Partnering with Consumers: Introduction to Consumer Engagement

Meaningful consumer engagement can help health services better understand the needs, experiences and priorities of the people who use them.

This introductory workshop will give you a practical foundation for working with health consumers, carers, families, community members and people with lived experience.

You will learn what meaningful consumer engagement looks like, different ways to involve consumers, who to involve and what to consider before you get started.

Designed for people working across health services in Western Australia, this workshop is suitable for anyone who is new to consumer engagement or wants to strengthen their understanding of good engagement practice.

HCCWA works with health services across WA to support meaningful consumer and community engagement.

This workshop is designed for people working in healthcare who want to involve consumers and community members more effectively in their work.

This workshop may be useful if you work in:

• Consumer or community engagement

• Service planning or improvement

• Quality and safety

• Policy

• Project or program management

• Communications

• Research

• Clinical services

• Community health

• Health service leadership

You do not need previous experience in consumer engagement.

If your work involves designing, improving or evaluating healthcare services, programs, policies or projects, this workshop will give you a practical introduction to working with consumers.

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

• Why meaningful consumer engagement matters.

• Who to involve in consumer and community engagement.

• Different ways consumers can participate.

• How to choose an engagement approach that suits your project.

• What to consider when engaging people from diverse communities.

• Common barriers to meaningful participation.

• How to avoid engagement becoming tokenistic.

• What support and resources are available.

Consumer engagement means involving patients, carers, families, community members and people with lived experience in decisions about healthcare.

It can include consultation, advisory groups, co-design, committees, research, service improvement and other ways of working together.

Meaningful engagement involves people early enough for their input to influence decisions.

People who use healthcare services bring knowledge and perspectives that organisations cannot gain from clinical or organisational experience alone.

Meaningful consumer engagement can help organisations better understand people's needs, identify problems, improve services and make decisions that reflect the experiences of the communities they serve.

Consumer and community partnership is also embedded across the Australian healthcare system, including the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

In Western Australia, the Sustainable Health Review called for stronger citizen and community partnership in the design, delivery and evaluation of health and social care services.

Tania Harris is HCCWA's Advocacy and Engagement Manager and Aboriginal and Disability Engagement Lead.

Tania is an Aboriginal woman originally from Queensland. Prior to coming to the Health Consumers’ Council, Tania worked on various Aboriginal programs from ear health to parenting support. She has a special interest in the areas of disability and young people, and how their engagement and empowerment in the health system can be supported and encouraged from an early age.

The workshop will be held online via Zoom. We will email the joining link to registered attendees before the workshop. You can join using a computer, tablet or smartphone.

Please tell us when you register if you need an adjustment to participate. This could include information in another format, additional breaks or other practical support.

HCCWA consumer engagement resources.

• Further HCCWA professional development.

• Bespoke organisational training.

• Consumer recruitment support.

• Engagement planning and advice.

• Facilitation.

• HCCWA consulting.