During the Health Issues Centre conducted a project for the Ministerial Taskforce for Cancer. This project aimed to:

Transcription

1 Consumer Participation Plan

2 Introduction Barwon South Western Regional Integrated Cancer Service (BSWRICS) is committed to improving the experiences and outcomes of those affected by cancer in the Barwon South Western (BSW) region of Victoria. Consumer involvement in BSWRICS projects and activities has been an important focus in our work since Previous communication and collaboration with cancer consumers and carers in the BSW community has provided BSWRICS with valuable foundations on which to build the plan. The Department of Health s A Guide to Enhancing Consumer and Carer Participation in Victoria s Integrated Cancer Services, 2007 and the Department s policy on Community Participation in Healthcare Doing it with us not for us Strategic Direction , provide the underlying principles for the development of the plan. The BSWRICS Consumer Participation Plan aligns with the BSWRICS Strategic Plan and provides a framework for the participation of consumers, carers and community members in BSWRICS strategies, activities and programs. This plan will be reviewed annually. Context Broader cancer reform The Victorian Government has developed a vision for an improved cancer system. Victorian State- Wide Key Priority Areas for service improvement have been identified and are the focus of the BSWRICS cancer service improvement initiatives. During the Health Issues Centre conducted a project for the Ministerial Taskforce for Cancer. This project aimed to: Highlight current levels of consumer and carer participation in Victorian cancer services. Establish the capacity of cancer services to implement consumer and carer participation. Scope the support required for participation to happen. The key outcome of the project was the development of A Guide to Enhancing Consumer and Carer Participation in Victorian Integrated Cancer Services. The guide aims to assist ICS to plan for consumer and carer participation as part of their overall quality improvement approach and includes a list of practical consumer and carer participation methods, case studies and references.

3 The need to continue to enhance consumer and carer participation within the Integrated Cancer Services (ICS) is recognized in Action Area 4 of Victoria s Cancer Action Plan (VCAP): Priority 1 Action Target Create better experiences for cancer patients and carers Increase consumer participation in cancer care policy development, service delivery and research Work with consumer organisations in a range of tumour streams to support programs that train cancer consumer advocates The following definitions and terms are used in the Department of Human Services Consumer Participation Policy Doing it with us not for us and are used throughout this document: Consumers: people who are current or in some contexts potential users of health services. Carers: family and friends providing unpaid care to consumers. Communities: groups of citizens who have interests in the development of an accessible, effective and efficient health and aged care service that bests meets their needs. Representatives: consumers, carers or community members who are nominated by and accountable to an organisation of consumers, carers or community members. Nominee: used to describe somebody who is not an exclusive representative or has special links with a particular group or groups. Participation: occurs when consumers, carers and community members are meaningfully involved in decision-making about health policy and planning, care and treatment, and the wellbeing of themselves and the community. Consumer participation: can happen at all levels of health care, including strategic planning, service planning, service delivery, and evaluation of health services, as well as in decision making about individual health care planning, treatment and rehabilitation. Local Consumer and Carer Participation Context Connecting cancer care to provide the best outcomes and experiences possible for patients across the region is BSWRICS vision. Our mission To improve the experience for all those affected by cancer in our region by: Ensuring patients, their families and carers needs are at the centre of care; Enabling effective local coordination of care for cancer patients; Improving relationships and communications between hospital and primary care providers within the region to achieve an integrated platform for cancer care

4 The BSWRICS Strategic Plan focuses on four strategic priorities: BSWRICS acknowledges that the relationships we build with our regional stakeholders, community organisations and consumers are essential to achieving our strategic directions and ensuring that we respond to regional needs. To plan and deliver appropriate services for their communities health and community services across the region regularly engage with consumers across a number of areas and have processes in place to support this. A shared consumer engagement approach acknowledges the established relationships health and community services in the region have with their communities and the importance of BSWRICS working collaboratively with regional stakeholders to support information sharing and reduce duplication of effort. Past activities have seen a range of consumer groups and committees within local health services or the community accessed to identify service gaps and provide feedback and direction of BSWRICS projects and have included: Recruitment of a consumer representative to the BSWRICS Governance Group Establishment of a Consumer Advisory Group which functions to provide advice and consumer perspective to BSWRICS strategic directions and projects

5 Establishment of a Consumer Registry which allows BSWRICS to have a number of interested and suitable people to call on for committees, focus groups and input into patient information and resources Development of a Consumer position description outlining roles and responsibilities of consumers involved in BSWRICS consumer registry and advisory group Consumer representation on various BSWRIC project groups such as Evaluation of Cancer Outcomes Trial, Supportive Care Model and Survivorship

6 Strategic Priority Optimise Consumer Experience Strategic Objectives Actions Improve our understanding of consumer experience 1.2 Increase access and consistency of communication throughout the patient journey Seek opportunities to build on the DHHS Cancer Patient Experience survey and extend across the region Extend access to consumer engagement training for key staff across the region Facilitate education for clinicians in relation to the specific needs of our geri-oncology patients Complete establishment of patient information centres at all major health services in the region Contribute to the development of the state-wide supportive care directory Increase availability of information to consumers private care pathways Continue to implement supportive care screening into private health services including SJOG Geelong & SJOG Warrnambool Investigate platforms to collect consumer data regarding cancer experiences across the BSW region. Promotion of consumer engagement training resources to health services across the BSW region. Support clinicians across the BSW region with access to education and training that supports cancer care (4.1.4) Online resources available via new BSWRICS website. Discontinued Promotion of consumer Optimal Care Pathways via regional support and community groups. Work with regional health services to promote and increase supportive screening. 1.3 Increase the involvement of consumers in the planning, delivery and improvement of cancer services Appoint a consumer representative to the Governance group Consumer representative appointed since Inclusion of consumer representatives in the planning and evaluation of all major projects Establish an annual work plan and reporting process between the BSWRICS Consumer Advisory Group and Governance Group Increase the promotion of the Consumer Register across the region Consumer Advisory Group established (Barwon) Work with health services in the SW to develop an appropriate Consumer Advisory structure Ongoing maintenance and promotion of the Consumer Registry. Consumer Advisory Group to participate in BSWRICS Consumer Participation Plan development Review Consumer Advisory Committee ToR to ensure reporting process to Governance Group in place. Consumer Forums x 2 planned 2015/16 (Barwon& SW). Develop consumer content for new BSWRICS website in collaboration with Community Advisory Group.

7 Strategic Objectives Actions Develop and implement the consumer/carer training program for registered consumers Build capacity of consumers to actively participate in design, planning and evaluation of cancer services by identifying and promoting opportunities for education or training. Legend: Complete In Progress Not Commenced Discontinued