ACT Health recognises that building an effective healthcare system requires genuine collaboration between consumers, carers and ACT Health staff. ACT Health is committed to providing opportunities for consumers and carers—those who are most affected by healthcare services—to influence the development, delivery and review of services. Increasing the participation of consumers and carers in health care is fundamental to building strong partnerships. The quality of care ACT Health provides is higher as a result of meaningful consumer and carer involvement in policy development and planning of health services.
Project | Summary |
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ACT Health Digital Health Strategy | ACT Health undertook consultation to inform the ACT Health Digital Health Strategy 2018-2028 between April and June 2018. Feedback was sought from consumer groups, health professional societies, colleges, unions, healthcare associations and health informatics organisations. Written feedback was received from 16 organisations, including health consumer groups, clinical representative groups, and healthcare ICT organisations. ACT Health also held five workshops with various groups to discuss the written feedback, and then to follow up with the changes made based on these discussions. The feedback received made a significant impact on the vision and themes of the strategy. The overarching vision of the strategy was amended to better encompass the role that digital solutions will have on enabling and supporting person‑centred care. The strategic themes were consolidated from six themes to four and updated with clearer terminology, as feedback suggested they were overlapping in meaning. |
Development of the Quality Strategy | On 15 March 2018 the Minister for Health and Wellbeing launched the ACT Health Quality Strategy 2018-2028, which sets out ACT Health’s goal to be a high performing health service that provides person-centred, safe and effective care. The strategy makes explicit our commitment to place safety and quality at the very centre of ACT Health. The Quality Strategy was developed following extensive consumer engagement and consultation, using a co-design approach to influence and shape its development. ACT Health also asked the Health Care Consumers’ Association (HCCA) to assist in the engagement with consumers, patients, families and carers. ACT Health undertook 22 key informant interviews and four focus groups with representatives from consumer, carer, and community organisations. In addition, the HCCA evaluated 452 responses to an online survey from the broader Canberra community and comments posted on social media. |
Healthcare Access At School (HAAS) Internal evaluation 2017 | Healthcare Access At School (HAAS) is a collaborative initiative between ACT Health and the Education Directorate which provides nurse-led care to students with complex or invasive health care needs at ACT Government schools, from pre-school through to college. HAAS commenced as a pilot program in 2012, and transition to the new model was completed in February 2017. An evaluation was conducted in June 2017 to determine if the program was meeting its objectives. The evaluation included the development of five short questions which were sent to parents of the students on the HAAS program using the National Patient Toolkit. The responses were collated anonymously and analysed, with results showing the HAAS program does improve student health outcomes. As a result of the program, children are able to safely attend school, and parents are able to send children with complex health needs to a public school of their choice or to the same public school that their siblings attend. School staff are supported to ensure competence and confidence in the health tasks provided to students, and registered nurses are able to work safely within their scope of practice. An external evaluation of HAAS is currently underway. The stakeholders of this evaluation include:
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Mobile Dental Clinic (MDC) – Model of Care | In the 2016-17 ACT Budget, the ACT Health Dental Health Program (DHP) received funding to implement two new Mobile Dental Clinics. These clinics will deliver dental care in schools with a low Index of Community and Socio-economic Advantage (ISCEA), and through agencies that support disadvantaged Canberrans. The clinics align with the current Australian National Oral Health Plan 2015-2024 – Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives. To develop the Model of Care, ACT Health held meetings throughout the year with several community organisations who hold a key interest in the implementation of this initiative. Regular meetings have also been held with consumer representatives through the ACT Health Mental Health Consumer Network (ACTMHCN) and the Health Care Consumer Association (HCCA).A representative from ACTMHCN and HCCA continue to participate on monthly stakeholder committee meetings. These consultations have led to the development of a Model of Care that aims to improve dental treatment for those who can’t easily access dental care. School Principals and Executives have been informed of the mobile dental clinic and this information was circulated to the Education Directorate through their local Schools Bulletin. |
Promoting health literacy at the Multicultural Festival | The ACT Health stall at the Multicultural Festival in February 2018 provided an engaging and interactive space to provide information and advice to 348 members of the community who spoke directly with staff. The space was made interactive with the use of iPads, which staff used to show members of the community where to find multilingual resources on the ACT Health website. Over 400 copies of the resource Using Health Services in the ACT were handed out, along with health information including a focus on changes to cervical screening. |
Review of the Using Health Services in the ACT booklet | The booklet Using Health Services in the ACT provides information on accessing health services in the ACT, and is available to Canberrans in seven different languages. Consultation has commenced to inform a review of this document, with online and hardcopy surveys seeking the views of healthcare providers and of consumers. |
Supporting Mental Health Week | ACT Health funded the Mental Health Community Coalition ACT to coordinate and promote a schedule of community engagement events and key mental health literacy messages for the 2017 Mental Health Week in the ACT (Sunday 8 October 2017 to Saturday 14 October 2017). The 2017 theme was ‘Stronger Together’ to promote the experience of mental health issues as something that builds resilience and makes people stronger, rather than focusing on the ‘problem’ of mental illness. Mental Health Week is an annual event, celebrated globally, to raise community awareness of mental health, reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness and promote the importance of positive mental health wellbeing. Events included the Mental Health Week Awards, the Mental Health Week ACT Launch Concert, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Expo. A total of $24,450 in reimbursement grants was allocated to 32 community organisations, not-for-profit groups and schools. Priority was given to events that reached-out specifically to the following at risk population groups:
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Mental Health Act 2015 implementation review consultations | ACT Health attended a quarterly forum in May 2018 hosted by the Mental Health Community Coalition and the Mental Health Consumer Network, to hear the views of people on the impact of the Mental Health Act 2015 and where it could develop. The views expressed at that meeting are helping to shape ACT Health’s review of the Mental Health Act 2015. The review and evaluation of the Mental Health Act 2015 is overseen by a committee, which has carer and consumer representatives, and the Mental Health Community Coalition as standing members. |
Regional Mental Health Plan | ACT Health have worked with Capital Health Network to map and develop a needs analysis of the regional mental health service system and initiatives. Consumers, carers and community organisations collaborated in the development of this analysis, which has included co-designed consumer and carer journey case studies. These pieces of work will inform future engagement for further development of the Regional Mental Health Plan. |
Local implementation actions for 5th National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan | ACT Health reported on a number of local implementation actions in relation to the nine priorities of the fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan. This reporting was supplied to the National Mental Health Commission, to inform nationwide monitoring of the progress of the 5th Plan. Community engagement was undertaken with governance and advisory committees and in public forums. |
Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing community consultations | The Minister for Mental Health officially launched the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing (the Office) on 14 June 2018. The Office has been established to oversee the coordination and integration of mental health services in the ACT. The Office is leading a process to develop a new territory-wide vision for mental health in the ACT. The Model for the Office was developed after consultations with the community, mental health consumers and carers, mental health organisations and peak bodies. The initial vision for the Office is that it will lead a process to develop a new vision for mental health in the ACT. Led by a Coordinator-General, working with key representatives from across ACT Government, the Office will enable a more holistic approach to good mental health, with a focus on the following key functions:
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ACT Eating Disorders Strategy consultation | ACT Health established a working group to develop a strategy for improving the delivery of services to support people with eating disorders in the ACT. This working group included specialist professionals, community members with lived experience of eating disorders, academics, specialist NGOs and the CHN, It has met on two occasions to consider available evidence and what service development for eating disorders in the ACT requires. This work took place in June 2018. The Strategy will inform the ACT Government’s approach towards eating disorders services into the future. |
University of Canberra Hospital: Specialist Centre for Rehabilitation, Recovery and Research | Consumer engagement has been extensive throughout the life of the University of Canberra Hospital (UCH) project. In the past year consumers have been involved in many working groups that were established to support the design of the facility, and the development of models of care, services, policies and procedures. In particular, consumers were represented on the:
Site tours were offered to consumer groups prior to the hospital becoming operational. Groups that toured the facility include the HCCA, Mental Health Consumers Network, Carers ACT and community transport groups. These tours provided further opportunities for key stakeholders to provide feedback. Information materials were developed to support this engagement. The Model of Care for the Adult Mental Health Day Service was reviewed and consumer input was invited from Wellways Australia, Carers ACT, ACT Disability Aged and Carer Advocacy Service (ADACAS), HCCA and the ACT Mental Health Consumer Network. |
Aged Care Forum | In May 2018, the annual Aged Care Forum was hosted by the Health Protection Service (HPS). The purpose of the Forum is to provide information and advice to Aged Care Facilities regarding preventing and managing outbreaks of infectious diseases in their facilities. Thirty eight attendees from 23 ACT aged care facilities attended the forum. Staff from across ACT Health presented information on how to manage outbreaks of influenza and gastroenteritis, other diseases and health issues relevant to the aged care setting, and influenza vaccinations that are available for both residents and staff. In addition to the forum, a respiratory swab collection workshop was funded by ACT Health and provided to aged care facility staff. Having aged care staff trained in swab collection enables rapid diagnosis of the cause of illness, meaning that disease-specific control measures can be implemented and the outbreak can be contained quicker. |
Review of the ACT Opioid Maintenance Treatment Guidelines 2010 | ACT Health consulted key stakeholders during the review of the ACT Opioid Maintenance Treatment Guidelines 2010, with a view to adopt the National Guidelines for Medication‑Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence 2014. Consultation focused on the development of a new document titled Opioid Maintenance Treatment in the ACT: Local Policies and Procedures. All key stakeholders were broadly supportive of the changes. The review process was undertaken from December 2017 to April 2018 and included two rounds of consultation, where feedback was sought on a draft of the document and three face to face meetings. |
ACT Health Promotion Grants Program public information session | In 2017-18 the ACT Health Promotion Grants Program held one public information session. This occurred on 28 November 2017 and was attended by approximately 50 people. The purpose of the session was to provide potential applicants with information about funding opportunities that were available through the ACT Health Promotion Grants Program - Healthy Canberra Grants and the Health Promotion Innovation Fund. |
Year 7 Health Check | The development and implementation of a Year 7 Health Check program (Y7HC) is a Government priority. The Y7HC will be used to examine the prevalence, distribution and patterns of adolescent health and wellbeing in the ACT. A phased consultation approach is being undertaken, with phase 1 consultation undertaken with targeted stakeholders during May and June 2018. |
ACT Drug Strategy Action Plan 2018‑2021 | The draft ACT Drug Strategy Action Plan 2018‑2021 was released for public consultation on 21 June 2018 on the YourSay website, and will be finalised in the second half of 2018. The Drug Strategy Action Plan is the ACT’s alcohol, tobacco and other drug action plan and is aligned to the three pillars of harm minimisation principles adopted by the National Drug Strategy 2017‑2026 agreed to by all States and Territories. |
Immunisation education sessions | ACT Health engaged Capital Health Network (CHN) to deliver a series of ACT Health funded Immunisation Education Sessions to health professionals between July 2016 and June 2018. Each of these session discusses a specific topic relating to immunisation practice, and esteemed guest presenters are invited to speak. A total of five Immunisation Education Sessions were held in 2017-18 as follows:
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Food Business Information Seminar Series | ACT Health uses an ‘Engage, Educate, Enforce’ compliance model in relation to food safety. Emphasis is placed on education to encourage compliance with food safety standards. ACT Health began targeted stakeholder engagement in late 2017, through the ‘Food Business Information Seminar Series’, which is held in collaboration with peak industry bodies. Each session presents an opportunity for attendees to gain practical information and ask questions of food business inspectors. As part of this work, ACT Health in conjunction with Access Canberra Liquor Licensing held three sessions in October 2017 and November 2017. Approximately 30 stakeholders attended each session. All sessions were held in conjunction with the Canberra Business Chamber. |
Healthier Choices Canberra – omnibus survey | An omnibus survey of 1,000 Canberra adults to gauge and benchmark community attitudes towards the availability and promotion of healthy food and drinks in Canberra was undertaken in May 2018. Data from this survey will be used as baseline data to measure key indicators before the Healthier Choices Canberra program begins, enabling measurement of changes in attitudes, behaviour and awareness over the implementation period, and the efficacy of the supporting publicity campaign. |