Consumer Representative Opportunities
We are always looking for new consumer representatives. If you are interested in advocating for a better health system for all, please consider joining HCCA. Please note all HCCA consumer representatives must be members of our organisation and complete consumer representative training.
If you already know the details of the opportunity you want to apply for, you can skip to forms.
HCCA Internal Committees and Opportunities
None at present
ACT Opportunities
Canberra Health Services Bariatric Surgery Advisory Committee
Closing Date: 13 March 2025
Canberra Health Services is looking for a consumer representative to join the Bariatric Surgery Advisory Committee (BSAC).
The role of BSAC is to evaluate whether patients are suitable for publicly funded metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS), specifically laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), to help with weight loss and related health benefits. BSAC members will review summaries of patients referred for MBS, advise on patient suitability for MBS, monitor key performance Indicators, wait times, number of surgeries performed per financial year, average length of stay and post-operative outcomes.
As a consumer representative, you will bring your knowledge of relevant consumer issues to the discussions of the Committee. You will also need to read committee papers before meetings and seek perspectives from peers and networks to inform Committee discussions and decisions.
Meetings are in person at The Canberra Hospital approximately every 2 months.
Download the Bariatric Surgery Advisory Committee Terms of Reference.
You can nominate for this opportunity using the online form, or by calling the HCCA office on 6230 7800.
Please note that you will need to have completed consumer representative training to be endorsed by HCCA to this committee.
For more information about consumer representative training, please visit How to Become a Consumer Representative on our website.
Capital Health Network Clinical Advisory Council
Closing Date: 13 March 2025
Capital Health Network is looking for a consumer representative to join the Capital Health Network Clinical Advisory Council.
The role of the council is to provide advice and feedback to the Capital Health Network (CHN) Board and management about CHN key projects, commissioning initiatives, and strategic objectives. The Clinical Council provide recommendations to the Board on key Commonwealth deliverables and initiatives relating to CHNs priority areas. These areas include whole of health system issues such as:
- health needs of the ACT population
- service gaps, particularly for those experiencing chronic and complex conditions
- major clinical strategic areas including clinical service planning and reform, models of care, innovation and service delivery
- making sure the guidelines align with national and territory guidelines
as well as strategies to:
- improve health care services through investment and innovation
- improve the integration of services in particular local pathways between the primary health care and sub-acute and acute care systems
- improve the safety, quality, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of clinical services
- facilitate and support clinical leadership
This is a high-level committee that would suit an experienced consumer representative. As a consumer representative, you will bring your knowledge of relevant consumer issues to the discussions of the Committee. You will also need to read committee papers before meetings and seek perspectives from peers and networks to inform Committee discussions and decisions.
The council meets minimum 4 times per year in person or online. Each meeting may last 2-3 hours.
Download the Capital Health Network Clinical Advisory Council Terms of Reference.
You can nominate for this opportunity using the online form, or by calling the HCCA office on 6230 7800.
Please note that you will need to have completed consumer representative training to be endorsed by HCCA to this committee.
For more information about consumer representative training, please visit How to Become a Consumer Representative on our website.
Capital Health Network Community Advisory Council
Closing Date: 13 March 2025
Capital Health Network (CHN) is looking for 2 consumer representatives to join the Capital Health Network Community Advisory Council.
The role of the community council is to provide recommendations/advice to the CHN Board and the CEO on:
- priority health needs of the local community
- identifying service gaps, particularly for those experiencing chronic and complex conditions
- Making sure CHN activities, strategies and initiatives are consumer-focused (based on consumer feedback and preferences)
- evaluating activities and outcomes
The Community Advisory Council will also work with CHN’s Advisory Councils and, other community consultation mechanisms via ACT health.
As a consumer representative, you will bring your knowledge of relevant consumer issues to the discussions of the Committee. You will also need to read committee papers before meetings and seek perspectives from peers and networks to inform Committee discussions and decisions.
The Community Advisory Council meets minimum 4 times per year in person at the CHN office or online. Each meeting may last 2-3 hours.
You can Download the Capital Health Network Community Advisory Council Terms of reference.
You can nominate for this opportunity using the online form, or by calling the HCCA office on 6230 7800.
Please note that you will need to have completed consumer representative training to be endorsed by HCCA to this committee.
For more information about consumer representative training, please visit How to Become a Consumer Representative on our website.
Canberra Health Services Policy Document Review Panel
Closing Date: 13 March 2025
Canberra Health Services is looking for a consumer representative to join the Policy Document Review Panel.
The panel’s role is to provide advice to guide policy development. The panel provides oversight of CHS policy documents reviews evaluations of high-risk documents with any relevant lessons learned fed back to divisions, committees or working groups.
The panel makes sure policies are person centred, evidence-based and focused on the needs of consumers and carers, as well as aligning with legislation and other requirements (e.g., National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards).
As a consumer representative, you will bring your knowledge of relevant consumer issues to the discussions of the Committee. You will also need to read committee papers before meetings and seek perspectives from peers and networks to inform Committee discussions and decisions.
The panel meets once a month on every fourth Wednesday from 1 to 3pm.
Download the Canberra Health Services Policy Document Review Panel Terms of Reference.
You can nominate for this opportunity using the online form, or by calling the HCCA office on 6230 7800.
Please note that you will need to have completed consumer representative training to be endorsed by HCCA to this committee.
For more information about consumer representative training, please visit How to Become a Consumer Representative on our website.
National/Interstate Opportunities
None at present
Other opportunities
Voluntary Assisted Dying Oversight Board
Closing Date: 3 March 2025
Applications are open to join the ACT Voluntary Assisted Dying Oversight Board.
People who apply should have a connection to the ACT and have relevant knowledge and experience in:
🩺 medicine
🤝🏽nursing
💊 pharmacy
🤲🏽social work
🧾ethics
⚖ law
🙋🏽♀️health care consumer advocacy
👨🦽 disability or carer advocacy
Board members will work together to make sure the ACT’s voluntary assisted dying service is operating safely and following the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2024.
More information about the Voluntary Assisted Dying Oversight Board and how to apply is available on the ACT Diversity Register website.
Anyone can apply to the Diversity Register on this page here. You will need to provide some of your contact details and some information about yourself. Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions about the Board.
If the topic of voluntary assisted dying raises issues for you, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Griefline on 1300 845 745.
Mental Health Advisory Council
Closing date: March 6 2025
Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA, the Minister for Mental Health, invites expressions of interest for appointments to the positions of Chair and Members of the Mental Health Advisory Council. The Mental Health Advisory Council is an advisory body to the Minister for Mental Health. It advises the Minister on:
- emerging or urgent mental health issues
- mental health policy and service reforms
- mental health legislative change
- other matters related to mental health and social, emotional wellbeing requested by the Minister.
Members are appointed by the Minister for Mental Health based on their individual expertise and communities they represent across the ACT community. The Council brings together knowledge, skills and experience in promotion of mental health, mental health care services and addressing mental illness. Expressions of interest for the positions of Chair and Members are invited from people who:
- have lived with a mental disorder or mental illness,
- are a carer of a person with lived experience with a mental disorder or mental illness,
- have experience or expertise in primary mental health,
- have current knowledge of scientific, evidence-based mental health research and practice
- have experience or expertise in mental health promotion and mental illness prevention and treatment, care or support.
- are able to represent a wide range of views from a mental health perspective
- can commit to participate in Council activities
- are committed to the welfare, advancement and full social inclusion of the mental health community.
People from the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander community, multicultural communities, with a disability or who identify as LGBTIQA+ are encouraged to apply. These positions are expected to start in May 2025 and appointments are for 3 years. Applicants need to provide a current resume, a one-page statement addressing the required personal attributes and skill sets, and the name and contact details of a professional referee. You can submit you expression of interest via email to [email protected]
If you have any questions you can contact the Secretariat at [email protected]
The ACT Mental Health Consumer Network’s Consumer Advisory Group (CAG)
Closing Date: February 25
The ACT Mental Health Consumer Network’s Consumer Advisory Group (CAG) is being created to contribute to the work of the National Mental Health Consumer Alliance (NMHCA). The CAG will give advice to the Mental Health Consumer Network (MHCN) about systemic mental health issues. This will be at a national level and contribute to systemic policy development through the NMHCA. The CAG will be a ‘brains trust’ for MHCN in relation to national policy issues identified by the NMHCA.
Who can apply – Anyone with lived experience of mental illness and/or mental disorder who is interested in mental health systemic advocacy. There are 8 spots available – 4 core members (who attend every CAG meeting) and 4 open positions (who will be recruited for ahead of each CAG meeting). Participants will be reimbursed by the ACT Health Directorate. This rate is currently $75 for a meeting of up to two hours, and pro rata thereafter. If you are not currently a member of the Network you are still eligible to nominate, but you will need to become a member if your nomination is successful (this is free). Please note that due to NMHCA participation rules, current Network Board members are not eligible for core positions but are eligible for open positions.
When: The CAG will meet on the third (3rd) Tuesday of the month in the afternoon/early evening. It is expected that the CAG may be contacted between meetings via email for out of session advice on occasion, such as having dot points run past members for a submission. The meetings will alternate between face to face and online (Zoom) each month.
How to apply: Complete the Committee Nomination Form and tell MHCN why you are interested. Include any experience in policy/national advocacy you have. Experience is NOT necessary to be appointed but may be an advantage if we receive a high number of nominations. Forms should be emailed to Cass Heffernan at [email protected] or by post to:
ACTMHCN
Reply Paid 83404
Canberra ACT 2601
Intellectual Disability Health Research: Invitation to be on Focus Groups
Closing Date: February 14
The Department of Health and Aged Care has $20 million for research on intellectual disability health. They are looking for people with lived experience of intellectual disability to participate in focus groups to be held from 10-19 March 2025 as part of the Medical Research Future Fund 2024 Improving Health Outcomes of People with Intellectual Disability Grant Opportunity assessment.
Focus group participants will reviewing Easy Read grant applications – Sharing what you like and do not like. This will influence the grant assessment process. Participants will be paid for their involvement in the focus groups.
If you have any nominations in mind, please email ACT Health Directorate Disability Health Policy via [email protected] including contact information. If you have any questions you can email us at [email protected]
Conference Sponsorship Opportunities
None at present