Cystic Fibrosis Queensland encourages all members to be cystic fibrosis advocates, and our team is available to help you to develop the skills and agency to add your voice to supporting our cause.
Health consumers, people like you, have been involved in planning and decision making within Australian health services at a growing rate over the last 10 years. This is partly because consumers are becoming better informed about their rights and are seeking out opportunities to participate. It is also because the evidence is growing that consumer participation results in services which are better designed to meet patient and consumer needs and leads to better health outcomes for patients.
The consumer perspective brings balance to health service decision making. Bringing a consumer perspective into decision making enables an important balance which supports the needs of all stakeholders. A consumer can be a patient, a family member, or a carer. The consumer can represent the needs from the patient perspective and balance the often-dominant views presented by clinicians, administrators, and other health professionals.
Consumer advocacy contributes towards safety, quality, and patient-centred care. Patient-centred care must be the focus of all health services because it improves the patient experience and leads to better health outcomes (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care 2011).
The Australian Safety and Quality Framework for Health Care states that health services must learn from patient and carer experiences. Consumer advocacy plays a major role in promoting safety and quality in health service provision.
Cystic Fibrosis Queensland services team members are available to support you on your advocacy journey. If you would like to be involved in the submissions for the inclusion of 6 – 11 years for Trikafta, for easing access to the NDIS and NDSS, and importantly, for on-going rights for those living with chronic illness, then join us on Wednesday 7 September at 6:00pm to hear Dr Sonia Marshall discuss the PBAC advocacy process and what to include in your submission. For more information, speak with our services.
