Are you a consumer or carer representative interested in Digital Health in Queensland? 

As digital healthcare is set to transform the way health care is delivered and experienced across Queensland, we invite consumers and carers to upskill and build their knowledge on digital health to maximise their impact in future digital health consumer partnering opportunities.

As a first step, Health Consumers Queensland is reaching out to our Statewide Network of consumers and carers via this short survey to understand:

  • Where digital health consumer partnerships are currently happening across the health system.
  • Who would be interested in future digital health opportunities.

(more…)

HCQ’s Annual Forum 2022

“Inspirational, connected group of passionate people making a difference in healthcare makes the HCQ forum excel. It is fabulous to see expansion and growth in consumer engagement and partnership practise across the state. Well done.” (Forum attendee)

It was wonderful to be finally reunited with so many consumers and health staff and to welcome new faces both online and on the Sunshine Coast for our long-awaited Annual Forum on 13-14 October 2022. 

Held across two days, it gave an opportunity for more than 200 people to gather face to face (and more on-line), to share insights and learn from others, with workshops, panel discussions, presentations and an evening networking event.  

(more…)

Consumers tour Seqwater Advanced Water Treatment Plant

In late August 2022, consumer representatives and HCQ network members, Anh Tho Tien and Rajini Eschwarachar Shankar joined our new Project Support Coordinator, Declan Winterton at Seqwater’s Luggage Point Advanced Water Treatment Plant for a tour of its recycled water facility.

The tour is a follow-up to the work HCQ undertook for Seqwater in 2021 which included Kitchen Table Discussions and a short-term communication co-design consumer reference group. Tho and Rajini were involved in the project and were keen to take the offer of a tour of the Seqwater facilities.

(more…)

A framework to help consumers and staff work together in healthcare quality improvement takes another step forward!

At the end of 2021, a small research team including two consumers (Elizabeth Miller and Bernadette Tanner), a PhD candidate, Ruth Cox, and her supervisors, Professor Matthew Molineux and Associate Professor Melissa Kendall from Griffith Uni and QEII Hospital shared their Capability Framework for Successful Partnerships in Healthcare Quality Improvement and promised to update readers on any new developments.

(more…)

Community input in a genomic health implementation program: perspectives of a Community Advisory Group

Congratulations to Queensland Genomics Community Advisory Group (CAG) on the publication of their article in Frontiers in Genetics online journal.

The article was co-authored by members of the Queensland Genomics Consumer Advisory group (the organisation Queensland Genomics has now wound down), including Dr Erin Evans, HCQ’s Board Chair and the Chair of Queensland Genomics CAG, and some members of HCQ’s network.

It highlights the work of consumers in partnering, leading and delivering consumer-led research about the mainstreaming of genomics to health systems.

(more…)