18 February 2022 — Submission

General practice data and electronic clinical decision support - Issues Paper consultation

Consumers Health Forum

The Department of Health undertook a two-stage consultation process to inform thinking around primary health care data and the use of electronic clinical decision support systems in primary health care. The two topics have been combined into a single Issues Paper given the overlap in stakeholders and links between primary health care data and eCDS in the broader health care ecosystem. 

This is the CHF submission in response to the Health Issues Paper. Responses were sought in relation to current complex issues around GP data sharing and use of Electronic Decision Support Systems in the context of progress towards a nationally interoperable health system. 

18 February 2022 — Position Statements

CHF Election Platform 2022

Consumers Health Forum

The Federal Election will be held on 21 May 2022. CHF has worked with our members and stakeholders to develop an election platform that sets out the commitments sought from the major political parties.

The focus of our election platform is:

“What can be changed so that each patient, carer and community has the health services and care that they need to live the best and longest life that they can?”

The context for this election is like none previously experienced by most living Australians. It comes at a time when an already straining health system, in need of fundamental reform and restructure, is grappling with a deadly pandemic that disproportionately affects the community’s most vulnerable people.

We encourage you to read election platform - the policies that health consumers think matter most, and download the information pack and kit to help you make this election matter in the future of health.

The 2022 - 23 Election Platform is accompanied by a detailed document outlining the case for an Australian Health Consumer Leadership Academy

The consultations with health consumers were guided by a Steering Group of volunteers whose focus was to prioritise and document four or five national policies. These are being advocated to government, opposition, minor parties and independents during the election campaign.

18 February 2022 — Position Statements

CHF Election Platform 2022

Consumers Health Forum

The Federal Election will be held on 21 May 2022. CHF has worked with our members and stakeholders to develop an election platform that sets out the commitments sought from the major political parties.

The focus of our election platform is:

“What can be changed so that each patient, carer and community has the health services and care that they need to live the best and longest life that they can?”

The context for this election is like none previously experienced by most living Australians. It comes at a time when an already straining health system, in need of fundamental reform and restructure, is grappling with a deadly pandemic that disproportionately affects the community’s most vulnerable people.

We encourage you to read election platform - the policies that health consumers think matter most, and download the information pack and kit to help you make this election matter in the future of health.

The 2022 - 23 Election Platform is accompanied by a detailed document outlining the case for an Australian Health Consumer Leadership Academy

The consultations with health consumers were guided by a Steering Group of volunteers whose focus was to prioritise and document four or five national policies. These are being advocated to government, opposition, minor parties and independents during the election campaign.

18 February 2022 — Position Statements

CHF Election Platform 2022

Consumers Health Forum

The Federal Election will be held on 21 May 2022. CHF has worked with our members and stakeholders to develop an election platform that sets out the commitments sought from the major political parties.

The focus of our election platform is:

“What can be changed so that each patient, carer and community has the health services and care that they need to live the best and longest life that they can?”

The context for this election is like none previously experienced by most living Australians. It comes at a time when an already straining health system, in need of fundamental reform and restructure, is grappling with a deadly pandemic that disproportionately affects the community’s most vulnerable people.

We encourage you to read election platform - the policies that health consumers think matter most, and download the information pack and kit to help you make this election matter in the future of health.

The 2022 - 23 Election Platform is accompanied by a detailed document outlining the case for an Australian Health Consumer Leadership Academy

The consultations with health consumers were guided by a Steering Group of volunteers whose focus was to prioritise and document four or five national policies. These are being advocated to government, opposition, minor parties and independents during the election campaign.

17 February 2022 — Submission

A vision for the Australian Cancer Plan

Tammy Wolffs

The Cancer Council has called for views on designing and delivering a 10 year plan for collaborative, coordinated and national action for cancer outcomes and experience.

The CHF submission offers:

  • a focus on prevention
  • national consistency and equity
  • improving quality of life for cancer patients and survivors
  • access to drug trials
  • access to new therapies and new technology
  • service and information navigation support
  • consumer centred data collection.

 

16 February 2022 — Position Statements

Establishment of the Australian Health Consumer Leadership Academy –  2022-23 Pre-Budget Submission

Consumers Health Forum

"Building a  Centre of Excellence"  

To respond to the pressing challenges facing our health system CHF formed a Consumer Commission in 2020 to contribute ideas about the future of the Australian health and social care system in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Through this process, the Commission recommended the establishment of an Australian Health Consumer Leadership Academy (AHCLA). This submission is seeking a $5 million investment over 3 years from the Commonwealth Government to support the establishment of a dedicated Consumer Leadership Academy that will be led by CHF with academic partners. 

This submission is a companion document to the Federal Pre-Budget Submission 2022-23. It details the case for, and operation of, an Australian Health Consumer Leadership Academy

11 February 2022 — Consumers Shaping Health

Consumers Shaping Health - Feb 2022

Consumers Health Forum

The health budget as a living investment

In the Feb 2022 edition of Consumers Shaping Health, we ....  

  • Announced CHF's pre-budget submission with a wellness and “health in all policies” approach that argues for broad social positives.  
  • Update from healthdirect, Australia's free health advice service
  • New videos from NPS MedicineWise about living with pain 

view the newsletter

1 February 2022 — Submission

Federal Pre-Budget Submission 2022-23

Consumers Health Forum

The Federal Government invites the community, including individuals, businesses and groups to submit their views before the Budget is prepared and finalised. CHF has prepared our submission on the following points:

  • Health as an investment
  • Consumer Capacity building – calling for continued funding of the Youth Health Forum
  • National network of digital health navigators to improve digital health literacy and enhance equitable access across services
  • Fund access to pandemic testing and treatment services so that cost is not a barrier
  • Fund a "health in all policies" approach
  • Universal oral and dental health scheme
  • Primary Health – include social prescribing in the 10 Year Primary Health Care Plan
  • Build capacity for “link worker” role
  • Increase investment in Primary Health, increasing MBS rebates for GPs and others
  • Call to for inquiry into the benefit of government involvement in the Private Health Insurance and to leave the PHI tax rebate at current levels
24 January 2022 — Report

Communique to Members and Consumer Reps

Consumers Health Forum

As covid continues to be the health crisis dominating the national conversation leading up to the Federal election in 2022, we put our minds to how CHF will approach priorities for the year. In this communique, you can find an update on the November Board meeting, details on how to access the Members Policy Forum held in Nov 2021, and the key focus areas of work. We also congratulate Anne McKenzie AM on her recent award from NHMRC, the Consumer Engagement Award, in recognition of an almost 30-year career. Read more... 

Read the communique

21 December 2021 — Submission

Draft National Interoperability Plan submission

Consumers Health Forum

A more connected and digital health system is a foundational element of a health system. For consumers, this means their health information is available when needed to share with their medical team and to help deliver whole-of-person care. It means that no matter where they live or happen to be, consumers will have easy access to their health information and control who can access that information. 

The primary goal of healthcare interoperability is to conveniently and seamlessly support safe, secure, efficient, and quality care through a national system of digitally connected providers. These providers can, with the patient’s consent, share this data with other healthcare practitioners involved in the patient's care.

For health providers interoperability means that regardless of what part of the health system they work in or where they are located, they will have timely access to patient information they need for clinical decisions and care. 

The Draft National Healthcare Interoperability Plan has been developed after consultation with external stakeholders to map a pathway to a more connected Australian health system and to support the implementation of digitally-enabled models of care. The key aspects of the draft plan are outlined in the Plan on a page.

CHF"s submission to the Draft Plan is below:

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