Vale Jane Mears
Health Consumers NSW is deeply saddened by the passing of Associate Professor Jane Mears, a health consumer representative leader, HCNSW Board member, and member of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group.
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Celebrating 15 years of consumer-led change
We celebrated our 15th anniversary and held our 2026 AGM on Tuesday, 13 October… And what a celebration it was. Check the photo gallery and relive the action.
2025/2026 Annual Report now available
We are pleased to announce that the Health Consumers NSW Annual Report 2025/26 is now available. Have a look at the overview on our Annual Report webpage and download the full report.
Submission to draft third edition of NSQHS Standards
Thank you to all our members who contributed to our consultation on the draft third edition of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards. We submitted our feedback on 25 September.
Consumer-researcher partnering program
Build your research skills and use your living or consumer representative experience to help improve health research with Early and Mid-Career Researchers from the University of Sydney.
New CEO announcement
Today, we share important news about the leadership of Health Consumers NSW. After 12 years as CEO, Dr Anthony Brown will step down from the role. Luckily, Anthony is not leaving Health Consumers NSW. We are very happy that he will continue with the organisation as Consumer Engagement Manager, Research.
Leadership update at HCNSW
Today, we share important news about the leadership of Health Consumers NSW. After 12 years as CEO, Dr Anthony Brown will step down from the role. Luckily, Anthony is not leaving Health Consumers NSW. We are very happy that he will continue with the organisation as Consumer Engagement Manager, Research.
Submissions Guide: Inquiry into Calvary Mater Hospital, Newcastle
Guide for Patients, Carers, Family and Community Members for preparing a submission to the NSW Legislative Council Inquiry into the management, maintenance and operational issues at Calvary Mater Hospital, Newcastle.
Expression of Interest: Health Data Consumer Reference Group
Expression of Interest: Health Data Consumer Reference GroupExpression of Interest: Health Data Consumer Reference Group Home /News & Events /Latest News Applications close Monday 9 March 2026! The George Institute…
happy holidays 2025
Our office will be closed from Monday, 22 December 2025 and will reopen on Monday, 12 January 2026. We want to thank every health consumer, carer, member, partner, and supporter who has walked alongside us this year.
Strengthening the voices of health consumers across the State – our 2024/25 Annual Report
Our 2024-25 Annual Report highlights our stories of advocacy and change and describes the power of our partnerships.
Nurturing Voices – launch of first Reconciliation Action Plan
We are proud to share an important milestone in our journey – the launch of our first Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
Collaborate & Connect: A toolbox for non-Indigenous organisations to better engage with First Nations young people
This National Reconciliation Week, Health Consumers NSW and the Association for the Wellbeing of Children in Healthcare have launched the Collaborate & Connect Toolbox for non-Indigenous healthcare organisations to better engage with First Nations young people in the design and delivery of their work, from engagement processes to service provision and beyond.
What do consumers in NSW think about the Single Digital Patient Record?
We have published a new report. It provides insights into what health consumers in NSW think about the Single Digital Patient Record. It outlines concerns that need to be addressed for its implementation. Download the report now.
HCNSW has signed the Trans Justice Project’s Statement of Solidarity with the Trans Community
With various recent decisions directly affecting the health and wellbeing of trans, gender diverse and LGBTQIA+ people, Health Consumers NSW expresses solidarity with the trans, gender diverse, and wider LGBTQIA+ community.
Experiences of people with disabilities in the NSW Health System
Health Consumers NSW CEO Anthony Brown met with NSW Health Minister Ryan Park MP. We were part of a team led by Physical Disability Council of NSW CEO Ed Morris, Intellectual Disability Rights Service (IDRS) CEO Joanne Yates, and Stroke Recovery Association NSW CEO Michelle Sharkey to discuss the heartbreaking experiences of people with disabilities in the NSW Health System and the need for a NSW Disability Health Strategy.
Wishing you a happy festive season
Our office will be closed from Monday, 23 December 2024 and reopen on Monday, 6 January 2025.
Everything you wanted to know about aged care – Event review
1 October 2024 was International Day of Older Persons. Together with a lot of other organisations, we organised an event. The showcase included a keynote speech by Professor Kathy Eager AM, a panel discussion and an expo, including some light lunch and refreshments.
Are you interested in joining the Board of Health Consumers NSW?
HCNSW has an active and very skilled board. A strong board is one that has a balance of experienced and new members and we would encourage people interested in joining the Board to join us for an information session to find out more about the role and responsibilities of the HCNSW Board.
HCNSW in Conversation with the Hon. Ryan Park MP, Minister for Health
On 26 June 2024, HCNSW held a Q&A webinar with the Hon. Ryan Park MP, Minister for Health and HCNSW’s Chief Executive, Dr Anthony Brown.
Sydney Health Partners & HCNSW: Involving Consumers in Research
HCNSW’s partnership with Sydney Health Partners in supporting consumer and community involvement in health research continues to strengthen.
Join Our Health Data Sharing Discussion
You are invited to participate in a research study investigating Health Consumers’ perspectives, attitudes and beliefs about participating in data sharing or data linkage consumer groups.
Review of the Consumer and Community Involvement Statement NHMRC
We want to amplify consumer voices and consumer organisation perspectives in health and medical research, particularly in revising the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Consumer and Community Involvement statement. We have developed a submission guide to support you or your consumer organisation in providing feedback on the statement. We encourage individual consumers and consumer organisations to complete a submission via the NHMRC portal by 31 May 2024.
Consumer Leaders Taskforce EOI
Lodge your Expression of Interest to become a member of the HCNSW Consumer Leaders Taskforce now. We want our team to reflect the diversity of our community, so all community members with consumer representation are welcome.
Thanks to all ConViCTioN members!
Thanks to all the magical members of ConViCTionN who got together face-to-face and online on Wednesday, 21 February in Sydney.
Bye bye 2023. Hello 2024.
Our office will be closed from Friday, 22 December 2023 and will reopen on Monday, 8 January 2024.
Annual report and general meeting 2023
On Friday 20 October, Board members, staff, voting members and individual members of Health Consumers NSW met in person and online to celebrate our achievements in the financial year 2022/2023.
HCNSW’s Strategic Plan for 2023-2026
Health Consumers NSW is proud to present our Strategic Plan for 2023 to 2026, which sets out how we will move forward, building on our past successes. The plan came into effect on 1 July 2023 and lays out our strategic direction for the next three years.
University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine & Health Consumer Group
The University of Sydney is establishing a consumer group for the Faculty of Medicine and Health (FMH). This is an exciting opportunity to influence and have input into the education and training of future healthcare professionals including medical practitioners, dental practitioners, nurses, allied health practitioners and pharmacists.
Are you interested in joining the Board of Health Consumers NSW?
HCNSW has an active and very skilled board. A strong board is one that has a balance of experienced and new members and we would encourage people interested in joining the Board to join us for an information session to find out more about the role and responsibilities of the HCNSW Board.
Remuneration of Consumer Representatives in Health- survey and webinar
Paid participation recognises the value of the expert contributions made by people who have a lived or living experience of being a health consumer.
Consumer Leaders in Health Collective – Statement of Aims
This Statement of Aims has been developed by the Consumer Leaders in Health Collective.
Long-COVID in NSW report
In late 2022, we partnered with the Critical Intelligence Unit of the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) to gather experiences from people with long-COVID in NSW.
Remuneration and reimbursement for health consumers in research
As the peak body and voice for all health consumer representatives in our Statewide network, we strongly recommend that consumers invited to engage or be involved with health services, research institutions, or other health entities should be remunerated for their contribution and reimbursed for expenses.
NSW Ambulance services – community engagement
The NSW Ambulance Service is currently designing their community engagement frameworks and plans and are planning a Patient Service Charter. They are looking for people who have used the ambulance service and would like to be involved.
Better Care, Better Outcomes
Last year, we asked you what do you, as patients and carers, think about the big change to the availability of telehealth for many medical consultations. Now we are publishing the results of this consumer-led study about navigating telehealth. Join us for a results briefing in May!
Sydney Medical School – Doctor of Medicine Curriculum Development
The Sydney Medical School (SMS), University of Sydney, is recruiting additional members to their Consumer Engagement Advisory Group. The Consumer Engagement Advisory Group advises on consumer issues for the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program (what is taught to medical students). Apply now!
Funding boost to increase subsidies and expand eligibility of IPTAAS
Health Consumers NSW (HCNSW) congratulates Ms Susan Pearce on her appointment as Secretary of NSW Health.
New Secretary of NSW Health – Congratulations Ms Susan Pearce
Health Consumers NSW (HCNSW) congratulates Ms Susan Pearce on her appointment as Secretary of NSW Health.
Celebrating a decade of HCNSW
We are 10! Celebrate with us and hear more about our decade of lent ears, passionate voices, helping hands, bright minds and generous hearts.
How will the next weeks and months look like for people who are more vulnerable to COVID-19 in NSW?
For people who can’t be vaccinated against COVID-19 for medical reasons, or who are vaccinated but who build a weaker immune response to the vaccine due to their condition, the experience of re-opening NSW will likely be very different to the one of healthy, fully vaccinated people.
We talked to Alexandra Martiniuk, a Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Sydney, about what to expect.
Voluntary assisted dying – position statement
Health Consumers NSW recognises that there is a diversity of opinions about the issue of voluntary assisted dying. We recognise that changes to the law are, ultimately, a matter for society and legislators.
Ahpra Code of Conduct
Are you a health consumer who has an interest in the professional standards that health practitioners need to meet when they look after their patients? Would you like to help Ahpra and National Boards make the code easier to understand and better able to protect the public? Ahpra is seeking Expressions of Interest to attend a virtual, NSW focus group/consultation session on the shared Code of conduct for health practitioners.
Elevating the Human Experience
Health consumer reps needed for the NSW Ministry of Health’s Elevating the Human Experience working groups. Lodge your Expression of Interest now!
Real Time Prescription Monitoring
The NSW Government is introducing Real Time Prescription Monitoring (RTPM) of certain medications that have the potential to cause dependence and be harmful. A public consultation into changing the amendments Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 is now underway.
Review consumer documents
The Agency for Clinical Innovation’s consumer partnerships team is developing new practices around the recruitment and onboarding of consumer partners to ACI projects, networks and programs. They would love to get your input into the drafts of these documents.
Cost of health care in NSW
New research, commissioned by the NSW Council of Social Services (NCOSS) and undertaken by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) and us, shows the relationship between economic disadvantage and patient experience of health services across New South Wales.
The research, and the patient stories we collected, focus on the costs, delays and expectations experienced by patients of General Practitioners, private and public dental, and medical specialist services in NSW. We hope it will inform and bring to the fore patient and family perspectives around the issues faced by restricting patients’ visitors into health facilities. It recognises each of the stakeholder groups as essential and significant players in keeping each other safe and acknowledges that no one stakeholder group can succeed alone. We are all dependent on each other.
Building Trust and Transparency
Risks and benefits of partnering with the pharmaceutical industry//
Some consumer organisations are only able to operate with the support of pharmaceutical companies, while others have explicit policies of not accepting money from industry. Industry funding allows some groups to be able to offer additional services to their members, yet others have concerns that such partnerships impinge on their independence.
Healthcare visiting guide
The report outlines a set of principles, as developed by health consumer representatives, in response to the challenges faced by NSW Health with protecting staff, patients, families, and all who enter the facilities, from COVID-19.
We hope it will inform and bring to the fore patient and family perspectives around the issues faced by restricting patients’ visitors into health facilities. It recognises each of the stakeholder groups as essential and significant players in keeping each other safe and acknowledges that no one stakeholder group can succeed alone. We are all dependent on each other.
Involving consumers in your health service or facility’s COVID-19 response
Involving consumers in strategic and operational decisions in healthcare has never been more
important. In an unprecedented situation such as COVID-19, consumers are a key stakeholder and
an essential source of advice and guidance in your work.
Ageism Survey and Workshops
Our Ageism survey is still online and we continue to gather data. If you think you’ve been treated differently in health care because of your age (no matter what your age) we would like to hear from you. The workshops have been postponed.
John Stubbs – goodbye for now
In January 2020, one of our long-standing Board members, John Stubbs, resigned from our Board. We are sad to see John go and hope to see him back and involved with our organisation in the future. We fully support and understand the reasons for his resignation and wish him all the best in 2020.
Health consumers everywhere have lost a true champion with the passing of Diana Aspinall, at age 80. A leading figure in the development of the health consumer movement in the Blue Mountains, Diana was also one of our (Health Consumers NSW’s) founding members.
Diana Aspinall, champion of health consumers
Diana Aspinall, champion of health consumers
Health consumers everywhere have lost a true champion with the passing of Diana Aspinall, at age 80. A leading figure in the development of the health consumer movement in the Blue Mountains, Diana was also one of our (Health Consumers NSW’s) founding members.