29 October 2024 — Annual Reports

Annual Report 2023-2024

This year CHF became more visible, viable and vital during the 2023–24 financial year. We expanded our influence and improved our financial position following a substantial funding commitment by the Australian Government in the 2023 Federal Budget.

We contributed to several key government enquiries and committees and promoted thought leadership on topics such as AI (Artificial Intelligence) in healthcare, women’s health and the health impacts of climate change. CHF is pleased to present the Annual Report for 2023–2024 which outlines our key achievements and activities over the past year.

The Annual Report 2023-2024 was presented at CHF's AGM on 29 October 2024.

Annual Report 2023-24

 

 

25 October 2024 — Submission

CHF's Submission on Safe and Responsible Artificial Intelligence in Health Care

While healthcare consumers, healthcare services, and healthcare financing institutions could all potentially benefit from the broader adoption of generative AI, the risks of such a shift are primarily borne by consumers.

In this submission to the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care consultation "Safe and Responsible Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare - Legislation and Regulation Review", CHF discusses the consequences that the unregulated adoption of generative AI could bring to healthcare consumers, providing recommendations on how to mitigate such risks while implementing legislative and regulatory reforms.

In the submission, CHF also presents also interim findings from Australia’s Health Panel AI survey, performed in June 2024.

11 October 2024 — Submission

Medical Board of Australia submission on health checks for late career doctors

Early intervention is a key element of good healthcare which applies equally to not only consumers seeking care but doctors providing it. However a recent review of AHPRA complaints data has shown a significant increase in complaints being made against doctors aged 70 and above compared to those aged younger than 70.

As such the Medical Board of Australia seeks feedback from stakeholders on the effectiveness of current requirements for late career doctors to manage their health, whether additional safeguards are needed and whether late career doctors should be required to have regular health checks so they can make informed decisions about their health and practice and manage the related risk to patients.

CHF is pleased to make the attached submission to the consultation on ‘Health checks for late career doctors' being conducted by the Medical Board of Australia.

20 September 2024 — Submission

Submission on Improving commercial foods for infants and young children

CHF is pleased to make a submission to the consultation on 'Improving commercial foods for infants and young children' and credits the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC) for the opportunity and the Food For Health Alliance (FHA) for leading the development of the response.

During the first 2,000 days in a child's growth and development, food and nutrition play a crucial role. Consumption of commercial foods for infants and young children has increased in recent years and is becoming more common as parents and caregivers see these as convenient, economical and healthy options.

With the increase in popularity, the commercial food market for infants and young children has also grown significantly. The FRSC is seeking to improve the nutritional composition, labelling and texture of commercial foods for infants and young children through actions in the Food Regulation System to better align this population's diets with Australian and New Zealand infant and toddler dietary guidance.

CHF is a supporter of the FHA, the leading policy and advocacy voice working to improve diets and prevent overweight and obesity in Australia, particularly for children. The Alliance and its Members have collaborated to develop evidence-based responses to the consultation questions that centre the needs of consumers and their health.

5 September 2024 — Submission

Submission to the Review of Australia's Disability Strategy

CHF welcomes the opportunity to provide a response to the review of Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-2031

The current Disability Strategy recognises that good health is a fundamental requirement of a good life and has included health and wellbeing as a key outcome area. CHF’s response primarily focuses on this outcome area.

Achieving health equity requires health services and information to be accessible and inclusive for all Australians – including people with disabilities. The disability community has consistently called for improved disability awareness and accessibility across the healthcare system and this must be prioritised within the Disability Strategy.

At the heart of CHF’s policy agenda is consumer-centred care. Importantly, CHF would like to emphasise the need for a diversity of people with disability to be central to the design, implementation and evaluation of all aspects of the Disability Strategy, including this review.

5 September 2024 — Submission

Submission to the Review of Australia's Disability Strategy

CHF welcomes the opportunity to provide a response to the review of Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-2031

The current Disability Strategy recognises that good health is a fundamental requirement of a good life and has included health and wellbeing as a key outcome area. CHF’s response primarily focuses on this outcome area.

Achieving health equity requires health services and information to be accessible and inclusive for all Australians – including people with disabilities. The disability community has consistently called for improved disability awareness and accessibility across the healthcare system and this must be prioritised within the Disability Strategy.

At the heart of CHF’s policy agenda is consumer-centred care. Importantly, CHF would like to emphasise the need for a diversity of people with disability to be central to the design, implementation and evaluation of all aspects of the Disability Strategy, including this review.

10 May 2024 — Submission

Submission to the Senate Select Committee on Adopting Artificial Intelligence

CHF

In the context of CHF’s commitment to quality improvement in healthcare, CHF supports and recognises the value of automated decision-making and discriminative Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, which have been used in healthcare for many decades.

However, the sudden rise of generative word modelling, such as ChatGPT, prompts CHF to raise significant concerns, as many features of generative AI software may pose significant risks to consumers when used in a healthcare setting. As such, CHF welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Senate Select Committee on Adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI).

To ensure alignment with the Committee’s Terms of Reference, this submission focuses exclusively on generative AI.

27 March 2024 — Submission

Submission to the "Co-design of an Enhanced Consumer Engagement Process for Health Technology Assessment" Consultation

Consumers Health Forum

CHF appreciates the opportunity to provide a submission to the “Co-design of an Enhanced Consumer Engagement Process for health technology assessment” consultation.

The overall health of Australians accessing the healthcare system relies heavily on the availability, safety and quality of health technologies approved by the TGA. Technologies are then subsidised by bodies such as the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) after recommendations by mechanisms such as the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) and the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC).

Consumers ultimately bear the cost of all health technologies through their taxes and out-of-pocket expenses. For this reason, consumers are major stakeholders in any HTA reform. While recognising that ambitious reform will always require broad-ranging consensus, the views of Australians as health consumers are the most significant group during this process.

The original consultation document can be accessed here.

 

18 March 2024 — Submission

CHF Submission to DOHAC Consultation on options to limit unhealthy food marketing to children

CHF

Australians' diets are currently sub-optimal, with the majority of people consuming inadequate amounts of core foods and too many discretionary foods. This has negative impacts on population health, including through increased rates of overweight and obesity and a range of associated chronic diseases.

Exposure to marketing for unhealthy foods and drinks can influence food choices and dietary intake. This is especially true in childhood, when children are forming food habits and marketing can be a powerful socialisation agent. Current measures to reduce children's exposure to unhealthy food marketing in Australia are predominantly industry-led and voluntary in nature, with minimal regulatory protections in place.

This consultation sought stakeholder views around a range of potential actions the Government could take to limit unhealthy food marketing to children. CHF largely agrees with all of the potential actions proposed in the consultation paper and advocates for the actiosn ot be taken with the broadest possible parameters to maximise their effectiveness and opporuutnity to succeed.

15 March 2024 — Consumer Voices

Consumer Voices - 8th Community Pharmacy Agreement

Consumers Health Forum

In this edition of Consumer Voices:

  • Australian Government announcement about the 8th Community Pharmacy Agreement
  • Watch recent webinar replays about Climate change and health and the Scope of Practice Review.  
  • Join a consumer panel for people who uise Life Suport Technology at home. 

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