Southern
Health’s Community Participation in Action Forum has been hailed a tremendous
success by Chief Executive, Professor Stan Capp.
The two-day forum, the first of its kind in Australia, attracted over 300 delegates from across the community and within the health industry.
“We have been delighted with the response from the community,” said Professor Capp.
“Delegates explored a whole range of complex issues relating to health which has helped to give us further insight into the thoughts and feelings that exist within the community we serve.”
“This forum will help to give us valid results on which to base the next step of our vision to achieve community input into the major health decisions affecting our consumers.”
The
forum brought together a range of international and national speakers, including
The Honourable John Kitzhaber, M.D., former Governor of Oregon, USA and
instigator of the Oregon Health Plan and Mr Harry Cayton, Director for Patients
and the Public, Department of Health, United Kingdom.
Governor Kitzhaber, who has been involved in the development and implementation of health policy as a legislator and for eight years as the Governor of the State of Oregon, congratulated Southern Health for initiating the forum.
“It is greatly satisfying to see that Southern Health is leading the way in Australia when it comes to delving into how health care providers achieve meaningful community input into key health care decisions.”
“When it comes to health, the challenge is to make the decision making process open and to find effective ways to include the community in that process.”
“This innovative forum is the first step towards achieving that.”
Governor Kitzhaber also provided delegates with many valuable reflections on the successes and challenges of the Oregon Health Plan.
At
the forum, a number of community participation methods were trialled, including
a citizen’s jury and discussion groups. A highlight of the forum was an
interactive, electronic voting experience where delegates used the same
equipment as is used on Who Wants to be a Millionaire to vote on important
health issues.
The Australian Institute of Primary Care at Latrobe University designed the trials and will also evaluate them over the coming months.
Presentations:
Day 1
John Kitzhaber
(profile)
Harry Cayton
(profile)
Day 2
John Kitzhaber (profile)
Harry Cayton
(profile)
Stan Capp (profile)
Kathy Alexander
(profile)
Meredith Carter (profile)
Hal Swerissen
(profile)
