Who is this workshop for?

This workshop may be right for you if you:

Have experience of using healthcare services as a patient, carer, family member or community member.
Want to help improve healthcare for other people.
Are interested in joining a committee, advisory group, project or consultation.
Have recently become a consumer representative.
Want to understand what consumer representation involves before applying for a role.

You do not need formal qualifications, committee experience or detailed knowledge of the health system.

What is a consumer representative?

A health consumer representative is a patient, carer or community member who contributes consumer perspectives to healthcare planning, policy, research or service improvement.

Consumer representatives may participate in committees, advisory groups, consultations, research projects and service-design activities.

They help organisations understand what healthcare is like for the people who use it.

What will you learn?

By the end of the workshop, you will have a clearer understanding of:

The role and purpose of a consumer representative.
How consumer representatives can influence healthcare.
The benefits and responsibilities of consumer representation.
Common barriers to participation and ways to address them.
How to contribute confidently and effectively.
How to care for your wellbeing while using lived experience.
Where to find consumer representative and engagement opportunities.
Next steps after the workshop

What can you expect?

This is an interactive and supportive workshop.

You will hear practical information, discuss examples and have opportunities to ask questions. You will not be expected to know specialist healthcare terms.

You choose how much personal information you share. You do not need to describe private or difficult healthcare experiences to participate.

Contact the host of Introduction to Consumer Representation: Free Online Workshop