Congratulations to all the consumers and carers from HCQ’s network who have been appointed to consumer partnership roles on long-term, system-wide committees, focus groups or working groups as well as other activities with Queensland Health and other health organisations. 

We received over 100 expressions of interest for 19 opportunities. More than 30 consumer and carer representatives have been appointed to roles so far with some selections still to be finalised. We’ve also seen a strong increase in the numbers of consumers applying for roles who bring an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island, disability, culturally and linguistically diverse or rural and remote perspective and voice. Some of the new roles include:

  • Allied Health Digital Transformation Roadmap 
  • Comprehensive Assessment and Care Planning Project 
  • Connected Communities Pathways Funding Panel 
  • Home Enteral Nutrition Service Review Steering Committee 
  • Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Safety and Quality Improvement Framework Project Reference Group 
  • Queensland Clinical Senate First 2000 Days Recommendations Review 
  • Queensland Health Strategic Workforce Advisory Group  
  • Queensland Clinical Services Capability Framework Neonatal Working Group 
  • Royal Flying Doctors Service Consumer Advisory Group 

Following our advice, we were particularly delighted to see how The Queensland Teletrials Steering Committee demonstrated its commitment to the consumer voice. It initially requested two consumers from rural and remote areas across Queensland to join the Committee. Five consumers applied for the role and two consumers were duly appointed. We encouraged the Teletrial team to take on the other three consumers and engage them in other ways alongside the Steering Committee such as through providing consumer stories or in reviews, panels, focus groups and other activities to broaden the lived experience and shape the way Teletrials are planned, designed, delivered and evaluated.