June 2007

Forum focuses on care in the community

The Care in your community Carer and Consumer Forum was well-attended by representatives from the community and peak bodies.

Care in your community provides a framework for integrated ambulatory health care.

Its aim for making health care more person-centred and community-focused gives better recognition of individual care recipients, their family and carers.

To achieve this aim, people using health care services need to be effectively involved in service planning decisions about their local health care system.

There are currently three trial sites underway to test the integrated area-based planning approach, the core of the Care in your community framework.

Each trial has developed its own strategy to engage carers and consumers in their planning.

The workshop provided attendees with an:

•             Update/information on the Care in your community integrated area-based trials;

•             Opportunity to advise on future carer and consumer engagement in integrated area-based planning.

Representatives from the team of consultants engaged to work with the trials—Heather Wellington (Phillips Fox) and Alison Hallahan (Capital Foresight)—facilitated the workshop.

Group discussions focused on:

•             The optimal level of involvement by carers and consumers;

•             The involvement of both active carers/consumers and the broader community;

•             Factors influencing successful engagement in both central and local consumer engagement strategies;

•             Optimal structures for carer/consumer involvement;

•             The role of peak bodies;

•             Engaging specific needs groups;

•             Supporting meaningful carer/consumer engagements;

•             How to avoid tokenism;

•             Evaluating effective carer/consumer engagement.

•             For more information visit the Ambulatory Care website at http://www.health.vic.gov.au/ambulatorycare/.