Health Consumers’ Council WA recognised as a national nominated finalist for consumer advocacy
Health Consumers’ Council WA (HCCWA) is proud to have been recognised as a finalist in the 2026 Consumers’ Federation of Australia Consumer Advocacy Award.
The award recognises outstanding consumer advocacy that creates meaningful change for people across Australia. The 2026 award was presented during the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s National Consumer Congress in Sydney.
Congratulations to Super Consumers Australia, whose Take Your Super Back campaign received this year’s award for helping thousands of Australians affected by the Shield and First Guardian superannuation collapses understand their rights and seek compensation.
HCCWA was honoured to stand alongside nationally respected consumer organisations including CHOICE and the Owners Corporation Network and Australian Consumers Insurance Lobby.
While every organisation works in a different area of consumer advocacy, they share a common goal of ensuring people are heard, informed and treated fairly.
For HCCWA, this recognition reflects the importance of independent health consumer advocacy in Western Australia.
Every year we support people to navigate complex healthcare experiences, amplify consumer voices in policy and service design, and work alongside communities, clinicians and decision makers to improve the safety, quality and fairness of our health system.
Our advocacy is shaped by the experiences of Western Australians. Individual stories help identify broader patterns, which can lead to lasting improvements that benefit entire communities.
Being recognised alongside Australia’s leading consumer advocacy organisations reinforces the value of independent, consumer-led advocacy and encourages us to continue working towards a health system that is safe, equitable and centred on people.
We congratulate Super Consumers Australia on their well-deserved achievement and thank every consumer, carer, volunteer, consumer representative, member, partner and supporter who helps make our work possible.
Together, we can continue making healthcare fair for all.
Help shape fairer healthcare in WA
Whether you’ve shared your healthcare experience, volunteered as a consumer representative, attended one of our workshops, supported our advocacy or worked alongside us, you are part of this achievement.
If you would like to help improve healthcare in Western Australia, we’d love you to get involved.
What is culturally safe GP care? New research from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers
A new paper, “Towards assessment of culturally safe general practitioners: co-designing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ perspectives, the Calgary–Cambridge guide and clinical yarning”, published in the Australian Journal of Primary Health on 25 May 2026, puts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumer voices at the centre of the conversation about cultural safety in general practice.
The research was carried out in Queensland across four sites, including three Aboriginal Medical Services and one mainstream general practice, spanning regional, rural and very remote communities. A total of 131 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people took part through surveys, interviews and group processes. The work was guided by an Aboriginal Community Reference Group to ensure the findings reflected community perspectives.
This research matters because cultural safety is often discussed in policy or training settings, but less often defined by consumers themselves.
What Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers said matters most
Participants were clear about what they expect from a GP consultation. The priorities people identified were not theoretical; they were grounded in what really helps people feel respected, understood and confident about their care.
The most important attributes were:
knowing how to diagnose and treat disease properly
explaining things clearly, using basic words
greeting people respectfully
not stereotyping Aboriginal people
listening carefully
Other highly ranked elements included recognising what matters to the patient, not interrupting, being polite and respectful, creating a welcoming environment, and providing enough time for the appointment.
These findings show that culturally safe care is not something separate from everyday practice but is built through how care is delivered and whether people feel heard and taken seriously.
What does culturally safe care look like in a GP appointment?
Consumers said they want GPs who get clinical care right, use plain language, listen without interrupting, speak respectfully and as an equal, and avoid assumptions.
Participants also described the importance of privacy, comfort, and having enough time in appointments. Cultural safety also sits in the environment, including how welcoming the service feels, whether privacy is maintained, and whether people feel comfortable in the space.
What consumers want to see change
Consumers are asking for consistent, high-quality clinical care, clear communication, genuine listening, respectful interactions, freedom from stereotyping, and adequate time, privacy and follow-up.
There was also a strong message about consent. Participants wanted control over who is involved in their care and how information is shared, including during consultations, procedures and examinations.
Participants also valued continuity of care. Seeing the same GP over time, not having to repeat their story, and having follow-up on results and referrals all contributed to feeling safe and supported.
Important findings about culture and identity
Participants had mixed views about being asked about Country, Mob or cultural identity. For some, this was helpful. For others, it was intrusive or distressing, particularly where identity had been questioned or where people were disconnected from family or community. The paper recommends allowing these conversations to develop over time, rather than making them a standard opening question.
The research also goes further in challenging routine identification processes in general practice. It highlights that asking people to identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in a standard administrative way can create fear of stereotyping, mistrust and disengagement. It points to the need for safer systems, where identity can emerge over time through relationships and where access to supports does not depend on a process that can cause harm.
What this means for general practice
The authors recommend strengthening existing GP consultation approaches by embedding relational practices such as respectful greeting, listening and clear communication, and integrating elements of social yarning into standard practice.
The paper also challenges commonly taught approaches. It shows that practices such as asking about Country, using silence, or trying to find common ground should not be assumed to be culturally safe for everyone. These approaches need to be used carefully and in response to the individual.
Where to next
Suggested future work includes testing the proposed consultation model in real settings and developing tools to assess cultural safety from a consumer perspective. This research was conducted in specific Queensland communities, and further work is needed across different regions and communities.
Why this matters in Western Australia
This paper provides clear direction based on what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers have said themselves.
The key message is straightforward, people want care that is clinically sound, clearly explained, respectful, and free from judgement or stereotyping.
For services, this means reviewing how care is delivered and making practical changes that reflect these expectations.
Further reading & reference
Training for healthcare professionals
The insights in this article reflect what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers have shared with HCCWA over many years. They also inform the content of our Aboriginal Patient Advocacy Training, where we work with community workers, advocates and health professionals to turn these insights into practical skills. Visit our training and events page to register for our next training session, or contact us to find out more.
ABSTRACT Background. Cultural safety is a key component of quality general practice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; however, few tools exist to assess this from the patient’s perspective. This study aimed to explore the qualities of a general practitioner (GP) that support culturally safe consultations, as described by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to examine how these align with two consultation models: the Calgary–Cambridge Guide and clinical yarning. Methods. A mixed methods approach was used, including a survey, qualitative interviews and a modified nominal group technique (mNGT). Participants were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who had previously engaged with general practice care. Data were both described and analysed thematically. Results. In total, 131 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples participated (70 in the survey and interview; 43 in mNGT to validate the findings; and 18 in three separate mNGTs to rate desirable attributes of a GP). Participants identified several qualities underpinning a safe GP consultation. Within the top five attributes in the mNGT were universal skills – clinical competence, avoidance of jargon and attentive listening – alongside welcoming patients with a greeting and avoiding stereotyping. Although there was strong emphasis on respectful, individualised care, preferences varied significantly, highlighting the limitations of a generic approach to consultation skills. Some findings challenged core assumptions regarding clinical yarning and elements of cultural safety training. Conclusion. We propose a refined, integrated consultation model that enhances the Calgary– Cambridge Guide with relational elements of the social yarn, particularly during initiation of the consultation. This integrated model, grounded in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ perspectives yet familiar to GPs and academics, offers a promising foundation for culturally safe practice and assessment, with potential applicability across other diverse populations.
Keywords: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, Australia, Calgary–Cambridge guide, clinical yarning, cultural safety, equity, general practice, Indigenous health care.
While I never watched a full episode of Game of Thrones, I’m familiar with the ominous warning that “winter is coming…”
If you’re involved in the health system as a consumer or community representative, then you’ll know that health services in the south of the state are battening down the hatches to prepare for the increase in people who get sick at this time of year.
But we know from our discussions with WA community members that people don’t want to get sick if they can help it. Getting sick during winter isn’t inevitable and we know that every time you get a group of health consumers in a room, people sharing their knowledge is powerful.
So while we couldn’t easily get almost 200 people together in a room, we’ve gathered views from 200 of you about how you stay well and if you’re stepping up your efforts as winter approaches. Here’s what you told us…
First up – you care about your health
Everyone does something to protect their health usually. With the most selected options being:
Wash hands
Get vaccinated
Eat as healthily as possible
Stay in touch with family and friends
Get some regular exercise
Getting regular check ups with your GP and sleeping well scored highly too.
Next – most of us are doing something extra to prep to avoid winter bugs
More than three quarters of respondents think about taking extra measures – including:
Getting vaccinated
Maintaining strong hygiene like hand-washing and using masks
Avoiding higher-risk environments during peak season
Staying home and keeping your distancewhen unwell
Building overall health and immunity
Paying attention to air quality and ventilation
Most of our respondents plan to get vaccinated if they’re eligible
More than 80% of respondents plan to get vaccinated and know where to go to get it done, with about 7% of respondents unsure. Among the people who say they’re not planning to get vaccinated, about 5 people express concern about the risks of vaccination, with another 7 people commenting on how they’ve experienced cold/flu-like illnesses after previous vaccinations.
We can all play our part in reaching the community target which gives us all the best chance of staying safe. At the time of writing we’re already over half way towards these targets – but there’s still a way to go. You can check out progress at the WA Health site here: https://access.health.wa.gov.au/immunisation
Finally, we want clear, accessible public health information in places where we already go
People also said they want strong public health messaging and transparency – if you haven’t already, check out the WA Health website which has links to your nearest place to get vaccinated, as well as more information about what to expect.
Survey information
We shared a link to a MS Forms survey between 06/03/26 and 09/06/26. The link was shared with HCCWA networks via email and social media. It was also shared on Reddit in r/Perth. There were 191 respondents. Over three quarters of respondents belong to a group that is known to experience health inequities. Almost a quarter of respondents were between 35-44, and over one tenth of respondents were 75 or over.
A great time to join HCCWA and play your part in improving health outcomes and strengthening the voice of health consumers in WA.
We have a number of opportunities to join the HCCWA team at the moment. Some of these jobs are open for recruitment now, others will come on board in the coming days. Please share these roles with people in your networks who might be great additions to the HCCWA team.
In March and April, we ran two workshops and brought together thirteen people at different stages of their consumer representation journeys. What they shared was honest, thoughtful and consistent with what we have heard over many years of running this training.
People come to this work because something happened to them or to someone they love, and they want it to mean something changes for the next person. They want to understand the system well enough to push back on it. They want to contribute in a way that is heard and respected, not just invited in and then overlooked.
“our perspectives and experiences are so valuable and give services and systems the information they can’t get anywhere else”
We have put together a full summary of both workshops, including what participants told us about the value of lived experience, the realities of consumer representative roles, the importance of diversity and who is still missing from these spaces, and what makes participation meaningful rather than tokenistic.
Why this matters beyond the training room
Consumer representatives play a specific and important role in systems change. They bring the perspectives of people who use services into the places where decisions are made. They help ensure that what the health system understands about what is working, what is missing and what needs to change is grounded in real life, not just data and projections.
HCCWA’s role is to make sure the people stepping into those roles feel ready: informed, supported and clear that their experience is a form of expertise. That has been our commitment for 34 years and this training is one of the places where that commitment shows up in practice
A training built for the long haul
This is not a one-off workshop or a box to tick before someone is assigned to a committee or a working group or a seat at an executive table. It is a space where people with lived and learned experience of health services can explore what consumer representative work actually involves, think about whether and how they want to contribute, and build confidence to do that well. The content covers the shape of the WA health system and where consumer voices can fit within it. It is honest about the challenges: the risk of tokenism, the emotional weight of bringing personal experience into formal spaces, the patience required when change is slow. And it is grounded, always, in the belief that people who use health services hold knowledge the system cannot get from anywhere else.
It has been delivered face to face, fully online, and now in both formats because we have learned that different options open the door for different people. In 2026, two people who couldn’t make the Saturday in-person session came back and attended the Tuesday evening online session instead. That is what genuine accessibility looks like: not just saying people are welcome, but making sure there is more than one way in.
Over three decades of consumer voices: the training that keeps people ready
Since 1994, Health Consumers’ Council WA has stood alongside people who use health services across WA. Throughout that time, one thread has run consistently through our work: helping people understand that their experience matters, that their voice belongs in the room, and that they have something real to contribute to making the health system better.
Our Introduction to Consumer Representation training is one of the ways we do that. The current iteration of this training goes back to 2019, but this commitment goes back much further. The format has evolved; the purpose has not.
Read the full 2026 workshop summary report or get in touch with us at engagement@hconc.org.au if you are interested in consumer representation opportunities or want to know when our next session is running.
WA Health has introduced a statewide mandatory policy for body worn camera use in public health facilities. The policy is about staff and visitor safety, but it also raises important questions about trust, dignity, communication, privacy and accountability.
WA Health has introduced a new mandatory policy about the use of body worn cameras in public health facilities. The policy is focused on supporting safety during incidents involving violence, aggression or threatening behaviour. It sets out when body worn cameras can be used, who can use them, how people should be told they are being recorded, and how footage should be managed.
Health Consumers’ Council WA was invited to take part in the policy consultation process, alongside clinical, safety and health system representatives. We appreciated the opportunity to bring a consumer perspective into those discussions and to speak to what matters for people, families and communities when they are accessing care.
For us, this conversation was about more than the cameras themselves. It was about trust, dignity, communication, privacy and safety.
We also want to acknowledge why this policy exists. Health care workers, security staff and others working in our health system have the right to be safe at work. No one should experience violence, aggression, threats or abuse while providing care or supporting people in health services.
When staff feel unsafe, this can affect everyone – staff, patients, families, carers and other people nearby. A safer environment supports better care.
From a consumer perspective, supporting staff safety and protecting consumer rights are not opposing goals. Both matter. The important question is how safety measures are used, especially in situations where people may be unwell, frightened, distressed, overwhelmed or in crisis.
This is not completely new
Body worn cameras are already used in a range of public safety and frontline settings across Australia. They have also already been used in some WA health settings.
For example, WA Country Health Service has had a local Body Worn Camera Procedure for security officers working at WACHS health sites and facilities. That procedure was published in May 2025 and covers the use of body worn cameras, associated equipment, and the capture, management, storage, retrieval and release of digital data.
WACHS also has an Electronic Security Systems Policy that includes body worn cameras as part of its broader security arrangements, alongside CCTV, duress alarms and access or identification cards.
So, the new WA Health policy is not simply about introducing a new technology for the first time. What is new is the statewide mandatory policy. This creates a system-wide framework for the lawful, ethical and consistent use of body worn cameras across all WA public health facilities.
We have not found publicly available body worn camera-specific policies for every Health Service Provider. This is one reason a statewide policy matters: it gives services a shared set of minimum requirements, rather than relying only on local arrangements that may differ between services and may not be easy for consumers to find.
What the WA policy says
Under the WA Health policy, body worn cameras can only be used by Security Officers. They are not for routine surveillance. They may be activated only when there is an imminent risk to the safety of staff, patients or visitors because of violent, aggressive or threatening behaviour.
Where practicable, people should be told that recording is starting. This is important because clear communication can help reduce fear, confusion and mistrust, especially for people who may already be distressed or struggling to understand what is happening.
The policy also recognises that extra care is needed in private, sensitive and clinical areas. From a consumer perspective, this is one of the most important parts of implementation. A person’s dignity, privacy and cultural safety still matter, even when a situation is difficult or unsafe.
What happens to the footage?
The policy does not set one simple storage timeframe for body worn camera footage. Instead, footage must be managed in line with WA Health information policies and State Government records rules. In practice, footage linked to a security incident may be kept for longer than routine footage, depending on the type of incident, whether it is needed for investigation, and how the record is classified.
A consumer who wants access to footage involving them will need to contact the relevant hospital or health service and ask about access through Freedom of Information or the appropriate information access process. Access may not be automatic, especially if other people are identifiable in the footage.
Questions consumer representatives can ask
As this policy is put into practice, consumer representatives, Chairs and committee members can play an important role by staying curious and asking practical questions, like:
How will people be told when a body worn camera is being turned on?
How will staff make sure people understand what is happening, especially if they are distressed, unwell, cognitively impaired, culturally unsafe, or communicating in a language other than English?
How often are body worn cameras being activated, and in what kinds of situations?
How will services monitor whether cameras are being used appropriately?
How will consumers, families and carers be able to raise concerns or provide feedback?
How long is footage kept, who can access it, and how are people told about their rights to request access?
How will consumer experience be included in evaluation of the policy?
Keeping people at the centre
HCCWA supports safe health services for everyone – patients, families, carers, staff, volunteers and visitors. We also believe that safety measures must be implemented in ways that protect dignity, trust, cultural safety and compassion.
Many of the situations where body worn cameras may be used will involve people at very difficult moments in their lives. That is why monitoring and evaluation should look beyond compliance and should also consider what body worn camera use means for consumers, including whether people feel respected, informed and safe.
We are sharing this information as part of our commitment to keeping our consumer community informed about policy changes and the work HCCWA is involved in. We hope it supports consumer representatives, Chairs and community leaders to take part confidently in conversations about how this policy is implemented across WA Health.
Positive feedback in healthcare can improve staff wellbeing, strengthen compassionate care, and help health services understand what consumers value most across Western Australia.
Healthcare consumers often speak up when something goes wrong. Complaints, concerns and advocacy are essential for improving safety, access and accountability in the WA health system.
But positive experiences matter too.
Across Perth and regional WA, healthcare workers support people through some of the most stressful and vulnerable moments of their lives. A nurse who takes time to explain a procedure. A receptionist who helps someone navigate appointments. A doctor who listens carefully. An Aboriginal liaison officer who helps a patient feel culturally safe. These moments shape how people experience healthcare.
Health Consumers’ Council WA encourages healthcare consumers in WA to recognise the people who have had a positive impact on their healthcare experience.
What consumers value in good healthcare experiences
At HCCWA, patients, carers, families and and healthcare consumers consistently tell us that good healthcare is about more than clinical treatment alone.
People value:
being and feeling listened to
clear communication
compassion and empathy
cultural safety
dignity and respect
involvement in decisions
feeling safe and supported
continuity of care
kindness during stressful moments
These are central parts of quality healthcare. The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care identifies partnering with consumers, person-centred care, communication and respect as essential components of safe and high-quality healthcare.
Why positive feedback matters for healthcare workers
Healthcare workers across Western Australia continue to work under significant pressure. Hospitals, general practices, community health services and aged care providers are managing increasing demand, workforce shortages and rising complexity of care.
Research suggests positive feedback can: • improve morale • reinforce compassionate care behaviours • strengthen workplace culture • reduce emotional exhaustion • help staff feel valued and connected to their work
Healthcare workforce literature suggests that meaningful positive feedback from patients and families can contribute positivley to staff motivation and wellbeing. So, a simple thank you can have a real impact.
Positive feedback also improves the health system
Positive feedback is not ignoring problems in healthcare. Consumers can recognise excellent care while also advocating for system improvement.
At Health Consumers’ Council WA, we view consumer experience as an important part of healthcare system improvement. Positive feedback may help health services better understand what consumers value in care experiences. Consumer experiences help identify:
what is working well
where people feel safe and respected
which approaches build trust
how services can improve consumer experiences across WA
Your stories and feedback on your experiences can help health services understand what good care looks like in practice and what should be replicated more broadly.
Examples of positive healthcare experiences
Positive healthcare experiences can happen in any setting across the WA healthcare system. For example:
an emergency department nurse keeping family members informed during long wait times
a GP taking time to explain treatment options clearly
a hospital staff member helping a patient understand discharge instructions
a mental health worker creating a safe and non-judgemental environment
an interpreter or liaison officer helping a consumer feel culturally understood
a receptionist helping organise urgent follow-up care
These moments matter to patients, carers and all healthcare consumers.
How to share healthcare feedback in WA
If someone has had an impact on your healthcare experience in Western Australia, consider telling them. You can:
Positive feedback helps reinforce the type of healthcare consumers want to see more of. Care that is compassionate, respectful, safe and human.
Frequently asked questions
What is positive feedback in healthcare?
Positive feedback in healthcare is when consumers, carers or families acknowledge healthcare workers or services for providing compassionate, respectful, safe or supportive care.
Why is positive feedback important for healthcare workers?
Positive feedback can improve morale, reinforce good communication and compassionate care practices, and help healthcare workers feel recognised for their work.
Can positive feedback improve healthcare quality?
Yes. Positive feedback helps health services understand which behaviours and practices consumers value most. This can support quality improvement and person-centred care.
How can healthcare consumers in WA share positive feedback?
Consumers in Western Australia can provide feedback directly to healthcare providers, share stories through Care Opinion Australia, or engage with organisations like Health Consumers’ Council WA.
What does Health Consumers’ Council WA do?
Health Consumers’ Council WA is the independent peak body representing health consumers in Western Australia. Established in 1994, HCCWA works to ensure consumer voices are heard and included in health policy, service design, advocacy and system improvement across WA.
An essential building block of clinical governance working under the radar.
Individual health advocacy places the person at the centre of care and decision-making about their healthcare. In a busy and highly fragmented health system, independent health advocacy is a critical part of the safety and quality landscape. Health systems are stronger and safer when people are heard, respected and supported in decision-making. The ability to access independent individual advocacy support can help to restore people’s trust in the health system and rebuild their confidence to speak up in future.
Unprecedented increase in need
We are experiencing unprecedented levels of IHAS need for specifically ‘in-the-moment’ advocacy cases from Western Australians.
Category 1 cases aim to be attended to within 24 to 48 hours due to crisis or life altering impact.
January to March 2026 saw an 111% increase in Category 1 cases compared to January to March 2025.
111%
↑ category 1 cases
Our impact by the numbers
Enquiries to our free Individual Advocacy Service
357
Enquiries received from Western Australians Jan to Mar 2026
Increase in enquiries to our service
23%
Percent increase in enquiries Jan to Mar 2025 v.s. Jan to Mar 2026
Voluntary mental health advocacy need
63%
Increase in mental health cases Jan to Mar 2025 v.s. Jan to Mar 2026
CaLD Cases
36%
Increase in cases for CaLD cases Jan to Mar 2025 v.s. Jan to Mar 2026
Referrals from MHAS and HaDSCO Jan to Mar 2026
31%
Referrals from the the Mental HaDSCO and MHAS
Individual Advocate funding
4.8
We can currently fund only 4.8 F.T.E. Individual Healthcare Advocates.
WA leads Australia
Since the 1990s, the WA Government has demonstrated strong leadership by funding Health Consumers’ Council WA (HCCWA) to deliver a free, person-centred and rights-based service across all areas of health and healthcare. This longstanding investment reflects commitment to a community-led model that restores hope, confidence and power to consumers navigating a complex health.
What is independent individual health advocacy in WA?
Skilled independent patient advocates at HCCWA provide one to one support to a wide range of consumers who need support to have their voices heard, or to get answers when things have gone wrong.
HCCWA provides this support
across the state
across all areas of health and healthcare (including voluntary mental health patients)
across all healthcare settings (public, private, primary, hospital, community)
Individual advocacy impact
Upholds people’s health rights
Enables dialogue between patients and clinicians
Helps to repairs relationships between patients and caregivers where they’ve ruptured
Provides solidarity and encouragement
Restores power and confidence that has been diminished by a large and complex system
Enables redress where things have gone wrong
Saves lives
Independent advocacy provides hope to people at their most vulnerable moments.
HCCWA’s Individual Healthcare Advocacy Service Case Studies
Challenging an unjust $1 million medical bill for a family in distress and holding powerful companies to account
A family coming to Australia to live took out the appropriate level of private health insurance for their visa. Unfortunately, the family needed to access a high level of healthcare. While receiving treatment, the family received a call from their insurance company offering them a different policy with a lower premium, to which they agreed. English is not their first language, and no interpreter was offered. This new policy did not cover the care they were receiving, and so the family became liable for a very significant healthcare bill (over $1m). Our Advocate worked with the family and represented them to the insurance company with the result being that the insurance company agreed to pay the healthcare bill.
Advocate intervention addresses a case of unjust billing
An overseas student was billed for a long GP consultation after a brief visit that lasted around 10 to 12 minutes and included a same day referral to a specialist. The higher charge was more than $100 above a standard consultation and could not be claimed through Medicare due to the patient’s visa status, with private health cover already exhausted. After the patient’s attempts to dispute the charge were unsuccessful, our advocate intervened, referencing the correct billing item requirements. Following several communications, the practice acknowledged the error and rectified the account.
End-of-life choice upheld during fast changing circumstances
“HCCWA was contacted by a family who were concerned that their relative’s rapid health decline was not being adequately recognised and responded to during a hospital admission for abdominal pain. The consumer was subsequently diagnosed with a terminal illness. The consumer decided to access Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD). Given the conditions that need to be met to remain eligible for VAD, and the consumer’s rapidly declining condition, this case was instantly escalated within our advocacy service. The advocate supported the consumer to seek appropriate and timely clinical reviews, clarify decision-making pathways, and uphold their right to seek and receive clear information. HCCWA’s ability to act quickly ensured the consumer’s preferences, rights, and capacity were prioritised at a critical time.
Restoring quality of life after insisting on surgery review and redress
young man in his early 20s with significant and lifelong disability contacted HCCWA after experiencing escalating pain from a complication following surgery. The procedure differed from what had been discussed and consented to, and post-operative follow up outpatient appointment was not provided. Several GP visits, 2 ED visits and four months later, he still had not received post operative follow up and so remained in severe pain; struggling to access appropriate pain management and unable to resume university study or daily life. HCCWA supported him to understand his rights, be heard within the system, and access urgent post operative review by the surgeon and consider complaint or redress pathways if he chooses. He was admitted for surgery 1 working day after our Advocate spoke with the surgeon.
Western Australians who have used Health Consumer’ Council WA’s FREE Individual Healthcare Advocacy Service (IHAS) say:
“She honestly went above and beyond to help me and make sure I understood everything. Also beautiful and caring as well. ”
“Thank you so much for talking with [clinical specialist] and for helping me prep for my consultation with my doctor and attending with me and writing and sending out the notes. I keep referring back to them as I am trying to fill out the paperwork and pay the fees as I get little blips of panic and they are calming and grounding me massively and that’s allowing me room to actually feel excitement about being on the other side of surgery.“
“Thank you so much for all your help and support in this matter. You truly are amazing and very helpful. It is not often these days you find people that go above and beyond to help you and you truly have so thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart.”
“My advocate was excellent in all areas from knowledge, communication and care to me at all times.”
“Thankyou so much for your time today, I called the right person and I appreciate your help and compassion in a free service too, makes me very grateful I’ve got you and your organisation to lean on for support if I need.”
“Many thanks for all of your support – It has been such a help for me as I was truly so overwhelmed I was unable to do anything and it was impacting my wellbeing tremendously. I cannot thank you enough!!”
“Not only did she guide me in the right direction, she also gave me words of moral support and definitely gave me the confidence to continue the tasks at hand.”
Community led, government funded
A powerful partnership that established Australia’s first independent health advocacy service In 1993, the then Minister for Health offered health consumer leaders the opportunity to set up a non-profit organisation to act as an independent voice for health consumers on all aspects of health and healthcare. The intent had been to advocate at a systemic level for the rights and interests of health consumers, patients and families. Yet when this new organisation was featured in the media, the small team were inundated with requests for help from people who needed answers from the health system about individual issues. And so, those staff started to deliver individual health advocacy “because they couldn’t not”.
Increased investment is now required to ensure this “under the radar” service can continue to be there for every day West Aussies
We are in discussions with WA Health about the future of this ground-breaking initiative. After 3 decades, the investment in this service has not kept pace with demand, or with the increased complexity of people’s experiences in healthcare.
Since the HCCWA budget was last reviewed in 2014, WA Health’s budget has increased by 74%, MHAS expenditure has increased by over 110%, but investment in HCCWA’s capacity has only increased by CPI (27%).
We will be seeking support for a budget business case to ensure that this Australia-first program can continue to play its part in the continuous improvement of the health system, and ensure that Western Australians can continue to be heard, respected and supported.
As a minimum, we want to be able to be there for anyone who is involved in a serious clinical incident WA. We estimate that this requires an increased annual investment of $1.9m.
Shifting the dial on patient safety – on-site patient advocates, strengthening consumer voices
Internationally, evidence suggests that approximately 10% of healthcare causes harm. One contributor to this is patients and families being dismissed when raising concerns in a clinical setting. In a busy healthcare setting, patient concerns can go unheard. We believe on-site patient advocates – independent of the WA Health system – would significantly strengthen patient and family voices, enabling their voices to be heard alongside the clinical experts.
This would require a significant phased investment and we would welcome the opportunity to be involved in shaping how this might look for WA.
For further information about this report please contact Health Consumers Council WA on 08 9221 3422 or info@hconc.og.au
To discuss any of the content, please contact Clare Mullen, Executive Director at CEO@hconc.org.au
This week the WA State Budget was handed down, with the government identifying jobs, health, and housing as key priorities.
Health Consumers’ Council WA attended the annual State Budget lockup and briefing, where the Premier and Treasurer outlined the government’s plans for the year ahead.
Overall, this is a significant budget for health.
There is major investment in health infrastructure, continued funding linked to winter demand, and initiatives focused on helping people stay well, including immunisation measures.
We also welcome investment in the Mental Health Advocacy Service (MHAS), with funding expected to increase by around 30% next year alongside expanded responsibilities. However, there was no reference to funding for other health advocacy services – a missed opportunity to ensure patients are being listened to when it matters most.
At the same time, there are important questions about what this budget will mean for people actually using the health system.
One ongoing concern is the cost of accessing care.
While our public hospitals are free, many people continue to face significant out-of-pocket costs just to attend appointments or support loved ones in hospital. Hospital parking remains a major pressure point for consumers and carers, particularly for people attending regularly or over long periods of time.
We were disappointed to see no cost-of-living relief measures related to hospital parking included in this budget.
Another major issue is outpatient wait times.
Official figures presented in the budget papers indicate that some consumers are continuing to wait beyond recommended clinical timeframes for outpatient appointments:
around 10% of Category 3 outpatient referrals are waiting more than one year
around 20% of Category 1 referrals are waiting beyond recommended timeframes
Category 1 – Urgent: Within 30 days (potential to deteriorate quickly)
Category 2 – Semi-urgent: Within 90 days (causes pain/dysfunction, low risk of rapid deterioration)
Category 3 – Non-urgent: Within 365 days (causes pain/dysfunction, unlikely to deteriorate)
These categories reflect clinical urgency, but lower urgency categories may still involve significant pain, reduced quality of life, or functional impacts for consumers while waiting for care.
While there is some additional funding for outpatient services, the increase in outpatient staffing appears relatively small.
These numbers matter because being referred as a lower category does not mean a condition is unimportant or that people are not suffering while they wait.
As recent media reporting has highlighted, delays can have a significant impact on people’s health, wellbeing, finances, and quality of life.
We will continue to review the budget in detail over the coming days and share further analysis focused on what these investments mean for health consumers across WA.
Video Transcript 1: Clare Mullen fronts the Press outside of Dumas House
Hello, I’m Clare Mullen from Health Consumers’ Council WA.
We’re the peak body for people who use health services, the patients, the families, the carers.
I’ll start by saying it’s obviously a great budget for health and we’re going to be watching and seeing what that means for the people who use healthcare.
So first up, obviously, the significant investment in health infrastructure very welcome as the state grows.
Some questions remain, however, about the experience of people when they’re in those hospitals.
2 fronts. 1 is a great opportunity missed, I think, which is the opportunity to really address cost of living and health infrastructure by, for example, a bold move that could have been done, which would be to make hospital parking free or low cost.
We know that that is a huge impost on people who are using health services everyday.
The second area is that the budget figures say that people who are referred to hospital for outpatients.
At the moment, 10% of people are waiting over a year for their appointment and 20% of people who have been referred for urgent referrals are waiting longer than they should.
And yet the investment in outpatients seems to be very small.
And so for most people, when they use hospitals, it will be outpatients that they use.
So we’d like to perhaps have seen a greater investment there.
And the third area, which we’d love to see more, more and more people are using health services.
That’s why we’re seeing a huge investment.
But unfortunately, all too often we know that when people speak up about their health care, when they’ve got concerns or questions, they go unheard.
And what we know is that that can sometimes have catastrophic consequences.
We would love to have seen an investment in individual advocacy services that can support people’s voices to be heard and to be part of their healthcare journey so that we can avoid people having experiences where, had they been listened to, they would have had a more positive outcome.
So overall a great budget for health and we’re looking forward to seeing how that will translate into an experience for people on the ground.
Is it enough given so much of its long term, is it enough to make a difference this winter?
I would say that it is great to see the investment in the winter strategy and we have been doing a survey of consumers about what they intend to do and it’s really interesting to see that most people do intend to get vaccinated, most people do intend to do take action to stay well.
So I think it is encouraging to have seen the investment in increasing immunisation, in increasing access to other parts of the health services.
But time will tell.
And I think the opportunity that potentially is there is to involve the community in conversations about how to get the message out.
We can all do things as community members to stay well.
And I think that there’s more that can be done to help get that message into community.
Thank you. Thanks.
Video Transcript 2: Clare Mullen, Executive Director
“So I have just left the annual state budget lockup, which is where you hear from the Premier and the Treasurer and then you get locked in a room for a number of hours.
So headlines obviously as had already been trailed, this is a really big budget for health.
The priorities that were being restated are jobs, health and housing.
In terms of great things, obviously a lot of investment in health infrastructure, some known investment again in the winter strategy.
So there’s a bit in there about helping people stay well, immunisation, that sort of thing.
In terms of missed opportunities, there’s no reference in there to cost of living relief around the cost of hospital parking.
So there’s a lot of investment in infrastructure.
But unfortunately, as many of us know, going to the hospital on a regular basis can pretty much have you out of pocket hundreds of dollars.
So we raised that point and we’d hope to see something like that in future years.
Great to see investment in the mental health advocacy service.
So the cost there are going to go up by about 30% next year.
Some of that related to them also taking on new services.
But again a missed opportunity is the rest of WAS individual health advocacy service, no mention of that and so we can only assume that it’s not covered.
Finally, there was some official statistics in there that say that if you’re referred for an outpatient’s appointment at the moment, you can expect 10% of people are waiting over a year for a category 3 and 20% of people are waiting beyond the recommended wait times for the most serious of referrals. That’s the CAT1.
Unfortunately, while there’s a small increase in the budget for outpatients, only a really small increase in outpatient staffing.
So it’ll be really interesting to see what the government’s plans are to make a significant difference to that because as recent media has shown, even if you’re referred for a category three, it doesn’t mean that it’s not serious, it doesn’t mean that it’s not important.
And we really want to see those numbers improve dramatically.
So overall, a good budget for health and the impact on the consumers experiencing the health system, We will wait and see.
Written by Tania Harris Engagement Manager | Aboriginal Engagement Lead | Disability Engagement Lead
This year, Western Australia has introduced something important for families — a free, needle-free flu vaccine for children.
The FluMist program is now available for children aged 2 to 11 years, a quick nasal spray instead of a needle. For many parents and carers and especially for children who are anxious about injections, this is a very welcome option.
FluMist works in the same way as traditional flu vaccines by helping protect children against influenza and its complications. It’s not new internationally, it’s been used safely overseas for many years. 2026 is the first time we’re seeing a state-wide rollout here in WA.
We are currently running a Winter survey to hear the perspectives of the community, and what stands out to me is just how varied people’s experiences and attitudes to vaccination are.
Many people told us they actively plan for winter and see vaccination as part of that:
“Make sure I get the flu vaccination… and encourage my family to do the same.”
“Flu vaccination, take vitamin C supplements… wash hands more regularly.”
But alongside this, we’re hearing about very real barriers that not just about choice, but about access, timing and experience:
“I always plan to and then get too sick… to actually get it.”
“I should probably get a flu injection, but I always put it off and forget.”
“Vaccination clinics outside of ordinary working hours… it’s difficult to find time to take the children when working full time.”
We’re also hearing that for some people, concerns and past experiences are influencing decisions:
“Had a fever/chills after last vaccination and dislike needles.”
“I don’t trust vaccinations… and their side effects.”
At the same time, there’s a strong sense of shared responsibility coming through:
“Even if people reject vaccinations, we all have a duty of care to protect each other from harm.”
For me, this is exactly why initiatives like FluMist matter
They respond directly to what people are telling us by removing one of the most common barriers (needle anxiety), making the process quicker and easier for families.
Children are a key group when it comes to influenza. They are more likely to spread the virus, and even otherwise healthy children can become seriously unwell. Supporting children to get vaccinated helps protect not just them, but the wider community as well.
What families need to know
The FluMist vaccine is free for children aged 2–11 years in WA
It is delivered as a gentle nasal spray — no needles required!
It’s available through GPs, community health clinics, Aboriginal medical services and some pharmacies
It’s designed to make flu vaccination easier, particularly for children who may otherwise miss out If you are supporting families, please let them know about this new initiative.
