Action What is the intent? Why is this important? What needs to be in place? 2.1.1 Consumers and/or carers are involved in the governance of the health service organisation Consumers help to shape the overarching strategy, policy and decision-making of the health service. Consumers have a unique perspective that can help you to identify opportunities for improvement that might not otherwise be apparent. An overarching governance and policy framework that sets out the requirements for involving consumers in governance is an important platform for the specific policies and procedures that are needed to establish and maintain partnerships in practice. is no single ‘best’ approach to involve consumers in governance, and there is considerable variability in the way that consumer input can be obtained. Irrespective of the types of strategies used, what is important is that you ensure that the voices and views of consumers are heard and reflected in decision-making. Strategies to bring in the voices and views of consumers might include one or more of the following: including consumers on the board or existing governance committees routinely presenting stories or feedback from consumers at board meetings creating a new, or using an existing consumer advisory committee developing mechanisms to involve consumers in less formal ways, such as focus groups or critical friends groups obtaining feedback from consumers through new technologies, such as online ‘virtual’ panels. These strategies also apply to other actions in Standard 2. 2.1.2 Governance partnerships are reflective of the diverse of backgrounds in the population served by the health service organisation, including those people who do not usually provide feedback. The consumers that you partner with are as diverse as your community. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are known to have worse health outcomes than the rest of the population. People in health services from a culturally and linguistically diverse background are more likely to experience an adverse event. Because of and other poorer health outcomes for people from diverse groups it is important that health services A formal assessment or profile of the community is not necessary. Strategies to involve specific diverse or hard-to-reach groups should be reflected in the overarching policy framework. These strategies do not necessarily need to be applied across the whole health service; it may be that they are only relevant for specific clinical areas or specific If your health service has a homogeneous population, or there is not a specific population that you serve (such as for some private health services), it would be sufficient to demonstrate that you have an understanding of the people
make an effort to bring voices and views from people in these groups into their thinking about how the health service should operate. who use the service. It may be that no further action is then required. 2.2.1 The health service organisation establishes mechanisms for engaging consumers and/or carers in the strategic and/or operational planning for the organisation Consumers help the strategic and/or operational planning of the organisation. Consumers have a unique perspective that can help you to identify opportunities for improvement that might not otherwise be apparent. Health services are complex organisations with a range of functions. You need to take a systematic approach to ensure that partnerships with consumers are embedded in the way that your health service does business. This action links to Actions 2.2.2, 2.5.1, 2.8.1, 2.8.2, 2.9.1 and 2.9.2 and the same strategies can be used for all of them. Rather than developing new procedures for each of these actions, it is important that you look at how partnerships can be streamlined and facilitated across the organisation. The strategies to address this action should also be linked back to the overarching governance framework required under Action 2.1.1. Strategies that can be used include one or more of the following: including consumers on relevant committees establishing one or more consumer advisory committees establishing less formal mechanisms such as critical friends groups holding planning days, workshops and forums with consumers conducting structured consultation processes holding focus groups with small groups of consumers or discussions with individuals in wards or waiting rooms holding meetings with local consumer and community groups. In addition, information the views of consumers is available from data held by the health service, such as patient experience surveys, reviews of complaints and real time feedback forms. These processes provide useful sources of information about the views of consumers, but should not comprise the only strategies used to build partnerships.