23 Apr 2020
When contemplating re-balancing the health system by bringing some elective surgeries back on-line, consumers identified key conditions that must be met in order them to feel safe when receiving their needed healthcare including:
- Prioritising care for vulnerable consumers first
- Addressing gaps in communication
- Tailored conversations versus blanket-wide policies
- Clear and early conversations about what postoperative care would look like and alternative ways of receiving that care, and the financial costs for consumers.
Read the Issues Paper >
17 Apr 2020
Consumers told us they were delaying their regular healthcare due to COVID-19. There was uncertainty about what healthcare was still available and what wasn’t, and concerns about how all of this is being communicated.
Read the Issues Paper >
16 Apr 2020
The news that we have flattened the curve in Queensland and are not experiencing the anticipated spike in infections and rise in hospital and ICU admissions, is welcome indeed. However, consumers and carers are now facing a further healthcare challenge: grappling with the impact of the lockdown on their ongoing healthcare needs.
Queensland Health is reminding people that hospitals and services are still ‘open’ and regular appointments can be kept. Yet we have heard some people are putting off their routine health care.
This week we asked members of our Consumer Advisory Group, consumer members of the Health Consumer Collaborative of Queensland, the COVID-19 Community of Interest and our followers on Facebook whether they had delayed any of their regular healthcare, if it was clear to them what care is continuing and what is being postponed, and how has this been communicated?
The key issues and concerns which emerged during the conversations included:
- Difficulty in accessing care when in self-isolation.
- Risk of inadvertently causing infection.
- What is open and what is not.
- Too much of a risk to go for routine tests including blood tests or keep appointments with specialists.
- Vulnerable people have been advised to expect to remain in isolation until next year and planned surgeries have been postponed but what about waiting lists after this time.
- The health consequences of waiting and postponing.
- Deciding to put off new knees and hips and get by on steroid injections for the next 12 months.
- Confusion and concern around cancellation of ante-natal classes for new parents-to-be.
- Lack of communication around closure of transplant centres and the impact of this decision on people’s health and these precious resources.
- How do we monitor symptoms and know when to go to hospital.
- There have been no letters or phonecalls despite surgery needing to be done within three months
- The sense of being just left hanging.
- Inconsistencies in information are causing fear and particularly those of mature ages and with co-morbidities.
- Communication methods need to address all levels of health literacy.
- The system is not designed for particular groups or particular conditions. It is not reaching us at a place-based level.
Continue reading eAlert >
9 Apr 2020
Planning and decision-making around the public health system response to COVID-19 is urgent and must factor in an ever-changing landscape. Quality consultation with consumers is in high demand and often takes place with less than 24 hours turn-around. These challenges for Health Consumers Queensland and Queensland Health mean we need to work closely together to ensure consumers are brought in at the right time to influence plans, and public-facing communications and directives.
In this week’s eAlert we bring you an update on the latest work with consumers and staff and share how your input is impacting how Queensland Health is supporting and informing Queenslanders around COVID-19.
The importance of the consumer-staff partnership at this time has also been highlighted by John Wakefield, the Director General of Queensland Health. Every week he sends a message to all staff members at Queensland Health and we are grateful to him for allowing us to share an excerpt from his latest message, “Lifting the line”, with our network.
Continue reading eAlert >
4 Apr 2020
Health Consumers Queensland has been having regular video-based Consumer Conversations about the Queensland public health system’s response to COVID-19 with groups of health consumers and carers across the state.\We invite Queensland Health staff to use these established mechanisms to consult consumers and carers on your work. During COVID-19, we understand that work happens quickly. These groups work on an agile agenda, so consumer input on short notice is readily achievable eg. a 24 hour turnaround.
Download our new information sheet and find out who we’re listening to, what’s being asked, when the conversations are taking place and how to access the rapid consumer input you need.
Continue reading eAlert >
