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Introduction

The Health Consumers Alliance (HCA) is the peak body for health consumers in South Australia. As an independent alliance of health consumers and health consumer organisations, we work together with our members to achieve our vision of wellbeing through health for all South Australians. Reflecting the consumer perspective, HCA promotes a holistic and integrated approach to health and wellbeing. As a fundamental aspect of health, mental health is a key focus within HCA.

HCA’s vision is ‘Wellbeing though health for all South Australians’.

HCA’s mission is ‘To provide a respected and informed consumer voice to influence the development of quality health services’.

HCA values participation, respect, collaboration, honesty, sustainability, inclusion, empowerment, support, dignity and equity.

HCA communicates the systemic advocacy concerns of consumers to health planners and decision makers.  We recruit, induct and train consumer advocates for advisory groups and committees. HCA currently supports consumer advocates on over 40 state and national networks and committees.HCA champions consumer engagement in health policy development and decision making and promotes best practice in consumer engagement across the SA health care sector, including public, private and non-government service providers. 

HCA collaborates with the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF), and sister peaks in other states, to promote the voice of South Australian consumers nationally. During 2011-12 our achievements included:

  • a new three year Service Agreement with the Minister for Health, Mental Health & Substance Abuse;
  • an integral role in the development and endorsement of the SA Charter of Health & Community Services Rights;
  • supporting mental health consumers to communicate their concerns about mental health services in the South East directly to the Minister;
  • in partnership with the Health & Community Services Complaints Commissioner, progressing the establishment of the Health & Community Services Complaints Advisory Council;
  • consumer feedback to SA Health on a number of important new Safety & Quality policies and guidelines, such as Open Disclosure, Feedback & Complaints, and Clinical Handover, which had a significant influence on the final directives;
  • significant input into the development of the consumer sections of SA Health's new website;collaboration with the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF), and sister peaks in other states, to promote consumer engagement at the centre of health reform, leading to the funding of CHF's Our Health Our Community project;
  • establishing an independent Consumer Reference Group for SA NT DataLink;a major contribution to the Health Performance Council's first review of the performance of public health services in SA;
  • an independent review of SA Health's Consumer & Community Participation Policy and Guidelines;
  • relocating to new office accommodation and launching a new brand for the organisation.

We are in the midst of significant change and reform in our health care system. There is a lot of talk about “consumer centred care”. The concept is a fundamental driver for change but who is driving these changes? Consumers must be in the driving seat as leaders for change if we are going to turn the rhetoric about consumer centred care into reality.

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