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Consumer Advisors

Barwon Health supports people’s right to participate individually and collectively in the planning and implementation of their health care. Barwon Health does this by partnering with Consumer Advisors.

Who is a Consumer Advisor?

  • A Consumer Advisor is a person who voices collective consumer or community perspectives and take part in decision-making as a representative of those consumers and communities.
  • Ideally Consumer Advisors are people well connected in their community, they are able to access the perspectives of many community members and bring those perspectives to Barwon Health and also take information from Barwon Health back to their community to seek perspectives on new ideas or options for improving the way services are provided.

What do Consumer Advisors do?

  • Consumer Advisors provide the consumer perspective in the development, planning and quality improvement of services, and the measure and improvement of patient and family experience.

The Consumer Advisor’s role includes:

  • Consideration of the consumer experience
  • Consideration of the alignment of any Barwon Health work with the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights; the Charter of Aged Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  • Supporting Barwon Health to be accountable to consumers
  • Advocating for issues affecting consumers
  • Advocating for consumer consultation on changes to services or practice that Barwon Health might be considering.

Diversity and inclusion

Consumer Advisors are part of the Barwon Health community and should reflect the diversity of the community. People of any gender, young people, older people, middle-aged people and women of childbearing age, people of diverse socioeconomic status and people living throughout the Barwon Health catchment area are encouraged to apply.

It is a priority for Barwon Health to attract, recruit and support Consumer Advisors from:

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
  • People who have a disability, or people who care for someone with a disability
  • People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
  • People from LGBTIQA+ communities
  • People with an interest in improving women’s and children’s services
  • Young people, including people with an experience of mental health services
  • Older people who are interested in shared decision-making about their health care.

Current opportunities for Consumer Advisors

Watch this space.

Training

Consumer Advisors are able to access training through:

Interested?

Please read and complete the documents linked below.

Submit your completed expression of interest:

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Post:    Consumer Engagement Manager
               C/O Safety and Quality Department
               Barwon Health               
               PO Box 281
               Geelong VICTORIA 3220

For further information, contact the Consumer Engagement Manager by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone (03) 4215 0477.

Barwon Health is committed to health screening and immunisation to protect its staff, consumer advisors, volunteers and patients against preventable diseases.

Community Advisory Committee (CAC)

The Community Advisory Committee is a sub-committee of the Barwon Health Board. This group advises the Board on issues relevant to the consumers of our community. To learn more please visit the Community Advisory Committee webpage.

Are you a staff member wanting to partner with a Consumer Advisor?

If you are a staff member wanting to request a Consumer Advisor, please complete the request form here.

Last Modified: Friday, 27 May 2022

Related links

Welcome to Barwon Health for Consumer Advisors

Partnering with Consumer Advisors