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Gold Coast Health Service District's consumer and community engagement framework shaping up



Together they discussedConsumer and Community Engagement Framework (the Framework) and its application to the future development of the LHHN’s consumer and community engagement strategy. The Framework provides guidance for health service districts on how to engage effectively with health consumers and communities on health service planning and delivery.

Mark Tucker-Evans, Chair, Health Consumers Queensland, said it was pleasing to hear how much work the Gold Coast’s interim Community Council and district officers have done to date, especially how they are working collaboratively with their Medicare Local in relation to future joint consumer engagement mechanisms.

“Such an approach by the district and Medicare Local supports the future delivery of more integrated health services—a key thing that patients, their families and carers want from the national health reform,” said Mark.

“At HCQ, we are committed to ensuring that the consumer voice is part of the conversation between all health stakeholders.”

The meeting also allowed HCQ to discuss:

• how the HCQ Framework and the district's framework aligns with work being undertaken by district facilities in relation to implementation of the Australian Commission's National Standard 2: Partnering with Consumers.
• ways in which HCQ can continue to value-add to the development of the district’s community and consumer engagement strategy and facilities’ activities around the national standards.
• the district documenting its current engagement activities at the individual, service and network level across the three key domains of organisational operation (service planning and design; service delivery; and service monitoring and evaluation) as detailed in the HCQ Framework. Such documentation provides a starting point to identify what currently happens, highlights areas where gaps exist and where future work is required.

HCQ will continue to work with the Gold Coast Health Service District to assist in their strategy development and ongoing facility work.

For more information on the Framework or HCQ visit www.health.qld.gov.au/hcq/default.asp