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Consumer Representatives Program

The Consumer Representatives Program is a focal point for both consumer groups and government for the nomination, training and support of consumer representatives. It provides skilled representatives to more than 50 committees across the ACT health system.

The Program provides training, policy support and resource materials for consumer representatives, establishes channels for representatives to feedback to the community and identifies potential nominees for committees and advisory boards.

Why a consumer representative?

Representatives are people who use healthcare have particular knowledge not otherwise available to policy makers. They ensure health service users have input into policies and direction and remind committee members that the public interest is of primary concern.

What is a consumer representative?

A consumer representative is someone who is endorsed by the Health Care Consumers' Association of the ACT (HCCA) to represent the views and interests of health consumers.

HCCA consumer representatives have experience of health services primarily as consumers of services. They commit to being well informed about relevant health issues and representing a broad range of consumer views by ensuring they are accountable to others through HCCA and/or other community groups.

For more information about consumer representation click to the Consumers' Health Forum of Australia (CHF)http://www.chf.org.au/ . Health Care Consumers' Association of the ACT Inc is a member of CHF, which is an independent member-based non-government organisation providing a national voice for health consumers.

Training

Health Care Consumers' Association of the ACT (HCCA) provides training for people interested in becoming consumer representatives. The training is free and conducted in a relaxed atmosphere. People share their views and experiences of health services in the ACT, and learn about consumer participation and how it benefits the health system. Participants meet experienced consumer representatives and hear about the consumer representative role first hand.

Participants have described the training as:

"Empowering." (September 2011)

"...professional and impressive in quality" (September 2010)

"Very educational." (March 2010)

The training consists of four modules across two days:

• Module 1- Understanding the Representative Role:
  This module includes discussion on consumer participation and consumer rights, the roles and responsibilities of being a representative and consumer representatives stories.

 

• Module 2 - Diversity in Representation:
  This module looks at networking and how to obtain consumer views. It provides tools to enhance your representative role and how HCCA can support you in the role. It outlines the nomination process and guidelines for representation

 

• Module 3 - Committee and Presentation Skills: This module looks at how committees work and provides information about the different committees in the ACT health sector. Learn how to prepare for meetings, get noticed and how to put your case and influence the agenda.

 

• Module 4- The Context for Representation - HCCA and ACT Health:
  This module explains how HCCA works and how members are involved, it looks at the ACT Health system, the current consumer priorities in ACT Health and how decisions are made in the system.

The training course runs several times per year.  In 2011 training was held in March, May/June and September. If you would like more information about the training or to register your interest contact the office on 6230 7800 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Reimbursement

Consumer Representatives are eligible for reimbursement of expenses from ACT Health.  This process is managed by the Chair or person fulfilling the functions of secretariat to the Committee.

The ACT Health Policy is available online (ACT Health Reimbursement Information & Forms) or contact the HCCA office for a hard copy.

You need to complete aand give this to the Chair or Secretariat of the Committee who will process this for you.  It takes about four weeks to receive the reimbursement.

As of 2 May 2011, the ACT Health Consumer, Carer and Community Representative Policy has changed.  The latest policy can be downloaded below.