22 Dec 2021
With our state border due to open on 17 December, Health Consumers Queensland hosted 3 webcasts. Our aim was to increase the COVID-readiness of Queensland health consumers and carers. We did this by providing a forum for information-sharing by clinical experts and leaders from Queensland Health. What we heard was that Queenslanders feel uncertainty and want to:
- Hear from their local health services
- Know what plans are in place
- Know how to escalate issues
- Know how to be prepared
See the webcast series here >
Download the summary paper >
22 Dec 2021
Throughout the pandemic we have been hearing the concerns of consumers and health staff in rural and remote areas about how a COVID outbreak could affect their communities and families.
There are large sections of Queensland where they have been fortunate not to have a single case of COVID. But what does this mean when COVID comes to Queensland, and comes into areas that haven’t been exposed to it?
- What levels of community transmission are likely during outbreaks in rural and remote communities? What impact will lower vaccination rates have?
- What will healthcare look like in rural and remote areas during a COVID-19 surge?
- What will COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment mean if hospital is hours away?
- How are rural and remote communities, smaller health services, rural GPs, community controlled health organisations, retrieval services, local councils and local emergency services preparing to cope?
- How will people access food, medications and community services?
In our third webcast of the series, Melissa Fox hosts Statewide Rural and Remote Clinical Network co-chairs Dr Konrad Kangru and Dr Emily Moody to discuss COVID-19 preparation from a rural and remote perspective.
22 Dec 2021
A holiday message to our wonderful health consumers, carers and health staff across Queensland
If we have learnt anything during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that we don’t know exactly what the future may hold. Regardless of what unfolds, what we can and have been doing, is working to ensure the health system and consumers are prepared for any eventuality.
I would like to thank our incredible and diverse network of consumers for continuing to answer the call (sometimes at very short notice) to share your experiences and insights to improve health care for yourselves and your communities.
2021 has been a huge year. Read our final eNews of the year to see the incredible amount of engagement that our small but passionate team of staff have facilitated.
Read the December eNews >
15 Dec 2021
Closing date EXTENDED: 9am, Monday 7 February 2022
The Department of Health is providing one health consumer representative* the opportunity to participate in two separate, but interrelated, Queensland Health statewide service committees. These are:
- The Statewide Services: Assessment and Review Panel (ARP) assesses whether a service should become a statewide service, monitors the performance of endorsed statewide services and provides advice to higher level committees.
- The Implementation Working Group (IWG) meets primarily to work through complex issues associated with highly specialised services and statewide services.
The lived experience of the consumer will provide a unique perspective to both committees and contribute to discussions to improve health outcomes and equitable access for all Queenslanders.
*It would be optimal to have one representative due to the associations between the ARP and IWG; however, this not a mandatory requirement.
What are Statewide Services
Statewide services can be broadly described as services that are delivered in low volume and at high cost, require a highly skilled workforce, and need highly specialised equipment, support services or infrastructure. The services are delivered by one or two Hospital and Health Services (HHSs) to all residents across the state. Each service is assessed by the Department of Health to ensure it meets agreed statewide criteria, is in the optimal location to meet patient need, has undergone a needs assessment and will be affordable, feasible, safe and sustainable. An example is a transplantation service such as lung, kidney, heart or liver transplantation.
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15 Dec 2021
Closing date: 9am, Monday 7 February 2021
The Statewide Cancer Clinical Network (SCaCN) invites (1) one consumer representative to be a member of the Steering Committee. The SCaCN is a broad, representative group of multidisciplinary clinicians that have input to and influence key decision makers and health services in Queensland.
The SCaCN Steering Committee is a group of clinicians and consumer representatives across Queensland that provide strategic advice, guidance and expertise to public sector cancer care services regarding the accessibility and delivery of quality evidence-based cancer therapy in Queensland.
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