Southern Health - Community Advisory Committee

Southern Health has an active Community Advisory Committee, with 14 volunteers representing various community sectors, cultures and ages. 

This committee comprises of community members who advise the Board and other areas of Southern Health on consumer and community issues. 

What are 'consumers' and why do we use this term?  People use our service for many different purposes.  They might be patients in one of our hospitals, clients who attend community clinics or residents in assisted accommodation.  The term 'consumer' embraces the wide variety of people who use our services.  Everyone who comes into contact with Southern Health is a health care consumer, either as a direct recipient of a health service or as a family member or friend who provides support.

Purpose

We established a Community Advisory Committee in 2001 to increase consumer, carer and community participation to improve the quality of care, appropriateness and accessibility of our services from the perspective of our community.

Role

The role of the Community Advisory Committee is to advise the Southern Health Board of community issues and ensure the community participates in Southern Health’s planning, service delivery and policy development.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Community Advisory Committee are outlined in the committee's terms of reference.

Membership

The Community Advisory Committee comprises 14 members who have strong links with the broader community and includes two Southern Health Board members.  Colleen Berryman is the Executive Officer supporting the Committee. 

Useful Links

• Audit of Consumer Participation Activity in Southern Health
   

• Doing it With Us Not For Us
   

• Consumer's Health Forum
   

• Health Issues Centre
   

• National Resource Centre for Consumer Participation in Health
   

• Better Health Channel
   

• The Cochrane Network
   

• The Consumer Network
  (The Cochrane Collaboration)
   

• Consumer Information and Participation Program for Victoria's Public Hospitals
   

• Consumers in NHS Research Support Unit (United Kingdom)
   

• Communication with Consumers Series Volume 1,  Well-Written Health Information: A Guide
   

• Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and Health

Achievements

Community Advisory Committee members have provided expertise in the following Southern Health projects and committees:

• Southern Health Community Participation Plan
   

• Annual Quality of Care Report
   

• Southern Health Strategic Plan
   

• Consumer participation training for managers
   

• Development of a brochure encouraging consumers to "Have a say in Health"
   

• Consumer Participation Register established
   

• Clinical Ethics Committee
   

• Outpatient Services Business Model Steering Committee
   

• External Review of the Complaints Management System
   

• No Wrong Doors Steering Committee
   

• Training for Southern Health Managers

Comments

“The establishment of the Community Advisory Committee provides a great opportunity to build on the significant work the Service has already undertaken to involve our community and advises the Board on key decisions which impact on the community”.
 

Mr Naim Melhem

Southern Health Board member

"Being a Southern Health Community Advisory member has given me the opportunity to influence changes in areas which are important to me, such as the Hospital Admission Risk Program for Chronic Disease Management.  I had been involved as a parent of a frequent customer of the health service and feel like the opinion and ideas of community members are heard and taken seriously".
 

Judy Little

Community Advisory Committee member
 

"The Community Advisory Committee give me access to the decision makers within Southern Health, and as those decisions will affect me as a consumer, I feel a sense of contribution and empowerment."
 

Sally-Ann Nadj

Community Advisory Committee member

Contact Us

For further details about the Community Advisory Committee and its role, or consumer and community participation, please contact:
 

Colleen Berryman

Community Participation Executive Officer

Telephone: (03) 9709 7176

Mobile:  0404 078 408

Are you interested in bringing a community perspective to decisions that are made within your local health service?

Southern Health is committed to consumer participation in the planning, delivery and evaluation of health services provided to the community.  We are currently seeking consumer, carers and community members interested in health issues to join the consumer register or become a member of our
Community Advisory Committee.

Being a member of the consumer register creates opportunities for those interested in health issues to
participate on committees and become involved with projects.

If you are interested in joining the Community Advisory Committee or our consumer register, please contact the Consumer Participation Executive Officer on (03) 9709 7176 or 0404 078 408 for further information on
consumer participation at Southern Health.