This edition contains a report of the highlights from our Members and Stakeholders Forum held in August 2015, as well as links to the presentations.
Consumers Shaping Health, vol 9, issue 5, October 2015
Position Statement on Biosimilar Medicines
CHF supports the effective, safe and successful entry of biosimilars into the Australian market. This is in the interest of consumers as they will have access to a wider group of therapeutic options. In line with the National Medicines Policy safe and effective medicines should be available to consumers at the lowest possible cost. Patients should not have to pay more for a biosimilar than a reference brand.
Health literacy and consumer-centred care: at the brink of change?
Leanne Wells, Chief Executive Officer, Consumers Health Forum of Australia, gave the Ian Webster Health for All Oration to the annual forum of the Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity on 13 August 2015.
Towards a stronger medicare
On 30 June 2015 CHF CEO Leanne Wells spoke to the Melbourne Institute Public Economic 'Towards a Stronger Medicare' Forum at the National Press Club.
Membership report card June 2015
So far in 2015, on behalf of members, CHF has...
Pharmacists and Primary Health Care Consumer Survey Report
The major implication of these results for health policymakers is that defenders of traditional “silos” of medicine need to rethink what ought to be considered traditional roles for GPs and pharmacists. Moreover, if pharmacists are going to assume a greater role in the provision of primary care services, then the industry is going to have to think through what training and accommodation will be necessary to give consumers the confidence that these services do not compromise the quality they have come to expect from GPs.
Submission to RACGP Paper: Vision for a Sustainable Health System
Abstract: CHF's submission to the RACGP's Vision for a Sustainable Health System Discussion Paper.
“Unique and essential”: a review of the role of consumer representatives in health decision-making
The aim of this project was to review and assess the evidence that demonstrates the contributions and outcomes of consumer representation on health and medical Boards/Committees, in particular to document the impact of consumer representatives’ contribution to health policies, programs and services.
Submission on the Issues Paper for the Post-market Review of the Life Saving Drugs Programme
The Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) is pleased to provide a submission to the Issues Paper for the Post-Market Review of the Life-Saving Drugs Programme (the Issues Paper). Before going into the content of our views, we want to express our deep concerns with the limitations the Review has given to stakeholders to comment on the Issues Paper.
CHF's First Views on Budget 2015-16
This is an initial analysis of the Federal Health Budget from the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF). There is further detail in the Budget papers that require further appraisal before CHF takes a view on these aspects. We are preparing a more detailed analysis based on further briefings and consultations.