We work with governments and the broader sector to support healthcare policy change in response to consumer needs and feedback.

We are focused on:

Towards consumer-centred healthcare

Governments acknowledge, and reviews have shown, that consumer-centric health care delivers better outcomes. (1,2)

The need and requirement for public engagement by Government is now enshrined in legislation and policy,(3)  and consumer-centredness has become a key organising principle at all levels of the health system.(4,5) ‘Partnering with consumers’ is a core National Safety and Quality Accreditation Standard.

The Victorian Government’s new Public Engagement Framework is welcome, and advises Government Departments when planning public engagement to “Consider working with local government, community members, priority communities or advocacy groups on the engagement.”

Yet in practice, embedding consumer participation across the health sector is still a work-in-progress.(6) 

As a trusted advocate for the consumer voice, HIC understands the enablers and barriers to the active participation of consumers in their own health care and in policy formulation participation.  

We will continue to work towards:

  • Continued embedding of consumer perspectives in health policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation 
  • The application of best practice engagement models to engage with those who are seldom heard – the disadvantaged, the marginalized and the vulnerable.

Consumer-driven health and medical research 

The pandemic has highlighted the critical role medical research plays in our health and wellbeing. 

Consumer involvement in research leads to better, translatable outcomes that improve healthcare, and is accepted by key research funding entities such as the NHMRC (7) and MRFF (8).

‘Consumer-driven research’ is the first-listed priority in the new draft Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities (November 2021).  

As consumer input is increasingly valued, recognised and mandated, both researchers and consumers require support to embed this into research practices – including when prioritizing research activity, designing research, interpreting results, communicating findings and ensuring that research is translated into better public health outcomes.

We will continue to work towards:

  • Developing a standard set of principles that defines the mutual obligations, rights and roles of researchers and the communities that are the objects or beneficiaries of research
  • Ensuring consumer perspectives and needs are embedded in Victoria’s research landscape, including implementation of the Health and Medical Research Strategy and its associated actions  
  • Direct investment in both sides of the partnership, including direct support for consumers to participate in research design, delivery, and translation into better health outcomes.

Inclusive and consumer-centric digital healthcare

Digital health provides opportunities for improved, person-centred consumer healthcare.

It can enhance health outcomes through improved medical diagnosis, self-management of care, person-centred care and data-based treatment decisions. (9)

Collaboration with consumers is fundamental to the successful identification, delivery and uptake of digital health solutions. 

Importantly, the digitally-enabled healthcare delivery eco-system should help maximize consumers benefits but not compromise consumers’ privacy rights and welfare.

Equity is also paramount – the extent to which Victorians are digitally ‘included’ remains closely tied to age, and increases with education, employment, and income. (10)

Further, while COVID-19 led to the number of Australians being completely offline decreasing from 10% to just 1%, under 40% of Australians have confidence they can keep up with the rate of technological change (11).

We welcomed the Victorian Government’s $625.8 million Digital Futures Now program, but digital inclusion is still lagging for disadvantaged and vulnerable Victorians. The Australian Digital Inclusion Index (2021) (12) shows Victoria’s three ‘least included’ LGAs are rural (Loddon, Buloke, and Gannawarra) and the three ‘most included’ are inner metro (Port Phillip, Stonnington and Yarra).

We will continue to work towards:

  • Further system-wide adoption and embedding of consumer-centred, best practice digital health policy that emphasizes collaboration with consumers as fundamental to the successful identification, delivery and uptake of digital health solutions
  • Development of a ‘Charter of digital health rights’ to articulate consumer digital health rights and a set of principles that government should consider when designing services
  • Privacy and consumer rights being reflected in Victorian legislation and implementation of digital health initiatives
  • Investment in digital infrastructure to ultimately bridge the digital health divide

Quality, Safety and Remedy

Despite significant government investment in improving safety in the health system, hundreds of serious adverse events are reported annually.

For those patients unfortunate enough to be impacted by system and clinician errors, the road to recovery can be difficult and traumatic. 

Whether it be navigating the complaints system, receiving remedial care to enable recovery or obtaining compensation for enduring incapacity, unforeseen medical expenses or loss of income, consumers often struggle with the aftermath of their adverse experience.

While HIC applauds efforts to eliminate system error, we recognise that for those who are impacted by adverse events there is a need for more comprehensive support and compensation mechanisms that do not require costly and retraumatizing litigation.

HIC is committed to co-designing better outcomes for those who suffer adverse clinical outcomes.

The conversation needs to ensure consumer perspectives inform incident reviews and quality and safety improvements.

We will continue to work towards:

  • Identifying areas requiring improvement in the reporting, management and remediation of adverse event failures;
  • Evaluating the feasibility of a no-faults compensation scheme to provide patients with a less stressful alternative to civil litigation

COVID-19 

COVID-19 reinforced the value of partnering with communities to achieve optimal public health outcomes. 

HIC’s series of COVID public forums identified emerging issues and generated predictive insights as to what lay ahead in the ever-evolving pandemic. 

This allowed HIC to provide reliable information and concrete recommendations to government on changing consumer sentiment and perspectives on issues ranging from adherence to social distancing, to the drivers of vaccine hesitation to the behavioural change challenges posed by the introduction of masks.

We continue to work with government, research institutions, PHNs and of course consumers to chart and navigate the ever-changing COVID landscape.

We will continue to work towards:

  • Continued delivery of our popular COVID online forums, with Burnet Institute and our other partners
  • Ensuring the Government COVID-19 response continues to be informed by a range of consumer voices
  • Creation of an online COVID-19 community to support sufferers

Amplifying young voices 

The voices of young people are often missing from health policy debates and decision-making.

We will continue to work towards:

  • Entrenching the voices of young people into healthcare policy deliberations and development, especially on climate change and mental health.  
  • Young people taking a leadership role on those health issues that particularly impact them (e.g. emerging climate-related and gender identity issues).
  • Ensure young people’s voices are heard following the impending release of Victoria’s Youth Strategy and – critically – in how it is implemented.  

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References

(1)Future of health: shifting Australia’s focus from illness treatment to health and wellbeing management. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Retrieved from https://www. csiro.au/en/Showcase/futureofhealth September 2019 

(2) Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Taskforce, An MBS for the 21st Century: Recommendations, Learnings and Ideas for the Future – Final Report to the Minister for Health,’ December 2020:  https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2020/12/medicare-benefits-schedule-review-taskforce-final-report-an-mbs-for-the-21st-century-recommendations-learnings-and-ideas-for-the-future.pdf  

(3) For example: Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006; Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees 2015; Equal Opportunity Act 2004; Victoria’s Value Creation and Capture Framework 2016; Victorian State-Local Government Agreement 2014

(4)Future of health: shifting Australia’s focus from illness treatment to health and wellbeing management. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Retrieved from https://www. csiro.au/en/Showcase/futureofhealth September 2019 

(5) Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Taskforce, An MBS for the 21st Century: Recommendations, Learnings and Ideas for the Future – Final Report to the Minister for Health,’ December 2020:  https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2020/12/medicare-benefits-schedule-review-taskforce-final-report-an-mbs-for-the-21st-century-recommendations-learnings-and-ideas-for-the-future.pdf  

(6) https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/migrated/NSQHS-Impact-Report.pdf

(7)Corporate Plan – https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/nhmrc-corporate-plan-2020-21#block-views-block-file-attachments-content-block-1 

(8) https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2020L01411 

(9) WHO, https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/documents/gs4dhdaa2a9f352b0445bafbc79ca799dce4d.pdf

(10) Thomas, J., Barraket, J., Parkinson, S., Wilson, C., Holcombe-James, I., Brydon, A., Kennedy, J. (2021). Australian Digital Inclusion Index: 2021, Dashboard Dataset Release 1. Melbourne: RMIT and Swinburne University of Technology, and Telstra.

(11) https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org.au/news/digital-nation-australia-2021/

(12) Thomas, J., Barraket, J., Parkinson, S., Wilson, C., Holcombe-James, I., Brydon, A., Kennedy, J. (2021). Australian Digital Inclusion Index: 2021, Dashboard Dataset Release 1. Melbourne: RMIT and Swinburne University of Technology, and Telstra. https://www.digitalinclusionindex.org.au/