Carer, Consumer and Community Engagement in NSW Health Lhds

Carer, Consumer and Community Engagement in NSW Health LHDs

NSW Local Health Districts (LHDs) have developed their own Consumer and Community Participation Frameworks to inform consumers, community members, organisations and groups within their own LHDs about processes and culture and how they aim to include these stakeholders in decision-making processes to develop, implement and improve health services. In terms of engagement:

• Some LHDs have chosen to make a clear distinction between a carer and a consumer as different and separate users of health services.
• Some LHDs have defined a consumer as a user of health services that includes carers within that definition.

Below is a quick snapshot ofConsumer and Community Engagement in each LHD, their Consumer and Community Participation Framework and how carers and consumers are defined within their framework.

Metropolitan Local Health Districts

Central Coast LHD (CCLHD)

Whilst it is unclear whether CCLHD have a specific Consumer and Community Participation Framework in place, CCLHD have a Consumer, Community and Engagement Committee that helps to facilitate and oversee the involvement of consumers and members of the local community in the development of their policies, plans, care design and initiatives for the delivery of health services.CCLHD have a Mental Health: Consumer Participation Procedure and a Mental Health: Family and Carer Participation Procedure which is available to carers and consumers upon request. Carers and consumers are recognised as different and separate stakeholders.

Email:

Phone: 02 4320 2111

Website:

Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD (ISLHD)

ISLHD has a dedicated section on their website explaining their approach to community and consumer participation, providing the community with opportunities to have input into decision making within the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD), stating that it “believes that we can work together with you, the local community, to build a more responsive, transparent, accessible, accountable and appropriate local health service.”

ISLHD have a Consumer and Community Participation Framework in place which defines consumers as “people who use, potentially will use or have previously used ISLHD services.‘Consumers’ also includes carers and families or any other person in the patients’ or clients’ support network.” The Framework is available on the ISLHD website.

Email:

Phone: 02 4221 6899

Website:

Nepean Blue Mountains LHD (NBMLHD)

It is unclear whether NBMLHD have a specific Consumer and Community Participation Framework in place. NBMLHD states that it is “…committed to involving consumers in the design and delivery of health services”. It has a Health Consumer Engagement team and has established Health Consumer Working Groups, providing the opportunity to consumers and carers to participate in the delivery of health services. Carers and consumers are recognised as different and separate stakeholders.

Email:

Phone: 02 4734 2000

Website:

Northern Sydney LHD (NSLHD)

Whilst it is unclear whether NSLHD have a specific Consumer and Community Participation Framework in place,NSLHD states that it “promotes and supports community involvement in decision-making about treatment, health service development and quality improvement.Participation is more than just consultation – it requires decision making, problem solving, service planning and service delivery to be shared with the community.” NSLHD has a dedicated section on their website explaining their approach to community engagement which encourages and promotes community, patient (consumer) and carer participation in committees where the majority of members are community members. Two of those committees include the Peak Community and Consumer Participation Council (PCCPC) and the Mental Health Consumer Participation Networks (CPN).

• The key function of the PCCPC is to advise the Board (NSLHD) of the views of patients, carers and the community regarding the accessibility, quality and safety of current and future health services. The PCCPC includes two community-based carer representatives – one with a general health focus and the other with a mental health focus.
• The CPNs provide advice to the local adult Mental Health Services and to the NSLHD Mental Health Drug & Alcohol Service. There is one Consumer Participation Network (CPN) for each health service, led by the local Consumer Participation Coordinator, who is a mental health service employee with a personal experience of mental health issues. The CPN Consumer Participation Coordinators represent mental health issues on the PCCPC.

Email:

Phone: 02 8877 5340

Website:

South East Sydney LHD (SESLHD)

It is unclear whether SESLHD have a specific Consumer and Community Participation Framework in place. SESLHD states “…We place a high value on active consumer, carer and community participation at all levels of our service“,in their SESLHD Mental Health Clinical Services Plan 2013 – 2018.”SESLHD have developed a separate ImplementationPlan for their Mental Health Clinical Services Plan 2013 – 2018. The Implementation Plan identifies strategies and the key actions to achieve them and that also comply withNational Safety and Quality Health Service Standards and National Standards for Mental Health Services. The Mental Health Clinical Services Plan does not appear to consider consumer or carer engagement in service delivery. Carers and consumers are recognised as different and separate stakeholders.

The Mental Health Clinical Services Plan 2013 – 2018 is available on the SESLHD website.

Email:

Phone: 02 9540 7756

Website:

South West Sydney LHD (SWSLHD)

SWSLHD have a Consumer and Community Participation Framework in place in which a carer is defined as "someone who cares for a family member or friend who has an ongoing illness, disability or condition. The carer does this in an unwaged capacity. (Carers NSW)." A consumer is defined as "a person that uses or is a potential user of health services together with family and carers of healthcare recipients and clients."

SWSLHD acknowledges “that consumers, carers and community representatives incur expenses through their involvement in SWSLHD participation processes. Arrangements will be made to reduce these expenses, for example, providing transport to meetings in a SWSLHD vehicle, access to telephone, fax and photocopying facilities. To enable the involvement of community representatives with additional needs, the health service will provide relevant resources, for example, mobility assistance, wheelchair access venues, large printed material, childcare, interpreters and dietary support.”The Framework is available on the SWSLHD website.

Email:

Phone: 02 9828 5783

Website:

Sydney LHD (SLHD)

SLHD has a dedicated section on their website explaining their approach to consumer and community participation. SLHD have a Consumer and Community Participation Framework in place which defines a consumer as “any actual or potential recipient of health care, such as a patient in a hospital, a client who visits a community health centre, or a person who goes to their doctor for treatment. This may include a person’s family, friends or carers who are also regarded as consumers.Consumers may be a patient receiving treatment in one of our hospitals, a client who receives support at home or a carer who cares for another person in our community. It may also include someone who lives in the local area who has not used our services, but may in the future.” The Framework is available on the SLHD website.

Email:

Phone: 02 9515 9622

Website:

Western Sydney LHD (WSLHD)

WSLHD has a dedicated section on their website explaining their approach to community and consumer engagement, stating it has a “strong commitment to engaging with consumers and the community to guide the development, implementation and improvement of local health services.”WSLHD have a Community and Consumer Engagement Framework in place which defines consumers as “people who use, or are potential users, of health services including their family and carers. Consumers may participate as individuals, groups, organisations of consumers, consumer representatives or communities.” The Framework is available on the WSLHD website.

Email:

Phone: 02 9845 5555

Website:

Rural and Regional NSW LHDs

Far West LHD (FWLHD)

FWLHD have a Consumer, Carer and Community Engagement Framework in place in which a carer is defined as "a person whose life is affected by virtue of close relationship with a consumer or who has a chosen caring role with a consumer.” A consumer is defined as "a person who is currently using, or has previously used, or is a potential user of health services together with family and carers of healthcare recipients and clients." The Framework is available on the FWLHD website.

Phone: 08 8080 1511

Website:

Hunter New England LHD (HNELHD)

HNELHD have a Framework in placefor Partnering with Patients (consumer) and the Community in which carers are defined as “people who provide unpaid care and support to family members or friends who have a disability, mental illness, chronic condition, terminal illness or general frailty. Carers include parents and guardians caring for children.” HNELHD makes the following comment about the use of the term ‘consumer’: “The term “consumer” is often used in community engagement/partnership literature as an umbrella term that includes patients. However, HNE Health has accepted input from its Local Health Committees who have expressed a strong preference for using words or phrases such as “patients” or “patients, their carers and families, and the community” instead of the term “consumer”. For reference, consumers are defined as people who use, potentially will use or have previously used health services. Consumers can be patients and potential patients, carers and organisations representing consumers'7 interests. “Consumers” continues to be an accepted and common term within Mental Health to describe people receiving care, especially in rehabilitation and community settings.”In addition to their framework, HNELHD have a 2015/16 Community Engagement Work Plan however, this document is currently unavailable/not accessible.

HNELHD states “patients, carers and community members participate on or assist with: The Local Health District Board, Advisory councils and committees, Quality and Safety committees and other opportunities to discuss, review and evaluate patient incidents, experience, feedback and complaints, Discussions and/or decisions regarding strategic, operational and service planning and quality improvements, Advice on relevant staff training and education in relation to consumer and community participation.” Further to the Advisory councils and committees, HNE Mental Health Services has an existing carer advisory committee and is also in the process of establishing a consumer advisory committee. The committees will act in a consultative capacity to give their perspectives and provide input and advice to support decision-making and service improvement within mental health. The committees will also provide specific advice on new initiatives and strategies.

HNELHD have a Mental Health Services Plan 2014 – 2018 in place. One of the strategic goals that form the foundation of the Plan is to “ensure the experience of mental health consumers is timely, effective and efficient regardless of where or why they present for care bydeveloping systems that involve consumers, families and carers in the care delivery process, particularly in discharge planning, service planning and governance.”

The Framework and the Mental Health Services Plan 2014 – 2018 are available on the HNELHD website.

Phone: 02 4985 5522

Website:

Mid North Coast LHD (MNCLHD)

MNCLHD have a Community Engagement and Consumer Participation Framework in place which defines carers as “families and friends providing unpaid care to consumers.” Consumers are defined as “Users, or potential users of health services, including children, women and men, people living with a disability, people from diverse cultural and religious experiences, socioeconomic status and social circumstances, sexual orientations, health and illness conditions.”MNCLHD also have a Community Engagement Advisory Council in place however its purpose, function, terms of reference etc. is not known.

MNCLHD have a Mental Health Services Clinical Services Plan 2013 – 2021 in place. Whilst carers and consumers were involved in the consultation processes to develop the Plan, the Mental Health Services Clinical Services Plan does not appear to consider consumer or carer engagement in service delivery. The Framework is available on the MNCLHD website.

Phone: 1800 726 997

Website:

Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD)

It is unclear whether MLHD have a specific Consumer and Community Participation Framework in place. MLHD has a priority action to “Consult and engage with communities and stakeholders to enable their input into development and implementation of health service decisions” as part of their Strategic Plan 2013-2018 Summary. In their Community Engagement Strategy 2014, MLHD indicate “stakeholders for Community Engagement include…individual consumers, patients, their families and carers.” Carers and consumers are recognised as different and separate stakeholders.

The Strategic Plan 2013-2018 Summary and the Community Engagement Strategy 2014 are available on the MLHD website.

Email:

Phone: 02 6933 9100

Website:

Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD)

NNSWLHD have a Community and Stakeholder Engagement Framework in place in which carers are defined as “people who provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends who have a disability, mental illness, chronic condition, terminal illness or general frailty. Carers include parentsand guardians caring for children.” A Consumer is defined as “an individual who uses or is a potential user of health services, including the family and carers of patients and clients. See also Patient and Service User.”A Patient is defined as “a person receiving health care. See also Service User.” A Service user is defined as a term that is “used as a generic description of the people who utilise a health service.”

NNSWLHD acknowledges”No sitting fees are paid to Community Members on NNSWLHD Committees; however reimbursement of expenses including travel to and from Meetings should be covered by the facility or service responsible for the Committee. In principle, community members of NNSW LHD committees should either:

1. Receive a reimbursement payment for approved meetings in lei of actual receipts.

2. Be reimbursed their actual out of pocket expenses if proof is provided through receipts. Reimbursement of kilometres for private vehicle use will be at the Casual Journey Rate and requires a copy of the vehicles Comprehensive Insurance and completion of an approval to travel form.

3. Be provided with transport and other requirements so they do not incur any expenses.

The Framework is available on the NNSWLHD website.

Phone: 02 6620 2100

Website:

Southern NSW LHD (SNSWLHD)

SNSWLHD has a dedicated section on their website explaining their approach to community engagement, stating “SNSW Local Health District is committed to working together with consumers and community members and groups to engage and involve local communities in health service planning and delivery.”SNSWLHDoutlines their Engagement Framework and current community engagement activities. Carers and consumers are recognised as different and separate stakeholders.The Framework is available on the SNSWLHD website.

Phone:02 6213 8336

Website:

Western NSW LHD (WNSW LHD)

It is unclear whether WNSWLHD have a specific Consumer and Community Participation Framework in place.WNSWLHD has a priority action to "Improve the patient experience by ensuring patients and their carers feel safe, respected and cared for, and involved in planning and feedback...The aim is to engage patients, families and carers at a strategic level in planning and review of services" as part of their Strategic Health Service Plan Summary Document 2013 - 2016.Carers and consumers (patients) are recognised as different and separate stakeholders.

The Strategic Health Service Plan Summary Document 2013 – 2016 is available on the WNSWLHD website.

Phone: 02 6841 2222

Website:

Specialty Networks

Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN)

SCHN has a Consumer Engagement Governance Policy in place which outlines their approach to consumer engagement, explaining “…Involving patients and their families in planning, delivery and evaluation of health care services through consumer engagement is an important aspect of patient- and family-centred care…Consumer partnership means involving consumers, patients and carers in decisions about the planning, provision and evaluation of health care services and facilities. It is not enough to have the good intention of engaging the community and consumers. Making it meaningful is the key, which means that consumers should be involved from the early stages of a project or improvement process.”SCHN states “Consumers in the provision of children’s health services include the patient, their family and carers. Partnering with consumers is essential in order to provide a high quality service that will meet the needs of consumers and ensure that their perspective is included in service planning, monitoring and evaluation.” in their Strategic Quality, Safety and Consumer Engagement Plan 2015 – 2019.

SCHN has a dedicated section on their website explaining how patients, parents and carers can become involved in decision-making in SCHN to improve the quality of care and services. SCHN’s Consumer Engagement Stream (in its Clinical Governance Unit) is available to advise and support consumers in any consumer participation or partnership endeavour.

The Consumer Engagement Governance Policy and the Strategic Quality, Safety and Consumer Engagement Plan 2015 – 2019 are available on the SCHN website.

Phone: 02 9845 3442

Email:

Website:

Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (JH&FMHN)

JH&FMHN has a dedicated section on their website explaining their approach to community and consumer participation in policy development. JH&FMHN have a Community Reference Group (CRG) in place that provides a community and consumer perspective on the operations of JH&FMHN. JH&FMHN states that one of the objectives of the CRG is to“consult and empower inmates and detainees through broad based feedback, as well as providing an effective forum for consumer participation.” A consumer is defined as “an inmate or detainee who is using a Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network service, or an inmate or detainee who has used or may use a Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network service.”A community representative is defined as “those who serve as a channel for information, offer outside perspectives, represent one or more communities or populations, have local knowledge and experience, or have a common interest with the consumers.”