Category: Blog

Meet your HCCWA team: Jen Rawson

Posted on October 29, 2025

Our team works hard for the people of WA, we’re passionate about making a difference in the lives of West Aussies and working hard to make patients, carers, loved ones – all health consumers – are at the centre of our healthcare system to make healthcare fair.

We’d like you to meet Jen, Information and Advocacy Officer – Individual Advocacy.

How long have you worked at HCCWA

I completed my placement at HCCWA in 2023 and have been employed since late 2023

What inspired you to work at HCCWA?

While I was on my final social work placement, I found that HCCWA aligned well with my personal and professional values of social justice, fairness and respect for persons. I was attracted by the passionate and caring team environment and feel extremely grateful to have been offered employment when my placement ended.

Describe what you do at HCCWA

I work in the individual advocacy team. My role is to provide advocacy to people who are experiencing an issue, inequity or barrier in the WA health system by supporting them to exercise their rights. I also work to amplify consumer voices to ensure their wishes and experiences are heard and respected. This can involve providing information or self-advocacy resources, supporting people to navigate the complaints process, writing letters on their behalf or attending appointments to undertake specific advocacy actions.

What do you think about HCCWA and the work we do?

I think that HCCWA is a passionate and fierce defender of health rights and I’m proud to be a small part of that.

How do you see your work helping to improve outcomes and experiences for everyone in WA?

I hope that the work I do advocating for fairness and change for individuals leads to small lasting changes in approach and attitude from health care providers that will spill over to the next consumers accessing a service.

Ever met anyone famous?

A very long time ago I sold Georgie Parker an Easter egg when I worked at Darrell Lea!

Position filled: Executive Assistant role

Posted on October 27, 2025

employment opportunity for executive assistant

This position has been filled. 

We do sometimes need to take people on at short notice. If you are interested in working with us in a future role, please send a short resume and covering letter to us at jobs@hconc.org.au.

The types of roles we have available from time to time:

  • Project officer/manager
  • Advocacy – individual and systemic
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Administration

 

Consumer Voices Drive Change: A Win Against Predatory Dental Practices in WA

Posted on October 26, 2025

Joint AHPRA and ATO Statement Targets Predatory Dental Payment Practices

We’ve seen time and again that consumers speaking up can drive change, and last week was no exception. Consumers who have been impacted by poor practices by WA dentists have collaborated with HCC and together we are we are making changes.  

We celebrated a victory last week when APHRA and the ATO issued a very strong joint statement on the worrying misuse and overuse of the compassionate release of superannuation to pay for dental treatment. The agencies gave strong guidance to practitioners on the limited circumstances in which it is appropriate to use such payment methods and also undertook to investigate practitioners who they believe are using this system inappropriately. 

Unlike previous statements on this topic, which were framed as partly a caution to patients, this statement places the responsibility squarely with practitioners and with third party agents who may assist in completing applications for early release of super. We welcome this change in approach, and we are really pleased that these regulators have listened to consumers and to our advocacy in framing this message. 

We heard about this issue earlier this year, following the death of a dental practitioner who had taken substantial advance payments from patients for expensive dental treatment, but had passed away before delivering the treatment.  

In our research, we found a worrying number of practitioners who include in their advertising materials information that encourages people to withdraw their superannuation to pay for treatment. Some of this advertising appeared predatory and was often included incorrect information.  

After advocacy from us, in partnership with consumers and pressure from the media, there was a press release from AHPRA in late May which expressed concern about the increase in using superannuation to pay for treatment, and a great checklist of red flags for consumers. This was a pleasing start, but we continued our advocacy, as we were concerned that the messaging from regulatory bodies around this practice was not strong enough.  

The statement issued on 16 October is strong. It speaks of inaccurate statements being made by practitioners on forms supporting the release of superannuation, and of the penalties that people will face for making such statements. The consumers who have been left stranded are continuing their fight for justice through legal avenues, the media, and complaints processes. We are continuing to work with Consumer Protection, AHPRA and Choice Australia to explore avenues to protect consumers in future.   

 

Bronwyn Ife  |  Systemic Advocacy and Engagement Lead

Media enquiries: 0488 701 839 | info@hconc.org.au

Dental issues, quality and cost – update on advocacy Oct 2025

Posted on October 1, 2025

This year many of us have been shocked by news reports of consumers having paid up front for extensive and costly dental treatment (often implants) and then before the work is completed their practitioner has stopped practicing, died or been deregistered, leaving consumers out of pocket, in pain and with nowhere to turn.

Making this more devastating, a number of consumers have withdrawn a substantial sum of money from their superannuation to afford the up-front cost for treatment. With the treatment being left unfinished they are left high and dry, and out of pocket.

What we heard

When these issues came to our attention – raised by consumers directly to our individual advocacy service, and through the media coverage in The Sunday Times – we looked into what had gone wrong and we found:

  • High costs of dental treatment meaning people need to request access to their Super to help cover the cost
  • Practitioners requiring payment upfront but those payments not always being protected or returned to consumers if practitioners are unable to complete the work
  • The system that’s supposed to protect consumers having a number of gaps:
    • Predatory advertising of costly dental treatment and encouragement to access Super without financial advice being promoted via social media with highly emotive imagery
    • Limitations of information being provided to consumers to enable them to make truly informed consent and being clear about the future impact of accessing Super to pay for treatment
    • The request for Compassionate Release of Super being signed off by the same health practitioner who will be benefit financially from that request. In many cases, this may not be a cause for concern. However, it allows for unscrupulous practitioners to encourage the transfer of funds from  someone’s future financial security, to their own income with little/few checks and balances to ensure fully informed consent.
  • Quality issues – people paying for expensive treatment and then learning their treatment was not of the expected standard
  • Practitioners with a history of concerning practice being able to continue to practice – and information not being available to consumers about past history

What we’ve done so far

It’s clear that the regulation and protection of consumer rights in the area of dental treatment is ripe for reform. Some of the gaps in protection for consumers will take a long time to resolve.

Having collected information about people’s experiences and identified the gaps in consumer protection, we’ve reached out to a number of the agencies that can play a role in addressing these. These include:

  • The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the Australian Dental Board
  • The WA Chief Dental Officer
  • The WA branch of the Australian Dental Association
  • The WA Commissioner for Consumer Protection
  • CHOICE, the national consumer advocacy group

We also reached out through our networks to find out about other consumer concerns on this area. Using that feedback, we’ve contributed to a number of media articles and raised consumer concerns regularly and consistently, as well as speaking up on consumer perspectives at this year’s Dental Board conference. We are making these points:

  • people making the decision to access Super to pay for dental treatment need to be provided with clear information about what they are paying – $10,000 today may actually be worth a lot more if it had been left to accumulate interest in your Super fund
  • if someone is paying up front for treatment, those funds should be held in a trust account – similar to when you pay a deposit for a rental property – that can’t be accessed by the health professional until the work has been completed
  • that regulators – like Ahpra – need to put the interests of consumers front and centre when designing and applying systems of regulation. And acknowledge that financial harm is a risk to consumers, and that regulation systems need to protect against that alongside health harm.

About compassionate release of super

The early release of superannuation – known as Compassionate Release of Super – is meant to only be used if other funding options such as savings or a loan are not available. It’s a last resort mechanism that’s in place to enable people to pay for  essential treatment that cannot be paid for any other way to:

  • treat a life-threatening illness or injury
  • alleviate acute or chronic pain
  • alleviate acute or chronic mental illness.

We are not arguing that the ability to access superannuation for compassionate reasons should cease. We are calling for some tighter checks and scrutiny to ensure that the release is only available when the treatment does meet the above criteria. And that consumers understand the full implications of accessing their funds this way.

The data that the Australian Tax Office provides is alarming.  A majority of superannuation released for compassionate grounds is being spent on medical care, with $1 billion released for medical treatment in 2023-24.

The largest category for medical release of superannuation is dentistry, with $526 million of the above $1 billion being released to pay for dental treatment. This has increased from $66 million in 2018-19, a nearly 700% increase in six years.

Many practices include references to accessing superannuation on their websites when they are referring to payment options. Some others mention accessing superannuation on the front page of their website and some even include it in their online advertising that is pushed as sponsored posts on social media and other websites. We have also seen the emergence of businesses who can complete your superannuation paperwork for you and help you access your super. These are not medical practices but rather an agency who charges patients to help them complete a fairly simple form, and can refer people to their “partner” practitioners if they are having a hard time getting a dentist to sign off on the release of superannuation.

We hope that the ATO can use their data to identify and track practitioners who are the recipients of a larger than usual proportion of superannuation releases and take appropriate actions to ensure that any unusual charging practices are closely scrutinised.

If you have concerns about the financial practices of a health practitioner, you can submit a notification to Ahpra at https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Notifications/Concerned-about-a-health-practitioner.aspx

Registration of practitioners who have a history of disciplinary issues

It became clear that one of the practitioners who had attracted media attention had previously been deregistered in another country. We have raised this with AHPRA as it was unclear to us how this practitioner came to be registered in Australia. While we were unable to obtain specific detail about an individual dentist we did have extensive discussions on this topic and are hopeful that AHPRA will in the future be approaching such registrations in a different way.

Where to next?

Sadly, many of the patients who have been left out of pocket with unfinished work by David Hurst are still stranded. We are aware that a class action has commenced and we hope that this process is helpful for those consumers.

We will be continuing our advocacy with the agencies outlined above to advocate for long-term systemic change. We will continue to share updates through our e-news.

If you have any comments on any of this, please reach out to us at info@hconc.org.au

 

 

Dental costs in WA. Consumer FAQ

Updated October 2025. Health Consumers’ Council WA.

Why are we talking about dental costs

Some people in WA paid large sums upfront for dental work. When a dentist stopped practising or was deregistered, the work was left unfinished. Patients lost money and often had health impacts.

Why do people use their superannuation for dental

Dental care is expensive. Many cannot afford it. Some dentists and third party services promote using superannuation as a payment option.

What is the risk

  • If treatment is not finished, your money may be lost.
  • Upfront payments are rarely protected.
  • Some dentists continue working despite past problems.
  • Advertising can be misleading about cost and outcomes.

How much superannuation is being used

In 2023 to 2024 Australians accessed 1 billion dollars through compassionate release of superannuation. Dentistry accounted for 526 million dollars, up from 66 million dollars in 2018 to 2019.

What should I do if I am considering dental work

  • Ask for a written cost estimate with item codes and timeframes.
  • Avoid paying the full cost upfront. Request staged payments.
  • Check the dentist’s registration on AHPRA and the Dental Board.
  • Be cautious of advertising that pushes superannuation access.
  • Contact HCCWA if you are unsure of your rights.

What is HCCWA doing

  • Collecting consumer stories and evidence.
  • Raising issues with AHPRA, the Dental Board, WA Chief Dental Officer, ADA WA, and Consumer Protection WA.
  • Partnering with consumer groups.
  • Pushing for protection of upfront payments and clearer disclosures.

Need advice

Contact Health Consumers’ Council WA. Visit hconc.org.au or call 08 9221 3422.

Meet your HCCWA team: Aimee Riddell

Posted on August 18, 2025

Our team works hard for the people of WA, we’re passionate about making a difference in the lives of West Aussies and working hard to make patients, carers, loved ones – all health consumers – are at the centre of our healthcare system to make healthcare fair.

We’d like you to meet Aimee, our Engagement and Advocacy Coordinator.

How long have you worked at HCCWA?

2.5 years

What inspired you to work at HCCWA?

Over the years, I’ve worked in roles where I helped people find their way through the health system and speak up for the care they needed. I often found myself pointing them to HCCWA or using their resources to help someone understand their rights, make a complaint, or support a friend or family member through their healthcare journey.

Seeing how important that kind of support is really stuck with me. It made me want to be part of the team at HCCWA—somewhere I could help more people feel confident to speak up and get the care that works for them. I’m passionate about making sure everyone has the tools and support they need to be heard and to get healthcare that truly meets their needs.

Describe what you do at HCCWA

My role at HCCWA is really varied, which is one of the things I love most about it. I get to be out in the community a lot—whether that’s hosting a stall at a local event, meeting with hospital consumer advisory committees, or running events to support and grow our amazing network of consumer representatives.

A big part of what I do is helping people understand their healthcare rights and how to speak up for the care they need. I draw on my past experience working directly with community members to share useful information and build confidence in navigating the health system.

What brings me the most joy is connecting with people—having real conversations, hearing their stories, and helping them feel empowered to take charge of their healthcare journey.

What do you think about HCCWA and the work we do?

HCCWA is one of the best workplaces I’ve ever been part of. It’s pretty rare to find a team where everyone is genuinely working towards the same goal—supporting people in the community and helping to shape a health system that’s fair, safe, and truly centred around the consumer voice.

There’s a real sense of shared purpose at HCCWA. Everyone brings their own strengths, and what brings us all together is the belief that people deserve to be heard and respected in their healthcare journey. It’s inspiring to be part of something that makes a real difference in people’s lives.

How do you see your work helping to improve outcomes and experiences for everyone in WA?
I see my work as part of a bigger effort to make sure everyone in WA has access to healthcare that truly meets their needs. By helping people understand their rights, speak up about their experiences, and feel confident navigating the health system, we’re not just supporting individuals—we’re helping to shift the system to be more responsive, inclusive, and person-centred.

Whether it’s through community events, supporting consumer representatives, or simply having conversations that empower people to advocate for themselves or others, every part of the work we do at HCCWA contributes to building a health system that listens, learns, and improves. And when the system works better for the people who use it, outcomes and experiences improve for everyone.

Ever met anyone famous?

Yes! While waiting in a passport line at an airport in Germany, my son, who was 6 at the time, was having an in-depth conversation with someone behind us about how they both had Australian passports. I turned around and he was deep in conversation with Cate Blanchet. She was very lovely and gave her time very graciously.

The Productivity Commission has released an Interim Report into delivering health care more efficiently

Posted on August 18, 2025

Productivity Commission report on delivering quality care

The Productivity Commission has released an Interim Report into delivering health care more efficiently. While the words “efficient” and “productivity” often spark fear as they may suggest that important things might be delivered more cheaply, this report is taking a different perspective. This time the Commission is examining how some key parts of the health system might be considered differently. We welcome all opportunities to contribute to such as we believe that applying a new lens to the way things are done can lead to better outcomes for consumers.

The areas being examined are:

  • Reform of safety and quality regulations – without sacrificing the important outcomes of safety and quality, making the safety and quality registration and regulation process less repetitious and more efficient.
  • Embedding co commissioning across the health system – finding ways that the different parts of the health system can collaborate and work together to improve integration and remove repetition.
  • Government investment in preventative health – examining how wide a lens to apply to preventative health, and acknowledging that the cost “savings” from preventative health are not seen in the short term, but over the course of decades.

HCCWA contributed to this interim report and are pleased to see that the interim report now continues to progress towards recommendations that would see some interesting changes in the health sector. We’ll be providing further feedback on this interim report and we welcome input from anyone in our networks who would like to share their views.

Bronwyn Ife  |  Systemic Advocacy and Engagement Lead

Media enquiries: 0488 701 839 | info@hconc.org.au

Housing as a health issue: Homelessness Week

Posted on August 4, 2025

As we head into Homelessness Week, we are all acutely aware of the housing crisis in Western Australia.

Recent research from Curtin University shows the depths of this crisis, with increasing numbers of people finding it hard to afford a home and over 40% of people who live in unaffordable housing experiencing poor physical or mental health. The report also tells us that homelessness in WA has risen 8% since 2016 and that the waiting list for social housing has grown to over 20 000. There are 6300 people who are considered to be of the highest priority of needs waiting for a home.

Sometimes we assume that all people experiencing homelessness are street present or “rough sleepers”. In fact, this is often not the case with many people (particularly women) who experience homelessness choosing to stay with family or friends, sleeping in their cars or staying in short term accommodation, which means they are often not visible and also underrepresented in data.

There is no debate that homelessness causes poor health with people who experience homeless experiencing much higher rates of mental health issues, stress and suicide. In addition to this, people who do not have a home tend not to access preventative health care, so their health needs are not addressed early and rapidly become more serious health concerns.

What often happens is that people who experience homelessness seek care at emergency departments of tertiary hospitals and their stay is often longer at these hospitals because there is no safe place for them to go upon discharge. The cost to the health system in treating and accommodating people who experience homelessness is considerable. In a recent study in Western Australia it was identified that over $400 000 was saved in the health system in 12 months by just three patients being placed in appropriate, safe, permanent accommodation. Hospital attendance and hospital admissions reduce significantly once housing needs are met, particularly if those housing needs include wrap around services such as integrated primary health care providers.

Of course we believe that safe, secure and permanent housing should be provided to everyone simply because it’s the right thing to do, for their physical and emotional wellbeing. However, we are aware that often times there needs to be an economic argument as well as a compassionate one, and well-designed social housing using Housing First principles seems to us to tick both boxes.

Photo by Gary Steadman of a reported bag

Photo by Gary Steadman of a reported bag from his LinkedIn post: “Thank you for bringing my living room to my attention.”

Housing First projects argue that housing should be provided first, rather than requiring people to meet a set of criteria before being provided with accommodation. This is a key change in the way homelessness is understood and managed, as it recognises that once someone has a home and appropriate support services nearby, it is much easier to transition into a situation where people may be able to seek work or otherwise make changes that allow less social isolation. Housing First principles make provision of housing a priority, while allowing the clients to access support services without conditions attached. The principles also eliminate the complexity of deciding who is more “worthy” of public housing, and rather just understands that housing is a human right and a health issue.

We are pleased to see some Housing First project progressing in the inner city of Perth and in Mandurah and some funding in the budget for further projects. While these projects are being built, however, we still see many street present people in our neighbourhoods, and this cold, wet weather makes us all acutely aware of how challenging and distressing this must be. We welcome initiatives like the Orange Sky mobile laundry and the Brollie Brigade who provide free mobile hot showers, haircuts and hygiene services, along with Street doctor services. These organisations work tirelessly on the front line of service provision for street present people.

We are still heartbroken though to hear stories of local government rangers removing or threatening to remove the possessions of street present people, as was highlighted recently on LinkedIn or the callous approach some local governments take to move on people who are sleeping in their vehicles or on the streets.

We consider homelessness to be a health issue, as well as a social one, and we welcome the appointment of a Minister for Preventative Health. We hope this preventative health lens takes a wide look at the social determinants of health, including housing, to ensure that housing programs continue to be a high priority for this government.

Bronwyn Ife  |  Systemic Advocacy and Engagement Lead

Media enquiries: 0488 701 839 | info@hconc.org.au

What will the new bulk billing incentives mean for consumers?

Posted on July 29, 2025

What will the new bulk billing incentives mean for consumers?

Cleanbill have released a report that forecasts what they believe will be the impact of the incoming Medicare bulk billing incentives.

From 1 November there will be increased Medicare rebates available to GPs who bulk bill all of their patients. This initiative was designed to increase the rates of bulk billing and make affordable primary care more accessible for all patients. The government announced that they forecast that about 80% of practices would end up being fully bulk billing practices as a result of these changes. This report questions this modelling and suggests that the increases in the number of bulk billing practices may be more modest than consumers and the government were hoping for.

According to the data that Cleanbill uses, right now in WA only 42 practices, or just under 7% of practices are entirely bulk billing practices, which means they bulk bill every patient, not just those who are eligible for concessions.

Cleanbill’s modelling suggests WA can expect a doubling of fully bulk billing practices, which may sound terrific, but given that we are coming off a pretty low base it’s not as much of a game-changer as we might have hoped. This would see 85 fully bulk billing practices in WA bringing the rate of practices bulk billing to close to 14%.

Currently across the country, Cleanbill estimates that just over 21% of practices are fully bulk billing. With the incentives being introduced in November, their modelling suggests that there will be 740 additional bulk billing clinics across the country, bringing the percentage of clinics who bulk bill to over 33%. The largest increases are forecast to be in Victoria and New South Wales.

The report goes on to model bulk billing rates if the bulk billing incentives were 10%, 20% and 30% higher than those that are being implemented in November. Unsurprisingly, this comparison shows that if the incentives were increased, we could expect considerably more practices to become fully bulk billing. The modelling shows that if incentives were 30% higher than those being proposed, then nearly 82% of WA practices would fully bulk bill which reflects the forecast national figures.

Primary healthcare is the foundation of good health for individuals and a well-functioning health system for everyone. Here at HCCWA we want to see quality primary health care that is accessible and affordable for everyone, and we hope that increased bulk billing incentives see more people being able to see their GP without cost being a barrier.

Consumers’ Health Forum are a federal health advocacy body who undertake extensive systemic advocacy on Medicare issues and like us, they will continue to closely monitor the impact of the new incentives.

When considering this data it is worth knowing that Cleanbill are not a research institute or a Think Tank, they are not connected to a not for profit group and nor are they a government initiative. Rather, Cleanbill is a practice listings business where practices can pay to have their information available. Cleanbill list all practices and their fees, including those who have not paid for a listing, but the accuracy of their information is unclear, as many practices are unaware of the listing and therefore do not have the chance to update or correct their information.

For this reason, we consider this information to be interesting and potentially useful, but it is important that it is viewed through the appropriate lens.

Bronwyn Ife  |  Systemic Advocacy and Engagement Lead

Media enquiries: 0488 701 839 | info@hconc.org.au

Listening and learning in the East Kimberley

Posted on July 28, 2025

 

At Health Consumers’ Council WA, we’re committed to representing the voices of health consumers across our vast state. So this month, Tania Harris and I travelled to the East Kimberley to connect with community members, health service providers, and local leaders about what matters most when it comes to healthcare in the region.

We joined the WACHS Kununurra Hospital team at the local agricultural show — a vibrant community event that gave us the chance to hear directly from locals. We also had the privilege of meeting with services doing vital work, including the Wyndham Aboriginal Youth Corporation, where Neville and his team are helping young people craft strong, purposeful futures. We met with the Nurse Partnership Program about their work supporting new mums on their journey through early motherhood, including the role of peer workers, to support people to have the best start in life. We also met the team at Kimberley Legal Service where we heard about their innovative program that combines legal support with social work support to provide a holistic service.

It was great to hear about the many strengths in the region — including the deep relationships between local health services — we also heard about the ongoing challenges for people in the region when accessing healthcare. For many, this can mean long trips to Perth, navigating unfamiliar hospital environments, far from family and Country. Many of us know how important the support is from family or loved ones to our healing and healthcare experience.

This visit reminded us once again how critical it is that regional voices are heard in state-level decisions. We remain committed to amplifying those voices as we advocate to health leaders across WA.

To those already speaking up — as consumer reps, members of District Health Advisory Councils, or community advocates — thank you. Your insights guide our work. Please reach out if there’s more we can do to support you.

Clare Mullen  |  Executive Director

Media enquiries: 0488 701 839 | info@hconc.org.au

Your voice at the table: HCCWA’s recent ministerial meetings

Posted on July 23, 2025

Clare Mullen speaks about the Healthcare Consumers' Council

Building strong partnerships with WA’s new Ministerial team

Over the past few weeks, we have been busy meeting with the new ministerial team and their advisers. These meetings have been a great opportunity to share the experiences and priorities of health consumers across Western Australia. We’re pleased to report that the response from ministers and their teams has been very positive and encouraging.

Why these conversations matter
In all our discussions, Ministers and their advisers were genuinely interested in hearing about the diverse experiences of health consumers — the people who use health services every day. It’s clear that while many lobby groups approach government, our unique focus on the lived experiences of health consumers stands out as vital and valued.

Key highlights from our meetings

  • Making healthcare fair
    In our discussions with all the ministers and their teams, we discussed how consumers deserve healthcare that is fair for all. This includes

    • access to independent advocacy support to reduce harm and level the playing field if things go wrong
    • particular efforts to ensure that the concerns and interests of Aboriginal people, people from multicultural backgrounds, and people with intellectual disability are heard and not dismissed in healthcare settings
    • addressing the financial barriers to healthcare like expensive hospital parking fees.

 

  • Preventative health and system sustainability
    In our discussions with Minister Hammat – Minister for Health and Mental Health – and with Minister Winton’s team (Minister for Preventative Health) we talked about how health consumers and community members would like to see the commitment to increased investment in preventative health delivered on, noting it is a priority highlighted in the Sustainable Health Review. We also shared how critical it is for consumers to be involved at every level of decision-making, particularly as our health system evolves and faces workforce challenges. We recognised the strong work happening in some parts of WA health services to ensure consumer perspectives are understood from Board to bedside – and that there are more opportunities to build on these strong foundations.
  • Addressing the social determinants of health and weight stigma
    Our meeting with Minister Winton’s team reaffirmed their strong understanding of the social determinants of health and their commitment to preventive strategies.  We also commended Minister Carey for his action on increasing access to social housing. We shared updates from the WELL Collaborative (Weight Education, Lifestyle Leadership) — a partnership focused on improving health outcomes and experiences for people impacted by overweight and obesity that HCC has been involved in since 2018.
  • Consumer leadership in major projects
    With Minister Carey – Minister for Health Infrastructure, a new portfolio – we discussed the success of having consumer leadership embedded in the Women and Babies Hospital project. This approach ensures that consumer perspectives are integrated early and meaningfully in major developments. We encouraged that this approach be considered for all major infrastructure activities. We heard that work is underway to streamline and standardise consultation processes on these activities and we will continue to advocate for consumer representatives at every stage – including before ideas are generated, as well as being consulted on outcomes.
  • Health Research and Consumer Involvement
    With Minister Dawson’s office, we advocated for continued consumer involvement in medical research planning, decision-making, and the communication of research outcomes. We discussed how bringing researchers, practitioners, and consumers together can accelerate the translation of research into the real-world applications that consumers are keen see.
  • Aged Care and Community Models
    In our conversation with Minister McGurk – Minister for Aged Care and Women – we emphasised the need for strong support for older people — whether staying well at home or transitioning to aged care. We also discussed the value of community connector models, which help people navigate complex systems. The Minister had a good knowledge of these as she’d been involved in helping to establish a similar model aimed at supporting children in out of home care access essential healthcare.

Looking ahead
These meetings were a great opportunity for us to ensure that the new ministerial team and their advisers understand the importance of health consumer perspectives and how they can help to cut through the vested interests that exist in healthcare. It’s clear that WA’s new ministerial team values the voices of health consumers and is keen to hear about the real-world experiences of those accessing – or trying to access – care.

We look forward to building on these strong foundations to ensure that consumer perspectives remain central in shaping health policies and services.

Clare Mullen, Executive Director