The documents below are available to the public and outline the work and consultation that was undertaken to establish Health Consumers Tasmania.
In 2015 Primary Health Tasmania provided funding to the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) to scope the need for, and best way to establish a peak health consumer organisation in Tasmania. The following document below provides CHF’s final report in May 2016 on this work.
CHF Scoping Report on Tasmanian Project
In 2018 the Tasmanian Government (through the Department of Health and Tasmanian Health Service) with Primary Health Tasmania committed to providing seed funding of $300,000 per annum for three years to establish Health Consumers Tasmania. Media releases relating to the funding decision are available below.
CHF media release
Primary Health Tasmania media release
The funding was initially provided to CHF to auspice Health Consumers Tasmania’s development. In September 2018 CHF publicly advertised and then appointed an Executive Officer (Bruce Levett) to establish Health Consumers Tasmania. The Executive Officer convened an Implementation Advisory Group to assist in the development of the organisation. Copies of their meeting minutes are available below.
Implementation Advisory Group – Meeting 1
Implementation Advisory Group – Meeting 2
Implementation Advisory Group – Meeting 3
Implementation Advisory Group – Meeting 4
The Executive Officer and Implementation Advisory Group initially created a ‘Position Statement’ to highlight the underlying ten principles for how Health Consumers Tasmania should work. This document is provided below.
Further work was then undertaken to consult with the broader public about the establishment of Health Consumers Tasmania, its governance structure and strategic mission.
First was an online survey called ‘Taking the Pulse’ with a summary report available here.
A considerable level of individual face to face consultations were also conducted with health consumers, community organisations and health providers, with a summary report available here.
And finally a full day consultation was conducted in Campbell Town in February 2019 with around 50 health consumers and community representatives, and the assistance of Healthy Tasmania. The outcomes from the day are available here.
In May 2019, positions for the inaugural Board were publicly advertised. A copy of the Expression of Interest pack used is available here.
Selection was undertaken by an independent panel derived from the Implementation Advisory Group. The inaugural Board was announced in August 2019, with membership provided here.
Health Consumers Tasmania is now operating as a stand alone entity registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee. Our ABN is 92 637 836 321.