Consumer Representative Opportunities
We are always looking for new consumer representatives. If you are interested in advocating for a better health system for all, please consider joining HCCA. Please note all HCCA consumer representatives must be members of our organisation and complete consumer representative training.
If you already know the details of the opportunity you want to apply for, you can skip to forms.
HCCA Internal Committees and Opportunities
Planned Care Consumer Reference Group
Closing Date: April 25
Have you used public health services in the last 2 years?
You might be interested in joining our planned care consumer reference group.
Canberra Health Services is working to improve how people access public health services in a program of work called Planned Care.
The reference group will help HCCA to:
- Understand the experiences of people using public health services
- advise on the design, implementation, and evaluation of the Planned Care project at Canberra Health Services
- Advise on information and communication that CHS will provide to consumers who are using public health services
We are looking for members who in the last 2 years have:
- Had a public outpatients appointment at Canberra Health Services
- Had elective surgery done at Canberra Health Services
- Have been on a public waitlist in the last 2 years for an outpatients appointment at Canberra Health Services.
You can read the Terms of Reference for the group here
ACT Opportunities
Clinical Research Rehabilitation and Translation Research Group
Closing date: April 25
The University of Canberra is looking for 3 more consumer representatives to join the Community Partnership Group of the Clinical Research Rehabilitation and Translation group. This group launched in 2024, to raise the quality and community relevance of research at the University. You can read more about their research here
Community Partnership group members are people with lived experience or carers of someone with a health condition or experience of clinical care or rehabilitation. Researchers will pitch a research idea or ask for the group to discuss a grant funding application, or results of a study or something that needs community perspectives. Members share their views, experience and opinions on these research ideas, research project designs, outcomes, or suggestions on how to make research more accessible for community members. For example, each meeting will have short presentations of some research, and a discussion about it from the perspective of community members.
There are 5 meetings each year. The term of membership is two years (2025 – 2026). There are also opportunities for members to be part of research project teams, providing advice on projects or as a community member of a research team. If you would like to join, or would like more information please contact [email protected] or [email protected]
As a consumer representative, you will bring your knowledge of relevant consumer issues to the discussions of the Committee. You will also need to read committee papers before meetings and seek perspectives from peers and networks to inform Committee discussions and decisions.
Download the Clinical Research Rehabilitation and Translation Research Group Terms of Reference Here
You can nominate for this opportunity using the online form, or by calling the HCCA office on 6230 7800.
Please note that you will need to have completed consumer representative training to be endorsed by HCCA to this committee.
For more information about consumer representative training, please visit How to Become a Consumer Representative on our website.
National/Interstate Opportunities
Would you like to take part in a video about the safe use of antidepressants?
HCCA is involved in the co-creation of an educational video to help and support older adults make informed decisions about the safe use of antidepressants:
We would love to hear from you if you are:
- 65yrs +
- based in Sydney
- have current or previous lived experience as a consumer or carer, of using antidepressants for 6 months or more.
This video production is being led by the Quality Use of Medicines Alliance and funded by the Australian Government under the Quality Use of Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Pathology Program.
We expect the shoot to take place on one day and will take about 2-3 hours of your time. The filming is planned to take place in Sydney in April 2025 on one of the following weeks:
- Week starting on 14th April
- Week starting on 22nd April
- Week starting on 28th April
All participants will be offered a gift voucher as a thank you for participating.
If you are interested in taking part, please contact Nadia Owuor at [email protected].
Other opportunities
Intramuscular Medication Administration Project (IMAP) Steering Committee
The IMAP Steering Committee oversees IMAP Project implementation. The goal of this project is to develop a sustainable intra-muscular injection (IMI) nursing and medical officer education package. This involves a train the trainer program.
The IMAP Steering Committee:
- Provides strategic oversight and leadership of the project
- Oversees work undertaken and respond to issues escalated by the Project Manager
- Champions project within own division, including engagement with key stakeholders and presentations at staff forums
- Provides guidance on implementation, including monitoring of progress and ensure resources are allocated to support delivery
- Reviews and provides feedback and endorses recommendations put forward by the Project team
- Ensures the project achieves deliverables and outcomes in the agreed timeframe
- Ensures the project tasks and progress are aligned with the agreed scope
- Reviews documents as per the requirement of the project
- Achieves agreement on key decisions and approval of documentation in a timely manner
- Identifies risks and issues and communicate this with the relevant stakeholders
- Responds to escalated matters from the Project Manager and other stakeholders
- Fosters collaboration throughout MHJHADS and relevant external stakeholders
This program will also focus on the administration of long acting injectables (LAIs) such as antipsychotic medication. It will introduce nurses and medical officers to the ventrogluteal medication administration site, which is considered best practice for deep IMIs. Suitable for new or experienced consumer representative. This committee may suit someone with a lived/living experience of receiving medications in the form of an injection, particularly people who have been on an LAI (commonly referred to as a depot) medication.
Meetings will be held once a fortnightly on Wednesdays for 1 hour, in person or online via MS Teams.
If you are interested in nominating for this committee, please complete this form and send it to [email protected]
Become a peer facilitator for the “Getting Ready” project
With voluntary assisted dying coming to the ACT later this year, a group of researchers are working with ACT communities to learn more about what education we feel we need when we’re planning end-of-life choices.
These researchers would like to train and pay community representatives to become “peer facilitators” and help their community participate (through surveys and discussions) in the Getting Ready research project. Some communities need extra support to be heard. The researchers are particularly keen to partner with people who identify as a member of communities like:
- People with lived experience* of poverty or financial stress
- People without stable or appropriate housing currently/previously
- People with lived experience of the criminal legal system
- People with lived experience of mental illness
- People with a disability unrelated to a life-limiting illness
- People with lived experience of harmful use of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs
- People who identify as LGBTQI+
- People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- People of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent
- People with veteran status
- People living in residential aged care or receiving a level 3 or 4 home care package
Read more about this opportunity in the role description. Express your interest in the role using this form. If you have any questions, contact the Getting Ready Research Team: 0435 104 932 or [email protected].
ACT Disability Advisory Council
Closing Date: 26 May 2025
The ACT Government is looking for people with disability to join the new Disability Advisory Council. This group will give advice to the Minister for Disability about issues affecting people with disability in the ACT. They are looking for a Chair, Deputy Chair and up to 10 members from the disability community. The DAC will meet 6 times per year for up to 2 hours, plus some out-of-session forums and engagements. Members will be remunerated for their time.
Read more and express your interest on the ACT Diversity Register.
Conference Sponsorship Opportunities
None at present