Southern Health recognises that its consumers, carers and community have the right to have a say on the issues and directions of the health service.  In engaging with consumers, carers and the community, Southern Health contributes to a more accessible and effective health service and improves health outcomes for its consumers.  It enables a focus on the needs of particular population groups in our diverse community and gives the community a greater sense of ownership over their health.
By being involved in Southern Health as a Consumer Participant you can create opportunities to be informed or actively involved in committees, programs or projects in your area of interest or expertise.

There are a number of ways that you can participate as a Southern Health Consumer Participant:

• Consumer Participation Register
• Community Advisory Committee
• Southern Health Committees, Programs or Projects


Before becoming a Consumer Participant, you must be eligible to join the Consumer Participation Register.  An application form must be completed and approved.
Southern Health is guided by the principles of the Department of Health document
Doing it With Us Not For Us and the Southern Health Consumer Participation Plan 2010-2013


For further information
Consumer Participation Coordinator
Phone: 9594 6230
Email: rebecca.edwards@southernhealth.org.au

Consumer Participant Testimonials
“After my personal experiences as a patient in various departments (some in critical care) and after having my life extended beyond what otherwise would have been, both my wife and I felt we needed to give back what we could to help Southern Health. We decide the quickest way we could support the organisation was to volunteer our services in any way we could. I was approached by my Nurse Unit Manager of the neurosurgery ward, if I would be interested in becoming a Consumer Group committee member, and I gladly accepted. My wife too has been recruited as a volunteer with Monash Heart in a reception role.”
Peter Van Hooft, Consumer Participant (Consumer Reference Group)