19 Sep 2024
Join our free information sessions during Get Online Week
Health Consumers Queensland (HCQ) is proud to support Get Online Week, an initiative of Good Things Foundation to encourage free events across the country between 14-20 October 2024.
As this coincides with National Carers Week, HCQ will host fun, user-friendly interactive information sessions for consumers and carers to discover the benefits of getting online to find helpful information, connect with key health services that are important for carers, and learn from other carers who will share their experiences and tips.
Getting online to find the help you need can be daunting but HCQ is here to help and, joined by carers from our member network, we will host 2 sessions online which carers and consumers from anywhere in Queensland are welcome to attend.
HCQ will host one session live from Ipswich Central Library on 15 October 10.30am to 11.30am, and community ‘hubs’ will link in from Sunnybank Central Library, Tully Support Centre, East Creek Community Centre in Toowoomba, and Bundaberg Library. If you would like to join from one of these hubs, contact the HCQ team and we can connect you with your local Get Online Week community hosts!
OUR HOSTS
Chanelle Moar and Heidi Jones from HCQ will co-host the sessions with carer representatives Georgia Railton-Stewart and Carol Mock from HCQ’s own member network who have years of experience with the health system between them to share with helpful tips, tools, and resources.
Above, from left: Chanelle Moar, HCQ Senior Engagement Advisor and Heidi Jones, HCQ Engagement Officer
The information sessions will be fun, user-friendly and interactive to encourage all participants to ‘have-a-go’. The sessions will help attendees to:
- find and access health information and resources important to them
- use online tools to connect with others
- understand their healthcare rights, and
- discover how consumers are sharing their own experiences with the health system to influence change and improve services for all Queenslanders.
Do you have a question about getting online for our session hosts? Submit your question ahead of the session when you register.
ONLINE INFORMATION SESSIONS
15 October 2024 10.30am-11.30am online via Zoom or from Ipswich, Tully, Toowoomba and Bundaberg community host hubs – contact us for details
Register to attend this session
16 October 2024 10.30am-11.30am online via Zoom
Register to attend this session
Contact us for further information
Please contact the HCQ engagement team at info@hcq.org.au
16 Sep 2024
Are you a First Nations person living in Queensland and interested in an exciting opportunity to develop genomics and genetics resources?
This is an opportunity to partner with Queensland Health, Health Consumers Queensland and CQUniversity to build community awareness and health literacy by developing genomics and genetic healthcare resources.
We are looking for 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from across Queensland to act as Community Champions.
To learn more about genomics and why it’s important, we encourage you to watch this short video – Your Blood, Your Story.
Genes, DNA & Genetic Healthcare
DNA holds your family history [stories] in your blood and your body. These are passed on to you through your parents, grandparents and ancestors. Everyone has their own unique DNA.
DNA is the recipe for genes and holds the instructions on how your body works. Genes are arranged within the DNA in most cells in your body. Some differences in the arrangement or structure of these genes can cause illness, cancer other conditions. We can tell a lot about you by reading your gene stories.
Health services are moving towards using your DNA stories to look at which treatments will work better for you. The more DNA stories they read, the better treatment they can design.
Information Sessions
We will be holding 2 Information Sessions for interested applicants to learn more about the project and the role of Community Champions. Sessions will be approximately 30 minutes.
Dates
1. Tuesday 8 October 2024 – 10am
2. Thursday 10 October 2024 – 2pm
Please Note
During these sessions the project team will be available to answer questions about the project. While we will be providing general information, we may not be able to answer specific questions about genomics and genetic healthcare.
Attendance at an Information Session is voluntary and is not a requirement to apply for the role.
To register to attend an Information Session – Complete form here
Apply to be a First Nations Community Champion for this project
If you need any support to apply, we encourage you to call or email us and we will get in touch with you.
Find out more about the project, what will be required of Community Champions, remuneration and more in this Project Outline and in the Terms of Reference
Contact Us
We welcome any questions! Please reach out to Candice Field or Heidi Jones at HCQ, on (07) 3012 9090 or email info@hcq.org.au.
13 Dec 2023
Closing date: 9am Thursday 18 January 2024
If you have at least 6 months’ committee experience, a good understanding of the health system, and an understanding of health needs assessments, we invite you to apply for the consumer representative position on the Joint Needs Assessment Working Group. (more…)
6 Dec 2023
Closing date: 9am, Monday 5 February 2024
Have you or someone you care for required health services in a rural or remote area of Queensland?
Queensland Rural and Remote Clinical Network (QRRCN) Steering Committee invites a consumer or carer to participate. The position requires personal experience as a health consumer and the ability to present practical advice that reflects health consumers’ real-life experiences. (more…)
6 Dec 2023
Closing date: Thursday, 18 January 2024
The System Planning Branch (SPB) within the Department of Health is providing two health consumer representatives with the opportunity to participate in the project steering committee for the development of an artificial intelligence plan.
System Planning Branch is seeking consumers with experience and/or knowledge in artificial intelligence or digital health to contribute to the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Queensland health system. (more…)
1 Dec 2023
Closing date: Thursday 18 January 2024
The Department of Health’s System Planning Branch is seeking two health consumer representatives to join Queensland’s robotics plan steering committee. This team aims to boost robotics use in healthcare across the state and welcomes applicants with experience in robotics or digital health, especially encouraging diversity and applicants from regional areas. (more…)
20 Apr 2023
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…)
29 Apr 2022
Joint letter from Queensland-based consumer, community and clinician groups
In a powerful demonstration of consumer-led partnerships, and a first in Queensland, 13 organisations have come together to write a joint letter to all political parties and candidates contesting the 2022 Federal election. The issues raised in the letter are concerns shared by health stakeholders across Australia.
The letter calls on all parties and candidates to commit to innovating and improving our health system so it is healthier, agile, collaborative and better able to meet the diverse needs of Queenslanders – all while being affordable and accessible for all people.
Download and read the open letter here
What can health consumers do to share the letter?
How can organisations use the letter?
The letter calls for action to provide equity of access and priority given to the healthcare needs of
- First Nations peoples
- People with disability and complex health needs
- People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- Older people
- Rural and remote communities
It also urges improved integration between primary, community and tertiary healthcare, and a consumer-centred healthcare system. (more…)
