Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health

Strengthening Consumer involvement in healthcare

The Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health (CEIH) hosted a Consumer Forum on 14 December 2021 at the Adelaide Pavilion.

There were over 60 registered attendees who participated in the discussion around strengthening consumer involvement in healthcare in South Australia.

Session 1 - How do we know we’re achieving meaningful Consumer Engagement and how do we measure it?

At the event, Sarah Brown, CEO of Purple House presented via a pre-recorded interview, "Purple House Magic. When patients are the big bosses. Next level consumer engagement?"

Following that presentation, there was a facilitated panel session which explored the question: How do we know we’re achieving meaningful Consumer Engagement and how do we measure it?

Panel #1 participants

  • Fiona Telford-Sharp, Clinical Program and Delivery Manager, Diabetes SA
  • Mark Haseloff, CEIH Cancer Statewide Clinical Network Consumer Representative
  • Brett Manuel, Strategic Engagement Lead - ICT & Digital Government, Department of the Premier & Cabinet

Attendees were then invited to address the same question at table workshops with the ideas, themes and discussion documented by CEIH staff.

Session 2 - What could the future of consumer engagement look like?

The second session commenced with Associate Professor Christine Dennis, Flinders University Rural and Remote Health SA, College of Medicine & Public Health presenting her thoughts on "What could the future of consumer engagement look like?"

Review Professor Dennis' presentation notes below.

There was a second facilitated panel session who discussed the same question.

Panel #2 participants

  • Allison Willis, Principal Consultant, Health Consumer CoLab
  • Christine Dennis, Associate Professor Rural and Remote Health, Flinders University
  • Kathryn Hourigan, CEIH Palliative Care Statewide Clinical Network Co-Lead

Table workshops on the future of consumer engagement followed this panel discussion where the conversation was again documented by CEIH staff, before the event was formally closed.

This event was just the first step in hear­ing from SA health con­sumers on these topics. After the Consumer Forum in December 2021, we held a statewide digital engagement via the online platform YourSAy in January and February 2022.

Following this, between April and August, we worked with the Regional Local Health Networks to hear from their local communities to continue the conversation from the Consumer Forum.

The regional engagement has now ended and we are compiling all feedback from the Consumer Forum Event, YourSAy and the regional communities. We look forward to sharing the findings with you shortly.

For any questions or further information, please contact ceih@sa.gov.au.