Individual Health Consumer Advocacy Scoping Project
The ACT Health and Community Services Directorate has funded us to conduct a Scoping Project that identifies ways to strengthen individual health consumer advocacy services in the ACT.
What is Individual Health Consumer Advocacy?
Individual Health Consumer Advocacy provides formal, independent issue-based support to people who have physical or mental health issues when they are dealing with health providers, health services or the health system. People may benefit from health advocacy at any stage of this interaction (before, during or after receiving care).
The goal is to make sure people’s healthcare rights are respected and that they get the information, support and care they need.
Health advocacy can help people:
- understand their health needs and concerns;
- find and access the right health services;
- receive health information and services that meet their needs;
- communicate more effectively with healthcare providers;
- fully understand their care options;
- make informed decisions about their health; and
- resolve problems or concerns with healthcare providers or services.
In simple terms, health advocacy helps make sure people are heard, understood and supported when navigating the health system.
What are we doing?
The 12-month project started in July 2026.
Two Project Advisory Groups are helping to inform what we do and how we do it.
- A Consumer and Carer Advisory Group with 8 members
- A Professional Advisory Group with 8 members from health and community services in the ACT.
We aim to engage with as many service providers, consumers and carers as possible throughout the project to help us to:
(1) Conduct an environmental scan of current services in the ACT;
(2) Identify the needs of consumers and carers and how health advocacy services might best be provided to them; and
(3) Review best practice evidence-based advocacy models from across Australia and around the world.
How can you get involved?
From September – November 2026:
Service providers in the ACT who provide services for consumers and carers needing individual health advocacy can provide a written response or participate in an interview, focus group or workshop to help us understand:
- Who needs help with individual health care advocacy and why
- What help people need
- How services are helping people now
- How individual health advocacy services could be strengthened in the ACT
From November 2026 – February 2027:
Consumers and carers who have needed, looked for or received individual health advocacy can provide a written response, or participate in an interview or focus group to help us understand:
- When and why people might need individual health consumer advocacy
- What difference advocacy support can or did make to them and their family
- Who people would feel most comfortable and confident receiving support from, and
- The best way to provide individual advocacy services
Project outcomes:
The project will provide a Final Report to ACT Health and Community Services Directorate in May 2027. The Report will:
- Improve the ACT Government’s understanding of individual health consumer advocacy needs across the ACT
- Identify gaps and opportunities in current services
- Propose evidence-based service models that improve the current service system and best meet the needs of ACT consumers and carers
For more information or to get involved, please contact:
Debbie Noble-Carr
Project Officer
02 6230 7800