Proposals for big changes to primary health care have recently been presented to the Government so this week’s #CHF Talks webinar on the subject was timely. The 20 recommendations in the discussion paper of the Ministerial Primary Health Reform Steering Group include extensive options for reform,...

The power of modern drugs makes it more important than ever that consumers are supported to know and understand their impact. Think of the potency and benefits of opioids, antimicrobials and anti-psychotics, yet all too often they are also associated with harms that could have been avoided. It’s...

CEO Leanne Wells talks about the health Budget to ABC Radio News interviewer Glen Bartholomew. (Edited) Overall reaction “We are pretty happy. The budget has promised record spending in areas of greatest concern to health care consumers. Aged care and mental health are big winners. But it has only...

Jennifer Doggett in @CroakeyNews writes that the recent Shifting Gears Summit hosted by the Consumers Health Forum of Australia highlighted the changing role of consumers in health care, moving from a tokenistic “charity and volunteer” model to one of co-design and co-creation. The Trans-Tasman...

Health consumer organisations (HCOs) have a major and growing voice in health policy, including through submissions and discussions about government subsidy for new medicines. Health consumer organisations are funded in a variety of ways and many accept pharmaceutical industry funding. This...

CHF’s Consumer Commission report whose key recommendations included a focus on mental health, came out just days after the release of the Productivity Commission’s final report on mental health. The two reports produce broadly similar findings about the widespread dearth of services and pressing...