Consumer Participation in the Health System

The following 2012-13 Victorian  Auditor General report provides details on consumer participation within the Victorian health care system. Consumers should be meaningfully involved in decision-making about their healthcare and treatment, and broader health policy, planning and service delivery. There is genuine commitment and effort from the Department of Health, and health services,  to facilitate meaningful consumer participation. The department has led implementation of consumer participation through strong policy direction and this has translated into appropriate policies, systems and activities in the four audited health services. Implementing consumer participation is relatively recent and a challenging process, and health services do not always provide sufficient staff training, resources or support to integrate consumer participation across their organisation. Consequently, achievements both between and within health services vary. (APO 10/10/12)