What is a Health Care Consumer?
A health care consumer (sometimes shortened to consumer) is anyone who uses, has used, or may use any health or health related service. It is not just people who are currently using a health service.
Health care consumers also include carers and families of patients. Sometimes the terms patients and clients are also used to describe health care consumers.
What do we do?
Health Care Consumers’ Association (HCCA) is the peak health care consumer organisation in the ACT. We work to improve the quality and safety of health services and advocate for health equity for people living in the Canberra region.
We help give consumers a say on health issues and to participate in all levels of health service planning, policy development and decision making.
HCCA involves consumers through:
- Consumer representation
- Consultations and community forums
- Training in health rights and navigating the health system
- Information sessions about health services
- Advocating for issues of concern to consumers
We work closely with our members, local communities, the ACT Government, health service providers, and other non-government organisations to provide coordinated action to improve the quality and safety of health services.
HCCA helps people in the Canberra region to navigate health services in the ACT, and to get what they need from health care.
Find a Health Service
You can find a health service using the Find a Health Service feature of the ACT Health Website.
You can search for health services by location or by type using the search feature.