I would like to introduce you to our new look Consumers Shaping Health. The Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) is the nation’s peak body representing healthcare consumers and those with an interest in healthcare consumer affairs.

We live in an era of rapid change in healthcare and human services. Current developments such as digital health technology, community-based healthcare and the rise in consumer-directed care all point towards the growing influence of the consumer. Consumers Shaping Health aims to give you a quick overview of what CHF and our key partners do to shape health policy and programmes.

This is a re-launch of the Consumers Shaping Health e-newsletter we have been sending to stakeholders for some years. Now more people than ever will be receiving it as part of our aim to reach out to as many interested people as we can. The health consumer’s role is more important than ever with both clinicians and governments realising that healthcare works best when consumers have a central say about how it is designed and delivered. Many issues like Health Care Homes, health insurance, pharmacy, health literacy and quality and safety are crucial to consumers. Consumers Shaping Health will bring to you every two months news on what CHF and others are doing to ensure the consumers have impact in national health policy.