We urgently need to see in Australia an effective national program to improve health literacy among low socio-economic and people from non-English speaking backgrounds. In the face of the current coronavirus crisis, never has the health literacy of our population and our institutions been so important. The links between disadvantaged groups and the potential spread of coronavirus have been demonstrated in new research findings ...
June 2020
The social, cultural and environmental determinants of health have a significant influence on health outcomes. Governments have a responsibility to protect the people they represent and therefore must prioritise action to help reduce the risks to people’s health arising from natural disasters. This is particularly critical at this moment because we know that climate change is contributing to increased intensity, duration and frequency of disaster events.
Natural disasters increase mortality and morbidity by placing pressure on health services, aggravating existing illnesses and placing more Australians at risk of illness It is important that we recognise that the recent bushfire season was not an outlier – consumers have been experiencing the health impacts of climate change for many years already and will continue to do so. … read more
An analysis of the 7th Community Pharmacy Agreement signed on 11 June 2020 in light of CHF’s recommendations. *
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant drop in engagement with healthcare services for non-COVID health issues in Australia. In May 2020, the Continuity of Care Collaboration (CCC) conducted a survey of 729 people about access to healthcare.
From a consumer perspective, ethical issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic have attracted wide interest among our constituents.
CHF and consumer representatives from around the country recently participated in a workshop with the NHMRC Australian Health Ethics Committee and others to discuss these matters, ensuring that consumer concerns and issues were highlighted. These discussions have informed the ongoing work of the National COVID-19 Health and Research Advisory Committee (NCHRAC).
To inform our position on this topic we consulted our members and networks. We received detailed responses from a broad spectrum of organisations including those involved in cancer care, disease-specific groups, rare disease patient organisations, leading mental health organisations and CHF members with interests and expertise in quality and safety, as well as a consolidated submission from the state-based peak organisations.
The CHF Position Statement summarising the key ethical and policy issues from a consumer perspective is available below.
Further information about the National COVID-19 Health and Research Advisory Committee and a report from the NCHRAC on the ethical issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, can be accessed at this link.
2019-20 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.
The phrase "Nothing about us, without us," referred to recently in our Not Going Viral webinar with Deputy Chief Medical Officers; Professor Michael Kidd and Dr Nick Coatsworth, goes back several decades and conveys the right of health consumers to be informed and to have a say in their health care.
These words are also particularly applicable when thinking about another foundational issue: Parliament’s response to the Uluru Statement from the Heart. At this time when we mark the third anniversary of the creation of the Uluru Statement calling for First Nations Peoples to have a voice in the Australian Constitution about laws affecting their lives.
This month's Consumer's Shaping Health asks whether reform is possible with the formal creation of the National Cabinet to replace the Council of Australian Governments.
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