Welcome to HCCA

The Health Care Consumers' Association provides a voice for consumers on local health issues. We do this by:

• Working with health services to achieve services that are responsive, respectful, accessible and affordable to all,
• Encouraging direct consumer involvement in health decision making, and
  
• Lobbying and advocating on behalf of ACT health consumers.

There are a number of ways you can be involved by:

• becoming a member,
• following developments through HCCA communications,
• participating in the HCCA program of discussions on issues,
• representing consumers on health committees,
• providing feedback on issues facing health consumers,
• using HCCA facilities to get up-to-date information on health care interventions, and
  
• participating in consumer representative training.

Health Care Consumers' Association of the ACT Inc is a member of Consumers' Health Forum of Australia (CHF) which is an independent member-based non-government organisation providing a national voice for health consumers.

We are also members of the Australian Health Care Reform Alliance (AHCRA). AHCRA is a coalition of 46 organisations representing consumers and health care providers advocating for a fairer and more effective health care system.

About HCCA

The Health Care Consumers' Association of the ACT (HCCA) was incorporated in 1978 and is the principal health consumer advocacy organisation in the ACT. It has supported and developed health consumer perspectives and policy in the ACT for 30 years.

HCCA is a body through which health care consumers can participate in policy, planning and service decisions that affect their health. We work to improve the quality and availability of health services, supports consumers to identify shared priorities about health, and represent these views to the ACT Government.

The organisation is the lead organisation in the ACT advocating for the inclusion of consumers on health boards and planning structures. It has grown from a small group to a substantial organisation contributing a consumer perspective across the ACT health system.

HCCA involves consumers through:

• consumer representation
• consumer consultation
• community forums
• health information sessions about health services and
  
• regular HCCA communications

Consumer Representatives

Consumer Representatives

The HCCA Consumer Representatives Program is a focal point for both consumer groups and government for the nomination, training and support of consumer representatives. It provides skilled representatives to more than 50 committees across the ACT health system.

HCCA provides training, policy support and resource materials for consumer representatives, establishes channels for representatives to feedback to the community and identifies potential nominees for committees and advisory boards.

What is a consumer representative?

A consumer representative is someone who is endorsed by the Health Care Consumers' Association of the ACT (HCCA) to represent the views and interests of health consumers.

HCCA consumer representatives have experience of health services primarily as consumers of services. They commit to being well informed about relevant health issues and representing a broad range of consumer views by ensuring they are accountable to others through HCCA and/or other community groups.

Why a consumer representative?

Representatives are people who use health care have particular knowledge not otherwise available to policy makers. They ensure health service users have input into policies and direction and remind committee members that the public interest is of primary concern.

Consumer Rep Training

HCCA provides training for people interested in becoming consumer representatives. The training is free and conducted in a relaxed atmosphere. People share their views and experiences of health services in the ACT, and learn about consumer participation and how it benefits the health system. Participants meet experienced consumer representatives and hear about the consumer representative role first hand.

Participants have described the best part of the training as:

"Personal stories from consumer representatives"
"The diversity of speakers"
"Networking and the content"
"It's very practical"
"Great group and I felt confident to share info and ask questions"
"It was great to meet and hear from real representatives ­ to give us confidence that we can do what they do"

The training course runs twice a year. Contact HCCA if you would like more inforamtion or would like to register for the next HCCA training schedule.

Module 1
Understanding the Representative Role: This module includes discussion on consumer participation and consumer rights, the roles and responsibilities of being a representative and consumer representatives stories

Module 2
The Context for Representation - HCCA and ACT Health: This module explains how HCCA works and how members are involved, it looks at the ACT Health system, the current consumer priorities in ACT Health and how decisions are made in the system.

Module 3
Committee and Presentation Skills: This module looks at how committees work and provides information about the different committees in the ACT health sector. Learn how to prepare for meetings, get noticed and how to put your case and influence the agenda.

Module 4
Diversity in Representation: This module looks at networking and how to obtain consumer views. It provides tools to enhance your representative role and how HCCA can support you in the role. It outlines the nomination process and guidelines for representation.

For more information contact HCCA Office on 02 6290 1660 or E-mail: adminhcca@gmail.com

Membership

We welcome your support and value your input. As a member you will be supporting a health consumer voice in the ACT and ensuring responsive health services for all health care consumers in the ACT.

As a HCCA member you can:

• receive newsletters
• take part in health care forums and email discussion lists
• network with other consumers
• access consumer representatives' training and support
• be involved in health service planning and decision making in the ACT and
  
• vote at the Annual General Meeting

Our membership form is available on our website.