Recordings

Here are links to recordings, talks and Q&A sessions.

Health Consumers’ Council 30th Anniversary

• Tribute video from some of the key stakeholders of the last 30 years (Full-length, approx 25 mins)
• Tribute video from some of the key stakeholders of the last 30 years (Highlights reel, approx 7 mins)
• Recording of formalities from 30th Anniversary event (available soon)

Digital Health Series – Electronic Medical Record

2025

• AI – we held a panel discussion and community conversation about the use of AI and how that connects to the EMR. Watch the video replay here and/or read the AI Community Deliberation document here.
• Health Literacy – an EMR opens up opportunities for empowerment both by having access to our own information as well as relevant health information about our conditions, the care we can expect and so on. Watch the video replay here, or access the presenter powerpoint here and/or read the Health Literacy Community Deliberation document

2024

• Data Security and Trust with an EMR
  The number one consumer issue. Watch an interview with Keith Donohoe (Consumer Advocate) and Robyn Gillies (Chief Medical Information Officer, EMR Royal Melbourne) about what data is captured in an EMR and why, how this information is managed and accessed, and what safeguards are often put in place to protect information from ‘bad agents’. You can watch the webinar replay here.
• Interoperability – stitching our health system together. In March of 2024 we interviewed Harry Iles-Mann (Consumer Leader and Digital Health Expert) and Peter Sprivulis (Chief Clinical Information Officer, WA DoH). WA Health’s EMR Program is focused within WA hospital walls, and we are doing what we can to advocate for how a provider portal might connect with private hospitals, GPs, aged care facilities and others. Click here to read our blog summarising the issue, where you can find the webinar replay, a summary and a webinar transcript.
• Data Use – who gets to use our data? How can we ensure our data is used appropriately and that it helps improve services? Our Consumer Charter expresses that we do want our data to be used to help improve health care for ourselves and others, but consent and transparency is important. At one of our meetings, we spoke to Giles Nunnis from WA Primary Health Alliance and Merilee Needham from South Metro Health on the topic of data in our hospitals and GP services. Unfortunately the video didn’t work, but you can read a summary here or read the full transcript here
• Patient Portal – Click on this Patient Portal link to find out what a patient portal is, what we need to think about for WA’s EMR patient portal and watch the replay.
• Standardisation – or rather “harmonisation” of the forms, which reflect the guidelines embedded in an EMR are  the “guard rails” within an EMR help keep us safe – but how might we contribute to these? We spoke with EMR Program member Sarah Pearson on this topic – you can watch the replay here or read the transcript here. This is the work we are seeking consumer involvement in 2026.
• Patient Reported Outcome Measures or PROMS offer a real opportunity to drive patient centred care because they are an opportunity for us communicate how we are feeling as a whole person, how our quality of life is faring as we access health care services. Having PROMs as part of an EMR hugely improves their completion rate and therefore their potential. We interviewed We interviewed Dr Aron Chakera (SCGH Physician, Renal Specialist, Fellow of the RACP) and Dr Christine Georges (Senior Research Fellow, Professor of Surgery at Cabrini Health) to dig into the topic of how PROMs can be developed and implemented. You can watch the replay here or read the transcript here.
• Implementation of an EMR – road bumps and opportunities – what do consumers need to think about? Health Care Consumers ACT staff members shared their experiences and insights on what they learned in relation to their EMR – the DHR as it is known in ACT, and we are keeping them in mind as we move forward in WA to implement ours. A summary of key learnings is available here.

Fireside Chats

Our Fireside Chat series gives you the chance to hear from medical experts and have your questions about COVID-19 answered.

Director of Clinical Services, Royal Perth Bentley Group, Area Director of Clinical Services, East Metropolitan Health Service and Professor of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Professor Grant Waterer and Manager

After very positive feedback from our first chat with Prof. Waterer, we asked him back to provide another clinical update including information on antivirals to treat COVID-19, second generation vaccines long COVID and the latest on testing for COVID-19.

Recorded on Monday 12 September  2022.

Perth Children’s Hospital clinicians:

• Dr Andrew Martin – Head of Department for Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) General Paediatrics

• Chris Blyth – Paediatric Infectious Diseases Physician at PCH and former Co-Chair of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation

• Dr Michael Baker – Head of Department for PCH Emergency Department

• Dr Nick Gottardo – leading clinician in Haematology and Oncology

Top Perth Children’s Hospital discuss COVID and kids in the context of the current (Omicron) outbreak and take consumer questions on the topic.  Discussion includes current picture, vaccination, when to get help or present to the Emergency Department, COVID Care at Home and the Specialist Paediatric and Adolescent Remote Care (SPARC) service for very vulnerable children and COVID and immunocompromised children.

Director of Clinical Services, Royal Perth Bentley Group, Area Director of Clinical Services, East Metropolitan Health Service and Professor of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Professor Grant Waterer and Manager – Social Support, COVID Care Assistance Team (COVID CAT), Department of Health, Selena West.  

Professor Waterer provides a clinical update on COVID-19, as well as sharing his best tips on preparing for living with COVID, in the home and in the community. This will include advice on how to care for yourself, your family, or someone you care for, if you get COVID-19. 

Ms West provides an overview of COVIDCAT, the public health service designed to address the needs of people in the WA community who require additional support should they get COVID-19 or are required to isolate due to being a close contact.  Overview includes how service can help, who can access it, and how.

Recorded on Tuesday 8 March 2022.

Assistant Director General, Clinical Strategy and Planning, Dr Robyn Lawrence

Dr Robyn Lawrence gives an overview of WA COVID Care at Home.  She also answers consumer questions on the new remote monitoring service for high risk COVID positive patients in their homes.

Recorded on 18 February 2022.

Incident Commander at the State Health Incident Coordination Centre, Dr Tudor Codreanu

Dr Tudor Codreanu, Incident Commander at the State Health Incident Coordination Centre at Department of Health, discussed WA’s readiness for the next stage of living with Covid-19. Dr Codreanu works alongside the Chief Health Officer and public health team in the State Health Incident Control Centre, providing advice and support around WA’s response to COVID-19. This session explored the next stage of living with COVID-19, WA’s readiness, how the system has or is preparing, how consumers can prepare, vaccination, variants, modelling and everything in between.

Recorded on 14 December 2021.

The recording of this session will be available soon. 

Co-Chair of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, Dr Chris Blyth

Dr Chris Blyth, clinical academic at Telethon Kids Institute and Co-Chair of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), Australia’s peak immunisation advisory group to Government answered consumer questions on the vaccine(s).  Dr Blyth was able to talk to some of the main side effects of concern and clearly explain some of ATAGI’s key considerations when deciding who is eligible for which vaccine and vaccine strategy.

Recorded on 5 August 2021.

Chief Health Officer, Andy Robertson

After a break from our Fireside Chats, we’re bringing the Q&A session back to talk to Chief Health Officer, Andy Robertson. WA’s hard borders are softening – now what?

Recorded on 18 December 2021.

Pathwest Chief Executive, Joe Boyle

For our sixth Fireside Chat we were joined by the Chief Executive of Pathwest, Joe Boyle.

We discussed COVID testing processes in WA and the role testing plays in ongoing vigilance in avoiding community spread.

Recorded on 27 August 2020

Director General of WA Health, Dr David Russell-Weisz

This was the second time the Director General of WA Health joined us for a Fireside chat, this time on Thursday 23rd July.

We discussed “COVID-19: What’s next for Western Australians”.

Recorded on 23 July 2020.

Aboriginal Health with Wendy Casey

This 45 minute session addressed questions about how the WA health system has prioritised responding rapidly to the risks posed to, and the needs of, Aboriginal communities in Western Australia during COVID-19. You can find some of the work reflected on this webpage. Also discussed was the Journey of Health and Wellbeing Video developed in partnership with WA Health, Danny Ford and Tim Muirhead as part of the cultural competency training work, Mary G’s Telehealth video, and the Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Framework

Recorded on 25 June 2020.

Staying Well in a Pandemic, Dr Denise Sullivan

The third in our series of Fireside Chats was held on Thursday 11th June with Dr Denise Sullivan. It tackled your questions about how to minimise the risk of infection, how the impact of the pandemic is being tracked and preparation for recovery. It also explored what it’s been like for Public Health staff during this unprecedented time.

Recorded on 11 June 2020.

WA Health Assistant Director General, James Williamson

The second in our series of Fireside Chats was with James Williamson, WA Health Assistant Director General, Clinical Excellence Division. Health Consumers’ Council Executive Director Pip Brennan put your COVID-19 research-related questions to James Williamson in this informal, virtual event.

Recorded on 28 May 2020.

Director General of WA Health, Dr David Russell-Weisz

The first Fireside Chat was with the Director General of WA Health, Dr David Russell-Weisz.

Recorded on 14 May 2020.

Other recordings