Strategic Plan 2025-2028

Healthcare is a human right. We will at all times engage with consumers and the healthcare sector to support health consumers in Queensland to exercise their rights to equitable access to safe, affordable, evidence-based and high-quality healthcare services of their own choosing.

Grow and strengthen relationships and alliances to support the health system to fully engage with consumers in the planning, design, delivery, measurement and evaluation of care.

Health Consumers Queensland (HCQ) is the peak body representing consumers of the health system, their loved ones and carers^[1] in Queensland. By elevating and amplifying the diverse voices and lived experiences of consumers, and by advocating on their behalf, we are building more responsive public and private health services and systems for all Queenslanders.

HCQ is a leader in consumer engagement and participation, and the Strategic Plan 2025-2028 builds on the current strengths and capabilities of HCQ to address emerging challenges faced by the health system and the evolving needs of consumers.

At HCQ, we represent and include the lived experiences of diverse groups of people who come from different backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexualities, bodies, and abilities, recognising that these perspectives are essential in shaping our health service delivery, planning, and evaluation.

We are committed to building and supporting a network of consumer representatives that reflects our community’s richness — including rural, regional, and remote areas; varied faith, language, educational, and socio-economic groups; and all ages. In particular, we uphold strong, respectful, and genuine partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, ensuring that First Nations voices remain at the forefront of decisions affecting their healthcare.

Under the National Safety & Quality Health Service Standards, leaders of a health service organisation are to develop, implement and maintain systems to partner with consumers. HCQ will grow and strengthen partnerships with health and care sector organisations, governments and health system leaders to support the health system to engage well with consumers in the planning, design, delivery, measurement and evaluation of care.

HCQ is one of many organisations within the health sector and the broader community collectively seeking to improve access and quality of healthcare. We will grow and strengthen our partnerships and relationships with other organisations that share our vision of consumer-centred healthcare for their members and communities.

1. Throughout this document, a reference to a health consumer includes a reference to the person’s loved ones and carers.