Amidst intense media coverage and the release of limited information by the Commonwealth and State Governments, our first Consumer Conversation of 2021 focused on hearing what consumers are looking for from Queensland Health’s engagement and communications to underpin informed decision-making and instill public confidence in the plans to roll out the COVID-19 vaccination.
Prior to the event, Dr John Wakefield, Director General, Queensland Health sent us this message: “Our big challenge now is to build confidence in the vaccination and ensure that its delivery promotes confidence. Clear communication is critical, and we need strong consumer input and engagement to get this right.”
Consumers agreed. Their questions and comments have enabled us to identify the gaps and considerations for Queensland Health and the broader health sector to address, to ensure their engagement and communications hit the mark for the people of this State.
The over-arching focus for this group of health consumers and consumer NGOs is to be confident that the vaccine is safe and effective for them and that it is equitably rolled out.