services stories about how you have used the values and standards of human rights, including the Victorian Charter, to strengthen healthcare delivery and development. Even if you are only at the beginning of a process your contribution is important.
Health Issues Centre Membership and Subscription Form
This form is to be filled out and returned with payment by people wishing to become members of Health Issues Centre or subscribe to Health Issues journal.
Health Issues Centre response to draft national safety and quality health care standards
Health Issues Centre response to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healtcare Draft National Safety and Quality Healthcare Standards November 2009
Health Issues Centre's Annual Report 2003 - 2004
This report describes the acheivements of Health Issues Centre during the 2003-2004 financial year.
Health Issues Centre's Annual Report 2004 - 2005
This report describes the acheivements of Health Issues Centre during the 2004-2005 financial year.
Health Issues Centre's Annual Report 2005 - 2006
This report describes the acheivements of Health Issues Centre during the 2005-2006 financial year.
Health Issues Centre's Annual Report 2007 - 2008
This report describes the achievements of Health Issues Centre between July 2007 and July 2008.
Health Issues Centre's Annual Report 2008 - 2009
Health Issues Centre Annual Report 2008 - 2009
Health Issues Centre's Publication List
This documents contains publications produced by Health Issues Centre before 2004 that are not available online. Includes an order form for these publications.
Health Issues Journal Author Guidelines
This guidelines provide information and instruction for people wishing to submit an article for publication in Health Issues journal.
Health Issues Journal Index 2000-2009
This index contains all feature articles published in Health Issues journal between 2000 and 2009, arranged by subject.
How does the Victorian Public Hospital Patient Charter meet the challenges of the new Victorian Charter for Human Rights and Responsibilities?
The key intention of this discussion paper was to analyse and make recommendations on the compatibility, or otherwise, of the existing Victorian Public Hospital Patient Charter and the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities. Health Issues Centre (HIC) was funded by the Statewide Quality Branch of the Department of Human Services (DHS) to carry out this initiative.
How the Australian health system works forum
Presented by the Public Health Association of Australia (Vic Branch) and Health Issues Centre.
MAKING SENSE OF THE HEALTH SYSTEM – HOW DOES IT ALL FIT TOGETHER……OR NOT?
Come and join in an interactive and fun two hours of unravelling
one of the most complicated health systems in the world!
Listen to key experienced insiders give explanations of their diverse corners of the system, and then contribute yourself to a lively exploration of how it all fits together…….or perhaps not.
Improving care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Improving care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
The Health Issues Centre undertook an audit of 122 Quality of Care reports on behalf of the Victorian Department of Human Services. In the process of auditing Quality of Care reports it became apparent that many health services were finding it challenging to engage their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Given the urgent need to address the many complex health issues for Indigenous Australians we thought it might be helpful to showcase a range of health services that have made some steps to improve care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers.
Informed Parental Consent for New Born Screening in Victoria: Final Report
In May 2005, the Department of Human Services funded Health Issues Centre to develop a report on informed consent by parents for newborn screening in Victoria.The project aimed to explore the factors that facilitate parental consent to newborn screening-and related issues such as secondary uses of the card-and to determine those factors that obstruct/hinder/impede such consent.
Informed consent for women whose cases are to be discussed at Breast Cancer Care Multidisciplinary Team meetings.
This article looks at the issue of informing women following a diagnosis with breast cancer and prior to their casebeing discussed by a multidisciplinary team. It reports on an informal Breast Cancer Action Group consultation conducted with women affected by breast cancer about the need for informed consent prior to their cases being discussed and what informed consent means to them. It follows medico–legal concerns expressed by health care professionals that referring their patients’ cases to a multidisciplinary treatment planning meeting could expose the health professionals to medico–legal risk. It is proposed that informed patient consent be obtained from women prior to their case discussion; how this is achieved remains to be addressed. Women consulted by the Breast Cancer Action Group said they did want to be sufficiently informed about their case being discussed but they also wanted such information to be integral to their breast cancer care.
This reports the findings of interviews Health Issues Centre conducted with consumers who had recieved treatment at the Austin for colorectal cancer and their carers. Questions asked explored the ups and downs of the experience; satisfaction with the service provided; clarity of explanations given during diagnosis, procedures and treatment; and whether consumers sought information from other sources.
This is a list of acronyms and terms designed to assist consumers, carers and community members as well as health professionals to navigate the complex language of the health sector.
The Person’s Perspective of Chronic Condition Self-Management – Time to Shift from Rhetoric to Reality.Sharon Lawn
Establishing a chronic disease management program – the Better Living Program -lessons learnt (and still learning!)
Sally Western.
Journal Article #97-The forgotten issue: Livelihood and life-threatening illness
The forgotten issue: Livelihood and life-threatening illness
Sandra Slatter
Learning and Development Events
2009 WORKSHOPS FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Learning and Development Inquiry
If you would like Health Issues Centre to tailor a learning and development activity to your needs please fill out this form and return it to us
Making Space for the Consumer Voice in Quality and Safety
This resource guide was developed by Health Issues Centre to assist memebers of the Community Advisory Committees (CACs) in Victoria's Public Health Services to develop their understanding of quality and safety in health services so CAC s can provide advice on how community participation can contribute effectively to quality and safety activities.
Media Release Dental Health Study
Media Release Dental Health Study 2008
Media Release-People the key to health reform
Response to the report A Healthier Future for all Australians Final Report June 2009
New Additions August 2010 - Cultural Diversity
Cultural Diversity
New Resources added for June 2009-Consumer Perspectives
New Resources added for June 2009-Consumer Perspectives
New Resources added for March 2010- Patients as partners in care
New resources added to our website for March 2010
New indicators for consumer, carer and community participation
The Statewide Quality Branch of the Department of Human Services has commissioned Health Issues Centre to develop a comprehensive suite of consumer, carer and community performance indicators for Victorian health services.
Overveiw of Documents Related to Newborn Screening and Informed Consent
This literature review was conducted by Health Issues Centre as part of a project funded by the Victorian Department of Human Services to develop a report on informed consent by parents for newborn screening in Victoria.
Participate in Health conference program 2009
Participate in Health Conference-My Story Matters
Full conferene program
21-22 September 2009 Melbourne
Victoria University, City Campus
300 Flinders Street, Melbourne
North Eastern Metropolitan Integrated Cancer Services (NEMICS) commissioned Health Issues Centre to undertake a study examining consumers’ experiences of the varying pathways of cancer care that involve public and private cancer services. It aimed to document these consumer experiences and perspectives, identify typical pathways that consumers take as they move between public and private care, strategies to improve coordination of care, and opportunities for improvement of the pathways.
Position Statement - Paying and Reimbursing Consumers, Carers and Community Members to Participate
Health Issues Centre has developed a position statement on the payment and reimbursement of consumers, carers and community members. This position statement has been written for health services and health policy organisations that are planning to involve consumers, carers and community members in a range of participation approaches. This position statement does not cover community development initiatives where community members are directly involved in improving their own health outcomes.
Primary Health Care Reform: Does it need to be so hard? by Rod Wilson
I am somewhat perplexed by the number of reviews being conducted by the Commonwealth Government into the future of the health care system in Australia. These reviews must be generating countless thousands of
submissions, meetings, briefs and reports, keeping a lot of bureaucrats and experts very busy, and, let’s hope, ultimately productive. I would have thought that the best way to look at reform is to have a vision, or even an idea about what we want the system to look like and then work towards this. Policy analysts, health care professionals and the community seem to find it impossible to describe what they want in a health care system.
Producing a Quality of Care Report with consumers: the positives, challenges and lessons learnt
In 2008, the Department of Human Services (DHS) made it a requirement that all stand-alone community health centres produce a Quality of Care Report. The purpose of this report is to describe quality and safety systems, processes, and outcomes of the health service to consumers and the local community. DHS advised that health services should consult with consumers, carers and community members about the content of the report. Inner South Community Health Service (ISCHS) decided to set up a short-term working group, involving consumers and staff, to produce this report. This article documents some lessons learnt and some of the challenges associated with the working group.
Quality Health Care Conversation Consumer Consultation
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) is currently developing a National Safety and Quality Framework for Australia. The framework is designed to guide action to improve safety and quality of care in all healthcare settings over the next decade.
This project aimed to evaluate Austin and Repatrication Medical Centre's systems for providing education/informtion to English- and non-English- speaking patients and determine the effects of providing good quality, culturally specific education/information on health outcomes.
New additions for Feb/March Participate in Health website. This month the foucus in Indigenous Health
Respecting Patient Choices: Literature Review
Austin Health's groundbreaking Respecting Patient Choices (RPC) Project has aimed to allow patients and their families to make advance decisions about end-of-life care. During 2006, Health Issues Centre conducted a literature review as part of this project. The review was around cultural perceptions and practice on advance care planning.
Response to Draft National Patient Charter of Rights
In March 2008, Health Issues Centre provided feedback to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare on the Draft National Patient Charter of Rights.
Response to the Consumers Health Forum of Australia Draft Information Paper:Community Quality Use of Medicines 2008-09 Project
Response to the Department of Health and Ageing Towards a National Primary Health Care Strategy
Health Issues Centre's Response
Roundtable Reports of Priorities of Rural Consumers who travel for Health Care
These reports are a summary of the roundtables conducted by Health Issues Centre in Gippsland and Loddon Mallee regions of Victoria.
This is the Strategic Plan for Health Issues Centre. It outlines the Centre's direction and goals from 2008 to 2010.
Submission to Australian 2020 Summit
In April 2008, Health Issues Centre made a submission to the Australian 2020 Summit on the topic of: A long-term national health strategy—including the challenges of preventative health, workforce planning and the ageing population.
Submission to the National Human Rights Consultation Committee
Submission to the National Human Rights Consultation Committee
The Australian Health Care Reform Alliance (AHCRA)
Conversations with Australians: the first step
This summary report details the process and key findings from a pilot, small-scale consultation with 180 Australians on the future of the health care system. The consultations were conducted between March and June 2006 and preliminary findings presented at the Australian Health Care Reform Summit in July 2007
The Consumer voice and experience must underpin and shape safety and quality in health care
Patient Safety and Quality of Care are key core areas in health care, both in Australia and worldwide. The collective consumer movement in Australia and its input to the safety and quality agenda is considered a world leader. So are its efforts and contributions in partnering to make health care safer and of a quality that meets all health consumers’ needs. Consumers have driven core issues such as standards and processes for openness and transparency, health rights, safer use of medicines, as well as better patient identification and wider access to services and continuity of care as people transfer from the care of one health professional to another. The experience and wisdom of consumers positively impacts on improvement in every dimension of health care quality.
The needs of Victorian rural consumers who travel to Melbourne hospitals
This discussion paper was developed following concerns expressed by several metropolitan hospitals’ Community Advisory Committees (CAC) about the range of issues faced by rural consumers when using city hospitals. Health Issues Centre (HIC) proposed developing a discussion paper and the work was funded by the Statewide Quality Branch of the Victorian Department of Human Services (DHS).
The priorities of Victorian rural consumers who travel for healthcare- Gippsland Roundtable Summary
The priorities of Victorian rural consumers who travel for healthcare- Gippsland Roundtable Summary Traralgon, Victoria 4 December 2008
10.30 am - 4.00 pm
This summary is a documentation of the outcomes from a roundtable held in the Gippsland region. The aim of the roundtable was to discuss recommendations and actions raised in the HIC discussion paper The Needs of Victorian Rural Consumers Who Travel to Melbourne Hospitals.
The priorities of Victorian rural consumers who travel for healthcare- Loddon Mallee Roundtable Summary 24 April 2009.
This report brings together the reflections and ideas generated by consumers and health care workers from the Loddon Mallee region in Victoria and Melbourne who discussed ‘The needs of Victorian consumers who travel for healthcare’ and worked together to consider and define solutions and strategies to the key issues.
Turning Wrongs into Rights: Learning from Consumer Reported Incidents: A Literature Review
The Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care sponsored the Turning Wrongs into Rights project to improve the way consumer complaints are managed by health care services. Health Issues Centre prepared this annotated literature review for the project that aimed to identify and analyse relevant research and information on innovations, and better practice in complaints management. It covered complaints management across customer service sectors, both locally and internationally, to identify relevant better practice and performance indicators.
Was I still on the waiting list? A study about people waiting for public dental care
This report 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.
West Australia Health Consumer’s Council: Patient First Ambassador Project
The Patient First Ambassador project is a unique initiative to encourage health consumers in Western Australia (WA) to become more informed and involved in their health care and management, with the potential to reduce health related errors in the health system and result in less anxiety and stress, a quicker recovery time and less cost. The project, now in its second year, has volunteer consumers distribute the Patient First booklet direct to health consumers.
Dental Cost Study Phase 1
The Dental Costs Study (DCS) is the first comprehensive study of the comparative costs of public dental care in Victoria. It investigated the costs of delayed dental treatment for users of public dental health clinics among two groups of dental patients. One group was on the waiting list for more than two years (Group A) and the other group was on the waiting list for two to four months (Group B). The study also explored the impact of delayed dental treatment on health and social behaviours.
eNews June 2009
eNews March 2009
October edition of eNews 2008
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