Consumer representatives are often concerned about how they can consult with other consumers – and be accountable to them – without infringing the confidentiality requirements of their committee. This fact sheet helps consumer representatives decide what is confidential. It is a guide only, different committees may have different requirements and consumer representatives should clarify these with their committee’s secretariat.
Guidelines for consumer representatives on conference organising committees
Confidentiality Guidelines
Consumers Shaping Health Vol 12 Issue 3 August 2018
Transcript: Privacy, Security and My Health Record Webinar
Watch here: youtube.com/watch?v=5yhx4WZP6EM In this webinar, we briefly cover My Health Record in general, then open a panel discussion that focussed on the privacy and security of the system, how legislation and policy affects it, and whether and what changes should be made to improve the privacy and security of My Health Record.
New Australian Government Data Sharing and Release Legislation: Response to issues paper
Our focus in this response is health data, as that is our area of expertise and interest. As recognised in the issues paper, health data is more sensitive than data about most other areas of a consumers’ lives, such as personal preference for transport to work or even more sensitive data like address or bank details. A consumer can change where they live, but not their medical history. More broadly in a conversation between the government and community on the public's expectations on data use is needed before enshrining values in new legislation. A clear set of underlying principles that allows citizens to understand the limits and protections on how data about them can be used by government, academia and industry must become common knowledge.
Submission on TGA complaints handling processes
CHF welcomed the Review of Medicines and Medical Device Regulation and, while we did not support removing the required pre-approval of therapeutic goods advertisements, we are pleased to work with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to ensure that new arrangements will continue to protect consumer interests. We applaud the efforts to streamline the management and encourage greater consistency in decision-making relating to complaints about the advertising of therapeutic goods to the public.
CHF 2017-18 Report Card
2017-18 was an exciting year for CHF, from working with our growing member base to reach millions of consumers, to launching initiatives that will make a real difference to Australia's healthcare system. Read our Report Card to learn more.
Submission to Select Committee into the Obesity Epidemic in Australia
CHF has consistently advocated123 for a national, whole-of-society obesity strategy. This is because recent reports show that years of public education campaigns have failed to reverse the rise in obesity, showing that it is well past time for individual-oriented prevention to become a priority. Most alarming is the rising rate of childhood obesity, which indicates a future where health levels and life expectancy will decline.
In this submission, CHF urges the Committee to address the multiple influences - access, affordability, time, marketing - that determine daily choices and individual behaviour. Regulatory changes such as taxes can make the healthier choices more appealing and help to modify unhealthy behaviours that are known to be linked to obesity.
Submission to Senate Inquiry into PHI legislation
CHF works to achieve safe, quality, timely and affordable healthcare for all Australians, supported by accessible health information and systems. We support the principles of consumer centred care and chief among these is the principle of universal health care1. Private Health Insurance (PHI) and concerns about medical costs are two of the areas most frequently raised with CHF by the community. Because of this, PHI is one of our key areas of interest. We have been active participants in all waves of reform about PHI, including through representing the needs of consumers on the current Private Health Ministerial Advisory Committee. We welcome the Inquiry and are pleased to provide a submission to it.