RMH ensures the experiences of consumers and their carers effectively drive improvements in safety and quality.
One of the ways we achieve this is through consumer and carer representation on committees and working groups. The purpose of this engagement is to:
- ensure we are responsive to patient and consumer needs and priorities
- build a collaborative approach to all our service designs and improvements
- promote transparency in discussions regarding safety and quality
- invite an alternative, but equally important perspective in discussions and decision making
How well did we do?
The Royal Melbourne Hospital has active consumer and carer representation on a range of governance committees and working groups. Some are ongoing, while others have been established to achieve a specific goal, such as redesigning the RMH City Campus foyer and the Disability Working Group.
Why is this measure important?
Partnering with and empowering our patients and consumers is one of Melbourne Health's Strategic Priorities for 2015-20. This measure is important as it helps us to track the level of consumer and carer engagement across the organisation and identify where there may be gaps and areas for improvement.
What are we doing to continue to improve?
Successful participation of consumers and carers is supported by formal training, board and executive leadership and consumer / carer commitment.
Feedback is sought from consumers, carers, the Chair and support people annually to:
- better understand how consumer engagement through participation in committees and working groups contributes to us
- identify opportunities for future development in this area.
How can you support us to increase consumer and carer participation?
If you are interested in becoming a consumer or carer representative on a committee or working group please contact Consumer Participation.
Other ways you may like to get involved include:
- completing interviews or surveys
- sharing your 'patient, consumer or carer story' – your experience of interacting with the hospital
- attending our annual Community Board Meeting
- participating on staff interview panels
- participating in focus groups assisting with gathering patient and consumer feedback or audits of quality measures
Consumer and carer involvement
We ensure the experiences of consumers and their carers effectively drive improvements in safety and quality. One of the ways we achieve this is through consumer and carer representation on committees and working groups.
There are 52 committees and working groups across RMH with active consumer and carer representation:
| Committee or working group name | Notes |
|---|---|
| Allied Health Quality and Research Committee | |
| Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee | |
| Behaviours of Concern Working Group | |
| Cardiovascular Renal and Endocrine Quality and Improvement Committee | |
| Clinical Ethics Committee | |
| Clinical Governance Standard Committee | |
| Cognitive Impairment Committee | |
| Communicating for Safety Committee | |
| Community Advisory Committee | Consumer or Carer Deputy Chair |
| Community Committee | Consumer or Carer Chair |
| Consent Working Group | |
| Critical Care and Investigative Services Quality and Improvement Committee | |
| Cultural Transformation Steering Committee | |
| Disability Working Group | |
| Drug & Therapeutics Advisory Committee | |
| ED Management of Clinical Aggression Committee | |
| ED Quality and Transformation Committee | |
| EMR Patient Portal Advisory Group | |
| Family Safety Committee | |
| Foundation EMR Clinical Council | |
| Foyer Redesign Working Group | |
| Hand Hygiene Committee | |
| Health literacy Working Group | Consumer or Carer Co-Chair |
| Hello My Name Is Project Group | |
| Hello My Name Is Working Group | |
| Heritage Committee | |
| Human Research Ethics Committee | |
| ICU Quality Committee | |
| Improvement Steering Group – Patient Opinion | |
| Infection Prevention & Surveillance Committee | |
| LGBTIQ+ Working Group | |
| Medication Safety Committee | |
| Medicine & Community Care Quality Committee | |
| MH Quality Committee | |
| Neuroscience, Cancer & Infection Medicine Quality Committee | |
| New Technology and Clinical Practice Committee | |
| New Technology and Clinical Practice Committee | |
| North Western Breastscreen Service Quality Committee | |
| Nursing Assistant Steering Group | |
| Personalising end of life planning and care committee | |
| Quality and Population Health Advisory Committee | |
| Recognising and responding to acute deterioration committee | |
| Research Advisory Council | |
| Respect and Partnership in Care Committee | |
| Skin Integrity Working Group | |
| SPOTSO Quality Committee | |
| Strengthening hospital responses to family violence steering Committee | |
| Sub-Acute Physiotherapy Redesign Governance Committee | |
| Telehealth Steering Committee | |
| Transfusion Committee | |
| Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Consumer Advisory Committee | |
| We Care Triage Group |